Paracel Islands (2003) | Holy See (Vatican City) (2001) | |
Airports | 1 (2002) | none |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
- |
Area | total: NA sq km
land: NA sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
0.44 sq km land: 0.44 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | NA | about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
Background | 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. | Popes in their secular role ruled much 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 Vatican 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 the failing health of Pope John Paul II, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the adjustment of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith. |
Budget | - | revenues:
$209.6 million expenditures: $198.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997) |
Capital | - | Vatican City |
Climate | tropical | temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers (May to September) |
Coastline | 518 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | - | Apostolic Constitution of 1967 (effective 1 March 1968) |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Paracel Islands |
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) |
Currency | - | Italian lira (ITL); euro (EUR) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | - | chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant) embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00162 Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box F, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428 FAX: [39] (06) 5758346 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | - | chief of mission:
Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Gabriele MONTALVO chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121 |
Disputes - international | occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam | none |
Economic aid - recipient | - | none |
Economy - overview | China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism. | This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by contributions (known as Peter's Pence) from Roman Catholics throughout the world, the sale of postage stamps and tourist mementos, fees for admission to museums, and the sale of publications. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to, or somewhat better than, those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome. |
Electricity - consumption | - | NA kWh |
Electricity - imports | - | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m |
lowest point:
unnamed location 19 m highest point: unnamed location 75 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 - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Vatican lire per US dollar - 2,099 (2000), 1817.2 (1999), 1,736.2 (1998), 1,703.1 (1997), 1,542.9 (1996); note - the Vatican lira is at par with the Italian lira; the Vatican will start using euros in 2002 in conjunction with Italy at a fixed rate of 1,936.17 lire per euro |
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 |
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 | 16 30 N, 112 00 E | 41 54 N, 12 27 E |
Geography - note | composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group | urban; landlocked; enclave of 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 |
Heliports | - | 1 (2000 est.) |
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) |
Industries | - | printing and production of a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities |
International organization participation | - | CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, Intelsat, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WHO (observer), WIPO, WToO (observer), WTrO (observer) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 93 (Holy See and Italy) (2000) |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | 0 sq km (1993) |
Judicial branch | - | none; normally handled by Italy |
Labor force | - | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%; note - dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live outside the Vatican |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total:
3.2 km border countries: Italy 3.2 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (urban area) |
Languages | - | Italian, Latin, French, various other languages |
Legal system | - | NA |
Legislative branch | - | unicameral Pontifical Commission |
Literacy | - | definition:
NA total population: 100% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | 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 | Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy) |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Europe |
Maritime claims | NA | none (landlocked) |
Military - note | occupied by China | defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are posted at entrances to the Vatican City to provide security and protect the Pope |
National holiday | - | Coronation Day of Pope JOHN PAUL II, 22 October (1978) |
Nationality | - | noun:
none adjective: none |
Natural hazards | typhoons | NA |
Natural resources | none | none |
Political parties and leaders | - | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers) |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons (July 2003 est.) |
890 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | - | 1.15% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded | none |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 2 (1998) |
Radios | - | NA |
Railways | - | total:
862 m; note - a spur of the Italian Railways system, serving Rome's Saint Peter's station standard gauge: 862 m 1.435-m gauge (1999) |
Religions | - | Roman Catholic |
Suffrage | - | limited to cardinals less than 80 years old |
Telephone system | - | general assessment:
automatic exchange domestic: tied into Italian system international: uses Italian system |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | NA |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | NA |
Television broadcast stations | - | 1 (1996) |
Terrain | mostly low and flat | low hill |
Waterways | none | none |