Vatican City State

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Vatican City State

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name Stato della Città del Vaticano/Vatican City State Area 0.4 sq km/0.2 sq mi Language Latin (official), Italian Religion Roman Catholic Time difference GMT +1 Major holidays see Italy


GEOGRAPHY

Physical features forms an enclave in the heart of Rome, Italy Airports no international airports; one heliport serves visiting heads of state and Vatican officials; the closest international airport is Rome (see Italy) Railways total length: 862 m/2,828 ft (a small railway carrying supplies and goods into the Vatican from Italy)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state Pope Benedict XVI from 2005 Head of government Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone from 2006 Political system theocratic Political executive theocratic Death penalty abolished in 1969


ECONOMY

Currency euro GDP see Italy Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) see Italy GNI (US$) see Italy GNI per capita (PPP) see Italy Industries the Vatican has three main sources of income: the Istituto per le Opere di Religione, ‘Peter's pence’ (voluntary contributions), and interest on investments managed by the Administration of the Patrimony of the Holy See


POPULATION

Population 1,000 (2006 est) Population density (per sq km) 1,784 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 100 (2005 est) Life expectancy see Italy Literacy rate see Italy


CHRONOLOGY

AD 64 Death of St Peter, a Christian martyr who, by legend, was killed in Rome and became regarded as first bishop of Rome. The Pope, as head of Roman Catholic Church, viewed as spiritual descendent of St Peter. 756 Pope became temporal ruler of Papal States, which stretched across central Italy, centred around Rome. 11th–13th centuries Under Gregory VII and Innocent III papacy enjoyed its greatest temporal power. 1377 After seven decades in which papacy was based in Avignon (France), Rome once again became papal headquarters with Vatican Palace becoming official residence. 1860 Umbria, Marche, and much of Emilia Romagna which, along with Lazio formed Papal States, annexed by new unified Italian state. 1870 First Vatican Council defined as matter of faith the absolute primacy of the Pope and infallibility of his pronouncements on ‘matters of faith and morals’. 1870–71 French forces, which had been protecting the Pope, were withdrawn, allowing Italian nationalist forces to capture Rome, which became capital of Italy; Pope Pius IX retreated into Vatican Palace, from which no Pope was to emerge until 1929. 1929 Lateran Agreement, signed by Italian fascist leader Benito Mussolini and Pope Pius XI, restored full sovereign jurisdiction over Vatican City State to bishopric of Rome (Holy See) and declared new state to be neutral and inviolable territory. 1947 New Italian constitution confirmed sovereignty of the Vatican City State. 1962 Second Vatican Council called by Pope John XXIII. 1978 John Paul II became first non-Italian pope for more than 400 years. 1985 New concordat signed under which Roman Catholicism ceased to be Italy's state religion. 1992 Relations with East European states restored. 2005 John Paul II died; replaced by German cardinal Josef Ratzinger who became Benedict XVI. 2006 Benedict made critical reference to Islam, provoking widespread Muslim anger; subsequently sought to defuse controversy during visit to predominantly Muslim Turkey.


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