Holy See (Vatican City)

monarchical-sacerdotal stateIndependence 11 February 1929 (from Italy)

Holy See (Vatican City) as the 1992 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 49 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalVatican City

Area0.438 km2

1992

Every edition of Holy See (Vatican City)

Populationas each edition published it

802 people July 1992 · 774 in 1990

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 1.15% in 1993

Geography

13 fields

Total area

0.438km2

Comparative area: about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries

3.2km

Italy 3.2 km

Climate

temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers (May to September)

Land use

arable land 0%;
permanent crops 0%;
meadows and pastures 0%;
forest and woodland 0%;
other 100%

Note

landlocked;
enclave of Rome, Italy;
world's smallest state;
outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo (the pope's summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights

People

8 fields

Population

802

(July 1992), growth rate 1.2% (1992)

Literacy

100%

(male NA%, female NA%)

Ethnic divisions

primarily Italians but also Swiss and other nationalities

Languages

Italian, Latin, and various other languages

Labor force

high dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers who live outside the Vatican

Organized labor

Association of Vatican Lay Workers, 1,800 members (1987)

Government

Monarchical-sacerdotal state

17 fields

Long-form name

State of the Vatican City; note - the Vatican City is the physical seat of the Holy See, which is the central government of the Roman Catholic Church

Constitution

Apostolic Constitution of 1967 (effective 1 March 1968)

National holiday

Installation Day of the Pope (John Paul II), 22 October (1978); note - Pope John Paul II was elected on 16 October 1978

Leaders

Chief of State:: Pope JOHN PAUL II (Karol WOJTYA; since 16 October 1978)
Head of Government:: Secretary of State Archbishop Angelo SODANO

Suffrage

limited to cardinals less than 80 years old

Elections

Pope: last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death of the current pope); results - Karol WOJTYA was elected for life by the College of Cardinals

Other political or pressure groups

none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)

Member of

CSCE, IAEA, ICFTU, IMF (observer), INTELSAT, IOM (observer), ITU, OAS (observer), UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WIPO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation

Apostolic Pro-Nuncio Archbishop Agostino CACCIAVILLAN;
3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008;
telephone (202) 333-7121

US:: Ambassador Thomas P. MELADY;
Embassy at Villino Pacelli, Via Aurelia 294, 00165 Rome (mailing address is APO AE 09624);
telephone [396] 639-0558

Flag

two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal tiara centered in the white band

Economy

7 fields

Budget

Revenues

$92 millionExpenditures

$178 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992)

This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by contributions (known as Peter's Pence) from Roman Catholics throughout the world, the sale of postage stamps and tourist mementos, fees for admission to museums, and the sale of publications. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to, or somewhat better than, those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome.

Electricity

5,000 kW standby capacity (1990); power supplied by Italy

Industries

printing and production of a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities

Currency

Vatican lira (plural - lire); 1 Vatican lira (VLit) = 100 centesimi

Exchange rates

Vatican lire (VLit) per US$1 - 1,248.4 (March 1992), 1,240.6 (1991), 1,198.1 (1990), 1,372.1 (1989), 1,301.6 (1988), 1,296.1 (1987);
note - the Vatican lira is at par with the Italian lira which circulates freely