Vatican City (GPS: 41 54 N, 12 27 E) is located in Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy). The country’s area measurements are total: 0.44 sq km; land: 0.44 sq km, water: 0 sq km. This sovereign state is about 0.7 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC. The total irrigated land is N/A.
One of the essential features of Vatican City: Landlocked – enclosed or nearly enclosed by land. An enclave in Rome, Italy. World’s smallest state. Beyond the territorial boundary of Vatican City, the Lateran Treaty of 1929 grants the Holy See extraterritorial authority over 23 sites in Rome and five outside Rome, including the Pontifical Palace at Castel Gandolfo (the Pope’s summer residence).
It’s significant, and at the same time, the principal city, Vatican City’s GPS coordinates are 41 54 N 12 27 E. Vatican City’s local time is 6 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time. The capital’s time difference: UTC+1, note; Daylight saving time: +1hr begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October.
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 importance 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, the plight of refugees and migrants, sexual misconduct by clergy, international development, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the application of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1.3 billion people worldwide profess Catholicism – the world’s most enormous Christian faith.
Vatican City’s names conventional long form: The Holy See (Vatican City State), traditional short form: Holy See (Vatican City), local long form: La Santa Sede (Stato Della Citta del Vaticano), local short state: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano), etymology: “holy” comes from the Greek word “hera” meaning “sacred”; “see” comes from the Latin word “sedes” meaning “seat,” and refers to the episcopal chair; the term “Vatican” derives from the hill Mons Vaticanus on which the Vatican is located and which comes from the Latin “vaticinari” (to prophecy), referring to the fortune-tellers and soothsayers who frequented the area in Roman times.
Vatican City’s terrain is typically urban; low hill. The country’s mean elevation: N/A, elevation extremes; lowest point: Saint Peter’s Square 19 m, highest point: Vatican Gardens 77 m.
The country’s general climate is temperate: mild, rainy winters (September to May) with hot, dry summers (May to September).
The total number of border countries is 1, Italy 3.4 km are the neighboring nations with the indicated border lengths. Vatican City’s coastline is 0 km (landlocked country), while its marital claims are: none. Waterways: N/A. Land use: agricultural land: 0%; arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 0%; forest: 0%; other: 100% (urban area) (2011 estimate).
The population in Vatican City 1,000 (2017 estimate), urban population: 100% of total population (2015), central metropolitan area’s population: VATICAN CITY (capital) 1,000 (2014). Their spoken languages are Italian, Latin, French, various other languages. The main religions in Vatican City are Roman Catholic. The nation uses a religious legal system based on canon (religious) law. It is a(n) ecclesiastical elective monarchy, self-described as an “absolute monarchy,” National holiday(s) Election Day of Pope FRANCIS, 13 March (2013).
Economic overview for the country: The Holy See is supported financially by various sources, including investments, real estate income, and donations from Catholic individuals, dioceses, and institutions; These help fund the Roman Curia (Vatican bureaucracy), diplomatic missions, and media outlets. Moreover, an annual collection taken up in dioceses and direct donations goes to a non-budgetary fund, known as Peter’s Pence, which is used directly by the pope for charity, disaster relief, and aid to churches in developing nations.
The separate Vatican City State budget includes the Vatican museums and post office. It is supported financially by the sale of stamps, coins, medals, and tourist mementos and fees for admission to museums and publication sales. Revenues increased between 2010 and 2011 because of expanded operating hours and a growing number of visitors. However, the Holy See did not escape the financial difficulties experienced by other European countries; In 2012, it started a spending review to determine where to cut costs to reverse its 2011 budget deficit of $20 million.
The Holy See generated a modest surplus in 2012 before recording a $32 million deficit in 2013, driven primarily by the decreasing value of gold. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome, so most public expenditures go to wages and other personnel costs; In February 2014, Pope FRANCIS created the Secretariat of the Economy to oversee financial and administrative operations of the Holy See, part of a broader campaign to reform the Holy See’s finances.
Natural resources of Vatican City: none.
Main export partners for Vatican City, Europe, are N/A for N/A, while the country’s main import partners are N/A.
When you visit this country in Europe, consider the natural hazards in Vatican City: N/A, while infectious diseases are N/A. Also, note that Vatican City faces the following environmental issues: Some air pollution from the surrounding city of Rome.
You may also be interested in the countries next to Vatican City around its total: 3.4 km border, like Italy.
