Compare Paracel Islands (2006) - Holy See (Vatican City) (2003)

Compare Paracel Islands (2006) z Holy See (Vatican City) (2003)

	Paracel Islands (2006)	Holy See (Vatican City) (2003)

Administrative divisions	-	none
Airports	1 (2006)	none (2002)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)	-
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 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 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.
Budget	-	revenues: $173.5 million expenditures: $176.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)
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	-	euro (EUR)
Diplomatic representation from the US	-	chief of mission: Ambassador R. James "Jim" NICHOLSON 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) 5758346
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	occupied by China, also 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 an annual tax on 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.
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: 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 - 1.06 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 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
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	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 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
Heliports	-	1 (2002)
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: on 11 February 1929, three treaties were signed with Italy which, among other things, recognized 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, WHO (observer), WIPO, WToO (observer), WTrO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	-	NA
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 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	0 km	total: 3.2 km border countries: Italy 3.2 km
Land use	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (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	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
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	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	911 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line	-	NA%
Population growth rate	-	0.01% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors	-	none
Radio broadcast stations	-	AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 2 (1998)
Railways	-	total: 0.86 km standard gauge: 0.86 km 1.435-m gauge note: a spur of the Italian Railways system, serving Rome's Saint Peter's station (2001 est.)
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

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