Compare Holy See (Vatican City) (2004) - Paracel Islands (2003)

Compare Holy See (Vatican City) (2004) z Paracel Islands (2003)

	Holy See (Vatican City) (2004)	Paracel Islands (2003)

Administrative divisions	none	-
Airports	none (2003 est.)	1 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways	-	total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Area	total: 0.44 sq km land: 0.44 sq km water: 0 sq km	total: NA sq km land: NA sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC	NA
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.	The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive fishing grounds and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam. China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.
Budget	revenues: $245.2 million expenditures: $260.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2002)	-
Capital	Vatican City	-
Climate	temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers (May to September)	tropical
Coastline	0 km (landlocked)	518 km
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)	-
Country name	conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City) conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City) local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano) local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Paracel Islands
Currency	euro (EUR)	-
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) 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	-
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Gabriel MONTALVO chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121 FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036	-
Disputes - international	none	occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam
Economic aid - recipient	none	-
Economy - overview	This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by an annual contribution from Roman Catholic dioceses throughout the world, as well as by special collections (known as Peter's Pence); the sale of postage stamps, coins, medals, and tourist mementos; fees for admission to museums; and the sale of publications. Investments and real estate income also account for a sizable portion of revenue. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome.	China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism.
Electricity - consumption	NA kWh	-
Electricity - exports	0 kWh	-
Electricity - imports	NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy	-
Electricity - production	NA kWh	-
Elevation extremes	lowest point: unnamed location 19 m highest point: unnamed location 75 m	lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m
Environment - current issues	NA	NA
Environment - international agreements	party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification	-
Ethnic groups	Italians, Swiss, other	-
Exchange rates	euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003),1.1324 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)	-
Executive branch	chief of state: Pope JOHN PAUL II (since 16 October 1978) head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo SODANO (since 1 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	-
Exports	0 kWh	-
Fiscal year	calendar year	-
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	-
Geographic coordinates	41 54 N, 12 27 E	16 30 N, 112 00 E
Geography - note	urban; landlocked; enclave in 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	composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group
Highways	none; all city streets	-
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA	-
Imports	NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy	-
Independence	11 February 1929 (from Italy); note - the three treaties signed with Italy on 11 February 1929 acknowledged, among other things, 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	-
Industries	printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps, a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities	-
International organization participation	CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WIPO, WToO (observer), WTrO (observer)	-
Irrigated land	0 sq km (1998 est.)	0 sq km (1998 est.)
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	-
Labor force	NA	-
Labor force - by occupation	essentially services with a small amount of industry; note - dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live outside the Vatican	-
Land boundaries	total: 3.2 km border countries: Italy 3.2 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (2001)	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)
Languages	Italian, Latin, French, various other languages	-
Legal system	based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to it	-
Legislative branch	unicameral Pontifical Commission	-
Literacy	definition: NA total population: 100% male: NA female: NA	-
Location	Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)	Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the northern Philippines
Map references	Europe	Southeast Asia
Maritime claims	none (landlocked)	NA
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	occupied by China
Military branches	Swiss Guards Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera)	-
National holiday	Coronation Day of Pope JOHN PAUL II, 22 October (1978)	-
Nationality	noun: none adjective: none	-
Natural hazards	NA	typhoons
Natural resources	none	none
Political parties and leaders	none	-
Political pressure groups and leaders	none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)	-
Population	921 (July 2004 est.)	no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA	-
Population growth rate	0.01% (2004 est.)	-
Ports and harbors	none	small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded
Radio broadcast stations	AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 2 (1998)	-
Religions	Roman Catholic	-
Suffrage	limited to cardinals less than 80 years old	-
Telephone system	general assessment: automatic exchange domestic: tied into Italian system international: country code - 39; uses Italian system	-
Telephones - main lines in use	NA	-
Telephones - mobile cellular	NA	-
Television broadcast stations	1 (1996)	-
Terrain	low hill	mostly low and flat
Waterways	-	none

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