Holy See (Vatican City) (2006) | Isle of Man (2004) | |
Administrative divisions | none | none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 24 local authorities each with its own elections |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years: 17.4% (male 6,669; female 6,357)
15-64 years: 65.4% (male 24,527; female 24,302) 65 years and over: 17.1% (male 5,128; female 7,672) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry |
Airports | - | 1 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 0.44 sq km
land: 0.44 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 572 sq km
land: 572 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC |
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, 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. | Part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the 13th century when it was ceded to Scotland, the isle came under the British crown in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the almost extinct Manx Gaelic language. |
Birth rate | - | 11.28 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $245.2 million
expenditures: $260.4 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2002) |
revenues: $485 million
expenditures: $463 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY00/01 est.) |
Capital | name: Vatican City
geographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 27 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
Douglas |
Climate | temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to May) with hot, dry summers (May to September) | temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast about one-third of the time |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 160 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) | unwritten; note - The Isle of Man Constitution Act, 1961, does not embody the unwritten Manx Constitution |
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: Isle of Man |
Currency | - | British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Manx pound |
Death rate | - | 11.35 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | - | NA |
Dependency status | - | British crown dependency |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Francis ROONEY
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 |
none (British crown dependency) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Pietro SAMBI
chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121 FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036 |
none (British crown dependency) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $0 | NA |
Economy - overview | This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by an annual contribution from Roman Catholic dioceses throughout the world (known as Peter's Pence); by the sale of postage stamps, coins, medals, and tourist mementos; by fees for admission to museums; and by 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. | Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism are key sectors of the economy. The government's policy of offering incentives to high-technology companies and financial institutions to locate on the island has paid off in expanding employment opportunities in high-income industries. As a result, agriculture and fishing, once the mainstays of the economy, have declined in their shares of GDP. Trade is mostly with the UK. The Isle of Man enjoys free access to EU markets. |
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: Irish Sea 0 m
highest point: Snaefell 621 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | waste disposal (both household and industrial); transboundary air pollution |
Environment - international agreements | party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification |
- |
Ethnic groups | Italians, Swiss, other | Manx (Norse-Celtic descent), Briton |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001) | Manx pounds per US dollar - 0.6125 (2003), 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999); the Manx pound is at par with the British pound |
Executive branch | chief of state: Pope BENEDICT XVI (since 19 April 2005)
head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio BERTONE (since 15 September 2006) cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals; election last held 19 April 2005 (next to be held after the death of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope election results: Joseph RATZINGER elected Pope BENEDICT XVI |
chief of state: Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor Ian MACFADYEN (since 26 October 2002)
head of government: Chief Minister Donald GELLING (since 14 December 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch for a five-year term; the Chief Minister is elected by the Tynwald; election last held 14 December 2004 (next to be held NA December 2010) election results: Donald GELLING elected chief minister by the Tynwald; note - Richard CORKILL resigned 2 December 2004 |
Exports | 0 kWh | NA |
Exports - commodities | - | tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb |
Exports - partners | - | UK (2000) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
Flag description | two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the arms of the Holy See, consisting of the crossed keys of Saint Peter surmounted by the three-tiered papal tiara, centered in the white band | red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria), in the center; the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the knee; in order to have the toes pointing clockwise on both sides of the flag, a two-sided emblem is used |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $1.6 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: 1%
industry: 13% services: 86% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $21,000 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 13.5% |
Geographic coordinates | 41 54 N, 12 27 E | 54 15 N, 4 30 W |
Geography - note | landlocked; 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 of Rome, including the Pontifical Palace at Castel Gandolfo (the Pope's summer residence) | one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the southwest, and is a bird sanctuary |
Highways | - | total: 800 km
paved: 800 km unpaved: 0 km (1999) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Imports | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy | NA |
Imports - commodities | - | timber, fertilizers, fish |
Imports - partners | - | UK (2000) |
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 | none (British crown dependency) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | 3.2% (FY96/97) |
Industries | printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps; a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities | financial services, light manufacturing, tourism |
Infant mortality rate | - | total: 6.05 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.08 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 3.6% (March 2003 est.) |
International organization participation | CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WIPO, WToO (observer), WTO (observer) | UPU |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km | 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 Pope PIUS XII on 1 May 1946 |
High Court of Justice (justices are appointed by the Lord Chancellor of England on the nomination of the lieutenant governor) |
Labor force | NA | 36,610 (1998) |
Labor force - by occupation | note: essentially services with a small amount of industry; dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live outside the Vatican | agriculture, forestry and fishing 3%, manufacturing 11%, construction 10%, transport and communication 8%, wholesale and retail distribution 11%, professional and scientific services 18%, public administration 6%, banking and finance 18%, tourism 2%, entertainment and catering 3%, miscellaneous services 10% |
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) (2005) |
arable land: 9%
permanent crops: 0% other: 91% (permanent pastures, forests, mountain, and heathland) (2002) |
Languages | Italian, Latin, French, various other languages | English, Manx Gaelic |
Legal system | based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to it | English common law and Manx statute |
Legislative branch | unicameral Pontifical Commission | bicameral Tynwald consists of the Legislative Council (an 11-member body composed of the President of Tynwald, the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man, a nonvoting attorney general, and 8 others named by the House of Keys) and the House of Keys (24 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Keys - last held 22 November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2006) election results: House of Keys - percent of vote by party - Man Labor Party 17.3%, Alliance for Progressive Government 14.6%; seats by party - Man Labor Party 2, Alliance for Progressive Government 3, independents 19 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 78.16 years
male: 74.8 years female: 81.7 years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% |
definition: NA
total population: NA male: NA female: NA |
Location | Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy) | Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland |
Map references | Europe | Europe |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm |
Merchant marine | - | total: 226 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,055,436 GRT/9,972,459 DWT
by type: bulk 25, cargo 40, chemical tanker 25, combination bulk 2, container 19, liquefied gas 31, multi-functional large load carrier 1, petroleum tanker 59, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 17, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 5 foreign-owned: Australia 3, Cyprus 4, Denmark 30, Estonia 3, France 1, Germany 57, Greece 8, Hong Kong 11, Iceland 1, Italy 6, Monaco 4, Netherlands 2, New Zealand 1, Norway 10, Singapore 2, Sweden 3, United Kingdom 80, United States 1 registered in other countries: 9 (2004 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Italy; ceremonial and limited security duties performed by Pontifical Swiss Guard | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | Pontifical Swiss Guard (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera Pontificia) | - |
National holiday | Coronation Day of Pope BENEDICT XVI, 24 April (2005) | Tynwald Day, 5 July |
Nationality | noun: none
adjective: none |
noun: Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women)
adjective: Manx |
Natural hazards | NA | NA |
Natural resources | none | none |
Net migration rate | - | 5.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | none | Man Labor Party [leader NA]; Alliance for Progressive Government [leader NA]; Man Nationalist Party [leader NA]
note: most members sit as independents |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers) | none |
Population | 932 (July 2006 est.) | 74,655 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA |
Population growth rate | 0.01% (2006 est.) | 0.53% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Castletown, Douglas, Peel, Ramsey |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 4, FM 3, shortwave 2 (2004) | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Railways | - | total: 61 km (35 km electrified) (2003) |
Religions | Roman Catholic | Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Society of Friends |
Sex ratio | - | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
Suffrage | limited to cardinals less than 80 years old | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: automatic digital exchange
domestic: connected via fiber optic cable to Telecom Italia network international: country code - 39; uses Italian system |
general assessment: NA
domestic: landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system international: fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satellite earth station, submarine cable |
Telephones - main lines in use | 5,120 (2005) | 51,000 (1999) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | NA |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (2005) | 0 (receives broadcasts from the UK and satellite) (1999) |
Terrain | urban; low hill | hills in north and south bisected by central valley |
Total fertility rate | - | 1.65 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 0.7% (March 2003) |