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| Introduction | Holy See (Vatican City) |
| Background: | Popes in their secular role ruled portions of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordat between the Holy See and Italy modified certain of the earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See include religious freedom, international development, the Middle East, terrorism, the failing health of Pope JOHN PAUL II, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the application of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith. |
| People | Holy See (Vatican City) |
| Population: | 921 (July 2004 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 0.01% (2004 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA |
| Nationality: | noun: none adjective: none |
| Ethnic groups: | Italians, Swiss, other |
| Religions: | Roman Catholic |
| Languages: | Italian, Latin, French, various other languages |
| Literacy: | definition: NA total population: 100% male: NA female: NA |
| Government | Holy See (Vatican City) |
| Country name: | conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City) conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City) local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano) local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano) |
| Government type: | ecclesiastical |
| Capital: | Vatican City |
| Administrative divisions: | none |
| Independence: | 11 February 1929 (from Italy) note: on 11 February 1929, three treaties were signed with Italy which, among other things, acknowledged the full sovereignty of the Vatican and established its territorial extent; however, the origin of the Papal States, which over the years have varied considerably in extent, may be traced back to the 8th century |
| National holiday: | Coronation Day of Pope JOHN PAUL II, 22 October (1978) |
| Constitution: | new Fundamental Law promulgated by Pope John Paul II on 26 November 2000, effective 22 February 2001 (replaces the first Fundamental Law of 1929) |
| Legal system: | based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to it |
| Suffrage: | limited to cardinals less than 80 years old |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: Pope JOHN PAUL II (since 16 October 1978) head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo SODANO (since 2 December 1990) cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals; election last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope election results: Karol WOJTYLA elected pope |
| Legislative branch: | unicameral Pontifical Commission |
| Judicial branch: | there are three tribunals responsible for civil and criminal matters within Vatican City; three other tribunals rule on issues pertaining to the Holy See note: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of Pius XII on 1 May 1946 |
| Political parties and leaders: | none |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers) |
| International organization participation: | CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WHO (observer), WIPO, WToO (observer), WTrO (observer) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Gabriel MONTALVO FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121 chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador R. James "Jim" NICHOLSON embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 66, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428 FAX: [39] (06) 575-8346 |
| Flag description: | two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter centered in the white band |
| Communications | Holy See (Vatican City) |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | NA |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | NA |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: automatic exchange domestic: tied into Italian system international: country code - 39; uses Italian system |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 2 (1998) |
| Radios: | NA |
| Television broadcast stations: | 1 (1996) |
| Televisions: | NA |
| Internet country code: | .va |
| Internet hosts: | 9 (2004) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | NA |
| Internet users: | NA |
| Transportation | Holy See (Vatican City) |
| Highways: | none; all city streets |
| Ports and harbors: | none |
| Airports: | none (2003 est.) |
| Military | Holy See (Vatican City) |
| Military branches: | Swiss Guards Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera) |
| Military - note: | defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are posted at entrances to the Vatican City to provide security and protect the Pope |
| Transnational Issues | Holy See (Vatican City) |
| Disputes - international: | none |
| This page was last updated on 16 December, 2004 |
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