International Security Bulletin

Holy See (Vatican City)

The Holy See (Vatican City State)

Capital: Vatican City

History

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, threats against minority Christian communities in Africa and the Middle East, international development, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the application of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1.2 billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith.

Geography

Metric Units

Total Area 0.44 sq km
Land Boundaries 3.2 km
Border Countries Italy 3.2 km
Coastline 0 km
Terrain urban; low hill
Minimum Elevation 19 m
Maximum Elevation 75 m
Climate temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to May) with hot, dry summers (May to September)
Natural Resources none
Arable Land No data%
Permanent Crops 0%

Economy

Gross Domestic Product $No data
GDP (per capita) $No data
GDP Growth No data%
Unemployment Rate No data%
Population in Poverty No data%
GINI Index No data

Budget & Debt

Expenditures $326.4 million
Revenue $308 million
Current Account Balance $No data
External Debt $No data

Trade

Exports $No data
Export Items No data
Export Partners No data
Imports $No data
Import Items No data
Import Partners No data

People

Population 839
Population Growth 0%
Ethnic Groups Italians, Swiss, other
Religion Roman Catholic
Life Expectancy No data years
Infant Mortality 100 deaths/1,000 live births
Maternal Mortality 0.1 deaths/100,000 live births

Energy

Electricity Production No data kWh
Electricity Consumption No data kWh
From Fossil Fuels No data%
From Nuclear No data%
From Hydroelectric No data%
From Renewable Sources No data%