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{{Infobox Country
|native_name =''Volksrepublik Pumelia'' {{de icon}}
|conventional_long_name = People's Republic of Pumelia
|common_name = Pumelia
|image_flag = Flag of the Vatican City.svg
|image_coat = Coat of arms of the Vatican City.svg
|symbol_type = Coat of arms
|image_map = LocationVaticanCity.png
|national_motto = Obey Söd!
|national_anthem = "[[Söd, du Fröhliche!]]"{{spaces|2}}<small>([[German language|German]])<br />"Söd, you happy one!"</small>
|capital = Pumelia{{smallsup|1}}
|official_languages = [[German language|German]] [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] [[English language|English]]{{smallsup|2}}
|latd=41 |latm=54 |latNS=N |longd=12 |longm=27 |longEW=E
|government_type = Dictatorship
|leader_title1 = [[Dictator|Sovereign]]
|leader_name1 = [[Söd I]]
|leader_title2 = [[Minister of Gas|Minister of Gas]]
|leader_name2 = [[Christiano Puglia]]
|leader_title3 = [[Minister of Textils]]
|leader_name3 = [[Christiano Puglia]]
|leader_title4 = [[Minister of Censorship]]
|leader_name4 = [[Christiano Puglia]]
|area_rank =
|area_magnitude = 1 E5
|area_km2 = 0.00127
|area_sq_mi = 0.000490349741
|percent_water = 0%
|population_estimate = 3
|population_estimate_year = 2008
|population_density_km2 = 2362
|population_density_sq_mi = 6118
|population_density_rank =
|GDP_PPP =
|GDP_PPP_rank =
|GDP_PPP_year =
|GDP_PPP_per_capita =
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank =
|sovereignty_type = [[Independence]]
|sovereignty_note = from [[Switzerland|Switzerland]]
|established_date1 = [[1 October]] [[2007]]
|currency = [[Swiss Franc]]
|currency_code = CHF
|country_code =
|time_zone = [[Central European Time|CET]]
|utc_offset = +1
|time_zone_DST = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
|utc_offset_DST = +2
|cctld =
|calling_code = [[+41]]{{smallsup|4}}
|ISO_3166-1_alpha2 =
|ISO_3166-1_alpha3 =
|ISO_3166-1_numeric =
|sport_code =
|vehicle_code =
}}

'''Pumelia''', officially '''People's Republic of Pumelia'''

({{lang-de|Volksrepublik Pumelia}}), is a [[landlocked]] [[sovereignty|sovereign]] [[apartment-state]] whose

territory consists of a walled [[enclave]] within the city of [[Steinhausen,_Switzerland|Steinhausen]]. At approximately 127 square meters,

and with a population of around 3 it is the smallest independent state in the world by both population and

area.

Vatican City is an apartment-state. It came into existence only in 2007.

The [[Lateran Treaty]] in 1929, which brought the city-state into existence, spoke of it as a new creation (Preamble

and Article III), not as a vestige of the much larger [[Papal States]] (756-1870) that had previously encompassed

central Italy. Most of this territory was absorbed into the [[Kingdom of Italy]] in 1860, and the final portion,

namely the city of Rome with a small area close to it, ten years later, in 1870.

Vatican City is a non-hereditary, elected monarchy that is ruled by the [[Bishop of Rome]] — the [[Pope]]. The

highest state functionaries are all clergymen of the [[Catholic Church]]. It is the sovereign territory of the

[[Holy See]] (''Sancta Sedes'') and the location of the Pope's residence, referred to as the [[Apostolic Palace]].

The Popes have resided in the area that in 1929 became the Vatican City only since the return from [[Avignon

Papacy|Avignon]] in 1377. Previously, they resided in the [[Lateran Palace]] on the [[Caelian Hill]] on the opposite

side of Rome, which was out of repair in 1377. The signing of the agreements that established the new state took

place in the latter building, giving rise to the name of [[Lateran Treaty|Lateran Pacts]], by which they are known.

== Territory ==
The name "Vatican" is ancient and predates [[Christianity]], coming from the Latin ''Mons Vaticanus'', meaning

Vatican Mount.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Vatican|title=Vatican

(search)|publisher=Online Dictionary|accessdate=2007-11-28}}</ref> The territory of Vatican City is part of the

''Mons Vaticanus'', and of the adjacent former Vatican Fields where [[St. Peter's Basilica]], the [[Apostolic

Palace]], the [[Sistine Chapel]], and museums were built, along with various other buildings. The area was part of

the Roman [[rione]] of [[borgo (rione of Rome)|Borgo]] until 1929. Being separated from the city, on the west bank

of the [[Tiber]] river, the area was an outcrop of the city that was protected by being included within the walls of

[[Pope Leo IV|Leo IV]], and later expanded by the current fortification walls of [[Pope Paul III|Paul III]]/[[Pius

IV]]/[[Urban VIII]]. When the [[Lateran Treaty]] of 1929 that gave the state its present form was being prepared,

the boundaries of the proposed territory was influenced by the fact that much of it was all but enclosed by this

loop. For some tracts of the frontier, there was no wall, but the line of certain buildings supplied part of the

boundary, and for a small part of the frontier a modern wall was constructed. The territory includes [[St. Peter's

Square]], distinguished from the territory of [[Italy]] only by a white line along the limit of the square, where it

touches Piazza Pio XII. St. Peter's Square is reached through the [[Via della Conciliazione]] which runs from the

Tiber River to St. Peter's. This grand approach was constructed by [[Mussolini]] after the conclusion of the Lateran

Treaty.

According to the Lateran Treaty, certain [[properties of the Holy See]] that are located in Italian territory, most

notably [[Castel Gandolfo]] and the Patriarchal Basilicas, enjoy extraterritorial status similar to that of foreign

[[embassy|embassies]].<ref name="treaty"/><ref name="treaty text"/> These properties, scattered all over Rome and

Italy, house essential offices and institutions necessary to the character and mission of the Holy See.<ref

name="treaty text">Excerpt of extra-territorial jurisdiction as per the Lateran Treaty of 1929:

Article 13

:Italy recognizes the full ownership of the Holy See over the patriarchal Basilicas of St. John Lateran, Sta. Maria

Maggiore, and St. Paul, with their annexed buildings.

:The State transfers to the Holy See the free management and administration of the said Basilica of St. Paul and its

dependent Monastery, also paying over to the Holy See all monies representing the sums set aside annually for that

church in the budget of the Ministry of Education.

:It is also understood that the Holy See shall remain the absolute owner of the edifice of S. Callisto, adjoining

Sta. Maria in Trastevere.

Article 14

:Italy recognizes the full ownership by the Holy See of the Papal Palace of Castel Gandolfo, together with all

endowments, appurtenances, and dependencies thereof, which are now already in the possession of the Holy See, and

Italy also undertakes to hand over, within six months after the coming into force of the present Treaty, the Villa

Barberini in Castel Gandolfo, together with all endowments, appurtenances, and dependencies thereof.

:In order to round off the property situated on the northern side of the Janiculum Hill, belonging to the Sacred

Congregation of Propaganda Fide and to other ecclesiastical institutions, which property faces the Vatican Palaces,

the State undertakes to transfer to the Holy See or other bodies appointed by it for such purpose, all real estate

belonging to the State or to third parties existing in that area. The properties belonging to the said Congregation

and to other institutions and those to be transferred being marked on the annexed map.

:Finally, Italy shall transfer to the Holy See, as its full and absolute property, the Convent buildings in Rome

attached to the Basilica of the Twelve Holy Apostles and to the churches of San Andrea della Valle and S. Carlo ai

Catinari, with all annexes and dependencies thereof, and shall hand them over within one year after the entry into

force of the present Treaty, free of all occupants.

Article 15

:The property indicated in Article 13 hereof and in paragraphs (1) and (2) of Article 14, as well as the Palaces of

the Dataria, of the Cancelleria, of the Sacred Congregation of Propaganda Fide in the Piazza di Spagna of the S.

Offizio with its annexes, and those of the Convertendi (now the Congregation of the Eastern Church) in Piazza

Scossacavelli, the Vicariato, and all other edifices in which the Holy See shall subsequently desire to establish

other offices and departments although such edifices form part of the territory belonging to the Italian State,

shall enjoy the immunity granted by International Law to the headquarters of the diplomatic agents of foreign

States. Similar immunity shall also apply with regard to any other churches (even if situated outside Rome) during

such time as, without such churches being open to the public, the Supreme Pontiff shall take part in religious

ceremonies celebrated therein.

Article 16

:The property mentioned in the three preceding Articles, as also that used as headquarters of the following Papal

institutions - the Gregorian University, the Biblical, Oriental, and Archaeological Institutes, the Russian

Seminary, the Lombard College, the two Palaces of St. Apollinaris, and the Home of the Retreat of the Clergy

dedicated to St. John and St. Paul - shall never be subject to charges or to expropriation for reasons of public

utility, save by previous agreement with the Holy See, and shall be exempt from any contribution or tax, whether

ordinary or extraordinary and payable to the State or to any other body.

:It shall be permissible for the Holy See to deal with all buildings above mentioned or referred to in the three

preceding Articles as it may deem fit, without obtaining the authorization or consent of the Italian governmental,

provincial, or communal authority, which authorities may in this regard rely entirely on the high artistic

traditions of the Catholic Church.
</ref>

Castel Gandolfo and the named basilicas are patrolled internally by police agents of the Vatican City State and not

by Italian police. St. Peter's Square is ordinarily policed jointly by both.<ref

name="treaty">[http://www.aloha.net/~mikesch/treaty.htm Lateran Treaty]</ref>

== Head of state ==
{{main|Pope}}

The [[Pope]] is ''[[ex officio]]'' [[head of state]] and [[head of government]] of Vatican City, functions dependent

on his primordial function as [[Bishop of Rome|the bishop of the Archdiocese of Rome]]. The term [[Holy See]] refers

not to the Vatican state but to the Pope's spiritual and pastoral governance, largely exercised through the [[Roman

Curia]].<ref>[http://www.intratext.com/IXT/ENG0017/_P19.HTM Code of Canon Law, canon 361] and

[http://www.intratext.com/IXT/LAT0758/_P7.HTM Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, canon 48]</ref> His official

title with regard to Vatican City is ''Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City''.

The papacy is a non-hereditary, [[elective monarchy]], chosen by the [[College of Cardinals]]. The Pope is also

technically an [[absolute monarchy|absolute monarch]], meaning he has total [[legislative]], [[executive

(government)|executive]] and [[judicial]] power over Vatican City. He is the only absolute monarch in Europe. The

Pope is [[election|elected]] for a life term in [[Papal conclave|conclave]] by [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|cardinals]]

under the age of 80.

His principal subordinate government official for Vatican City is the [[President of the Pontifical Commission for

Vatican City State]], who since 1952 exercises the functions previously belonging to the [[Governor of Vatican

City]]. Since 2001, the President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State also has the title of

President of the Governorate of the State of Vatican City.

The Pope resides in the [[Papal Apartments]] of the [[Papal Palace]] just off [[St. Peter's Square]]. It is here he

carries out his business and meets foreign representatives.

The [[2007|current]] Pope is [[Pope Benedict XVI|Benedict XVI]], born Joseph Alois Ratzinger in [[Bavaria]],

[[Germany]]. Italian Archbishop [[Giovanni Lajolo]] serves as President of the Pontifical Commission for the State

of Vatican City. He was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI on [[11 September]]
2006.
{{-}}

== History ==
{{Infobox World Heritage Site
|WHS = Vatican City
|Image = [[Image:St Peter's Square, Vatican City - April 2007.jpg|250px|View of St. Peter's Square from the

top of Michaelangelo's dome.]]
|State Party = [[Image:Flag of the Vatican City.svg|22px]] [[Holy See]]
|Type = Cultural
|Criteria = i, ii, iv, vi
|ID = 286
|Region = [[List of World Heritage Sites in Europe|Europe]]
|Year = 1984
|Session = 8th<br>
|Link = http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/286
}}
{{main|Papal States}}
Even before the arrival of [[Christianity]], this originally uninhabited area on the opposite side of the [[Tiber]]

from the city of [[Rome]] (the ''ager vaticanus'') had long been considered sacred,{{fact|date=April 2008}} or at

least not available for habitation. [[Agrippina the Elder]] (14 BC – 18 October AD 33) drained the hill and environs

and built her gardens there in the early 1st century AD. Emperor [[Caligula]] (37-41) started construction of a

circus (40) that was later completed by Nero, the ''Circus Gaii et Neronis''.<ref>Lanciani, Rodolfo (1892).

[http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/_Texts/Lanciani/LANPAC/3*.html#

sec16 Pagan and Christian Rome] Houghton, Mifflin.</ref> The Vatican obelisk was originally taken by Caligula from

[[Heliopolis]] to decorate the spina of his circus and is thus its last visible remnant. This area became the site

of martyrdom of many Christians after the [[great fire of Rome]] in 64. Ancient tradition holds that it was in this

circus that [[Saint Peter]] was crucified upside down. Opposite the circus was a cemetery separated by the [[Via

Cornelia]]. Funeral monuments and mausoleums and small tombs as well as altars to pagan gods of all kinds of

polytheistic religions were constructed lasting until before the construction of the Constantinian Basilica of St.

Peter's in the first half of the 4th century. Remains of this ancient [[necropolis]] were brought to light

sporadically during renovations by various popes throughout the centuries increasing in frequency during the

[[Renaissance]] until it was systematically excavated by orders of [[Pope Pius XII]] from 1939 to 1941 .

In 326, the first church, the Constantinian basilica, was built over the site that Catholic apologists as well as

noted [[Italy|Italian]] archaeologists argue was the tomb of Saint Peter, buried in a common cemetery on the spot.

From then on the area started to become more populated, but mostly only by dwelling houses connected with the

activity of St. Peter's. A palace was constructed near the site of the basilica as early as the 5th century during

the pontificate of [[Pope Symmachus]] (pope 498-514).<ref> [http://www.bartleby.com/65/va/Vatican.html| Columbia

Encyclopedia], Sixth Edition, 2001-2005</ref>
[[Image:VaticanCity Annex.jpg|thumb|right|Territory of Vatican City according to the [[Lateran treaty]].]]
Popes in their secular role gradually came to govern neighbouring regions and, through the [[Papal States]], ruled a

large portion of the [[Italy|Italian peninsula]] for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when

most of the territory of the Papal States was seized by the [[Italian unification|newly created]] Kingdom of Italy.

For much of this time the Vatican was not the habitual residence of the Popes, but rather the [[Lateran Palace]],

and in recent centuries, the [[Quirinal Palace]], while the residence from 1309-1377 was at [[Avignon]] in

[[France]].

In 1870, the Pope's holdings were left in an uncertain situation when [[Rome]] itself was annexed by the

[[Piedmont]]-led forces which had united the rest of Italy, after a nominal resistance by the papal forces. Between

1861 and 1929 the status of the Pope was referred to as the "[[Roman Question]]". They were undisturbed in their

palace, and given certain recognitions by the [[Law of Guarantees]], including the right to send and receive

ambassadors. But they did not recognize the Italian king's right to rule in Rome, and they [[prisoner in the

Vatican|refused to leave the Vatican compound]] until the dispute was resolved in 1929. Other states continued to

maintain international recognition of the Holy See as a sovereign entity. In practice Italy made no attempt to

interfere with the Holy See within the Vatican walls. However, they confiscated church property in many other

places, including, perhaps most notably, the [[Quirinal Palace]], formerly the pope's official residence. [[Pope

Pius IX]] (1846-1878), the last ruler of the Papal States, claimed that after Rome was annexed he was a "[[Prisoner

in the Vatican]]". This situation was resolved on [[February 11]], [[1929]] between the Holy See and the Kingdom of

Italy.

The treaty was signed by [[Benito Mussolini]] on behalf of King [[Victor Emmanuel III]] and by [[Cardinal Secretary

of State]] [[Pietro Gasparri]] for [[Pope Pius XI]]. The [[Lateran Treaty]] and the Concordat established the

independent State of the Vatican City and granted [[Roman Catholicism|Catholicism]] special status in Italy. In

1984, a new [[concordat]] between the [[Holy See]] and Italy modified certain provisions of the earlier treaty,

including the position of Catholicism as the Italian state religion.

== Government ==
<!-- Please add new information into relevant articles of the series -->
{{Politics of Vatican City|Government of Vatican City}}
{{main|Politics of Vatican City}}
The politics of Vatican City takes place in an [[absolute monarchy|absolute]] elective [[absolute

monarchy|monarchy]], in which the head of the [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic Church]] takes power. The [[Pope]]

exercises [[ex officio]] principal legislative, executive, and judicial power over the State of Vatican City (an

entity distinct from the [[Holy See]]), which is a rare case of a non-hereditary [[monarchy]].<ref>{{cite

web|url=http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Europe/Vatican-City-POLITICS-GOVERNMENT-AND-TAXATION.html|title

=Vatican City (Politics, government, and taxation)|publisher=Nations Encyclopedia|accessdate=2007-11-28}}</ref>

=== Political system ===
The government of Vatican City has a unique structure. The Pope is the sovereign of the state. Legislative authority

is vested in the [[Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State]], a body of cardinals appointed by the Pope for

five-year periods. Executive power is in the hands of the President of that commission, assisted by the General

Secretary and Deputy General Secretary. The state's foreign relations are entrusted to the [[Holy See]]'s

[[Secretariat of State (Vatican)|Secretariat of State]] and diplomatic service. Nevertheless, the pope has full and

absolute executive, legislative and judicial power over Vatican City. He is currently the only absolute monarch in

Europe.

There are specific departments that deal with health, security, telecommunications, etc.<ref>{{cite

web|url=http://www.catholic-pages.com/vatican/vatican_city.asp|accessdate=2007-03-04|title=Vatican

City|work=Catholic-Pages.com}}</ref>

The Cardinal [[Camerlengo]] heads the Apostolic Chamber to which is entrusted the administration of the property and

the protection of the temporal rights of the [[Holy See]] during a ''[[sede vacante]]'' (papal vacancy). Those of

the Vatican State remain under the control of the Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City. Acting with

three other cardinals chosen by lot every three days, one from each order of cardinals (cardinal bishop, cardinal

priest, and cardinal deacon), he in a sense performs during that period the functions of head of state. All the

decisions these four cardinals take must be approved by the [[College of Cardinals]] as a whole.

The nobility that was closely associated with the Holy See at the time of the Papal States continued to be

associated with the Papal Court after the loss of these territories, generally with merely nominal duties (see

[[Master of the Horse#Papal Master of the Horse|Papal Master of the Horse]], [[Prefecture of the Pontifical

Household]], [[Hereditary officers of the Roman Curia]], [[Black Nobility]]). They also formed the ceremonial Noble

Guard. In the first decades of the existence of the Vatican City State, executive functions were entrusted to some

of them, including that of Delegate for the State of Vatican City (now denominated President of the Commission for

Vatican City). But with the motu proprio ''Pontificalis Domus'' of [[28 March]]

[[1968]],<ref>[http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/motu_proprio/documents/hf_p-vi_motu-proprio_19680328_pontif

icalis-domus_lt.html ''Pontificalis Domus''], 3</ref> [[Pope Paul VI]] abolished the honorary positions that had

continued to exist until then, such as Quartermaster General and Master of the Horse.<ref>The site

[http://www.chivalricorders.org/vatican/pplcourt.htm Hereditary Officers of the Papal Court] continues to present

these functions and titles as still in use, several decades after their abolition.</ref>

The State of the Vatican City, created in 1929 by the [[Lateran Treaty|Lateran Pacts]], provides the [[Holy See]]

with a temporal jurisdiction and independence within a small territory. It is distinct from the Holy See. The state

can thus be deemed a significant but not essential instrument of the Holy See. The Holy See itself has existed

continuously as a juridical entity since Roman Imperial times and has been internationally recognized as a powerful

and independent sovereign (at times even [[suzerain]]) entity since late antiquity to the present, without

interruption even at times when it was deprived of territory (e.g. 1870 to 1929). The Holy See has the oldest active

continuous diplomatic service in the world, dating back to at least AD 325 with its legation to the Council of

Nicea.<ref>[http://www.catholic-pages.com/vatican/diplomacy.asp Vatican Diplomacy, Catholic-Pages.com], retrieved

Mar. 15, 2007</ref> Ambassadors are accredited to the Holy See, never to the Vatican City State.

=== Administration ===
[[Image:Roma-villa.jpg|thumb|right|Palace of the Governorate of Vatican City State]]

[[Legislative]] functions are delegated to the [[unicameral]] [[Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State]], led

by the [[President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State]]. Its seven members are cardinals appointed

by the Pope for terms of five years. Acts of the commission must be approved by the pope, through the [[Holy See]]'s

[[Secretariat of State (Vatican)|Secretariat of State]], and before taking effect must be published in a special

appendix of the ''[[Acta Apostolicae Sedis]]''. Most of the content of this appendix consists of routine executive

decrees, such as approval for a new set of postage stamps.

[[Executive authority]] is delegated to the Governorate of Vatican City. The Governorate consists of the President

of the Pontifical Commission &mdash; using the title "President of the Governorate of Vatican City" &mdash; a

General Secretary, and a Vice General Secretary, each appointed by the pope for five year terms. Important actions

of the Governorate must be confirmed by the Pontifical Commission and by the Pope through the Secretariat of State.

The Governorate oversees the central governmental functions through several departments and offices. The directors

and officials of these offices are appointed by the pope for five year terms. These organs concentrate on material

questions concerning the state's territory, including local security, records, transportation, and finances. The

Governorate oversees a modern security and police corps, the ''[[Corpo della Gendarmeria dello Stato della Città del

Vaticano]]''.

[[Judicial]] functions are delegated to a supreme court, an appeals court, a tribunal, and a trial judge.

In all cases, the pope may choose at any time to exercise supreme legislative, executive, or judicial functions in

the state.

=== Military and police===
[[Image:Swiss Guard.jpg|thumb|right|Swiss Guard in their traditional uniform]]
Though earlier Popes recruited Swiss mercenaries as part of an army, the [[Swiss Guard#Pontifical Swiss

Guard|Pontifical Swiss Guard]] was founded by [[Pope Julius II]] on [[22 January]] [[1506]] as the personal

bodyguard of the Pope and continues to fulfil that function. It is listed in the [[Annuario Pontificio]] under "Holy

See", not under "State of Vatican City". At the end of 2005, the Guard had 134 members. Recruitment is arranged by a

special agreement between the Holy See and Switzerland, and is restricted to Catholic male (Swiss) citizens. The

[[Palatine Guard]] and the [[Noble Guard (Vatican)|Noble Guard]] were disbanded by [[Pope Paul VI]] in 1970.<ref

name="Vatican State">{{cite

web|url=http://www.vaticanstate.va/EN/State_and_Government/History/Vatican_City_today.htm|title=Vatican City

Today|publisher=Vatican City Government|accessdate=2007-11-28}}</ref> While the first body was founded as a militia

at the service of the [[Papal States]], its functions within the Vatican State, like those of the Noble Guard, were

merely ceremonial.

The [[Corps of Gendarmerie of Vatican City|Corpo della Gendarmeria]] acts as a police force. Its full name is Corpo

della Gendarmeria dello Stato della Città del Vaticano (which means "[[Gendarmerie]] Corps of the Vatican City

State"), although it is sometimes referred to as ''Vigilanza'', as a shortening of an earlier name. The Gendarmeria

is responsible for public order, law enforcement, crowd and traffic control, and criminal investigations in Vatican

City.<ref name="Vatican State"/>

===Foreign relations===
{{main | Holy See}}

Vatican City State is a recognized national territory under international law, but it is the Holy See that conducts

diplomatic relations on its behalf, in addition to the Holy See's own [[diplomacy]], entering into international

agreements in its regard. The Vatican City State thus has no diplomatic service of its own. Foreign embassies to the

Holy See are located in the city of Rome; only during the [[Second World War]] were the staffs of some embassies

given what hospitality was possible within the narrow confines of Vatican City, embassies such as that of the

[[United Kingdom]] while Rome was held by the Axis Powers, embassies such as [[Germany]]'s when the Allies

controlled Rome.

Given the distinction between the two entities, the Holy See's immense influence on world affairs is quite unrelated

to the minuscule size of the Vatican City State.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.population-security.org/issue_s.htm

|title=Vatican influence on the United Nations, the World Health Organization and other international

agencies.|accessdate=2007-03-16}}</ref>

[[Image:Vatican StPeter Square.jpg|thumb|center|700px|St. Peter's Square, and the obelisk from the [[Circus of

Nero]]]]

== Geography ==
[[Image:Vt-map.png|thumb|left|Map of Vatican City]]
{{main | Geography of Vatican City}}

The Vatican City, one of the [[European microstates]], is situated on the Vatican Hill in the west-central part of

Rome, several hundred metres west of the [[Tiber]] river. Its borders ({{convert|3.2|km|mi}} in total, all within

Italy) closely follow the [[city wall]] constructed to protect the Pope from outside attack. The situation is more

complex at the famous [[Saint Peter's Square|St. Peter's Square]] in front of [[St. Peter's Basilica]], where the

correct border is just outside the ellipse formed by [[Gian Lorenzo Bernini|Bernini]]'s colonnade, but where police

jurisdiction has been entrusted to Italy. The Vatican City is the smallest sovereign state in the world at

{{convert|0.44|km2|ha acre|lk=out}}.

The Vatican [[climate]] is the same as Rome's; a temperate, Mediterranean climate with mild, rainy winters from

September to mid-May and hot, dry summers from May to August. There are some local features, principally mists and

dews, caused by the anomalous bulk of St Peter's Basilica, the elevation, the fountains and the size of the large

paved square.

In July 2007, the Vatican agreed to become the first [[carbon neutral]] state. They plan to accomplish this by

offsetting carbon dioxide emissions with the creation of a [[Vatican Climate Forest]] in [[Hungary]].<ref>

http://www.physorg.com/news103554442.html The Vatican to go carbon neutral </ref>

== Economy ==
{{main|Economy of Vatican City}}
[[Image:1 Euro Vatican(third series).gif|thumb|right||The reverse of the Vatican [[Euro|€]]1 coin produced in 2006

depicting the current pope, [[Pope Benedict XVI|Benedict XVI]]]]
The unique, non-commercial economy is supported financially by contributions (part of which is known as [[Peter's

Pence]]) from Catholics throughout the world, the sale of postage stamps and tourist mementos, fees for admission to

museums, and the sale of publications.<ref name="economy factbook">{{cite

web|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/vt.html#Econ|title=Holy See (Vatican City):

Economy|work=CIA - The World Factbook|accessdate=2007-02-23}}</ref> 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.<ref name="economy

factbook"/>

The Vatican City [[Vatican euro coins|issues its own coins]]. It has used the [[euro]] as its currency since

[[January 1]], [[1999]], owing to a special agreement with the [[EU]] (council decision 1999/98/CE). Euro coins and

notes were introduced in [[January 1]], [[2002]]--the Vatican does not issue euro banknotes. Issuance of

euro-denominated coins is strictly limited by treaty, though somewhat more than usual is allowed in a year in which

there is a change in the papacy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/l25040.htm|title=Agreements

on monetary relations (Monaco, San Marino, the Vatican and Andorra)|accessdate=2007-02-23|work=Activities of the

European Union: Summaries of legislation}}</ref> Because of their rarity, Vatican euro coins are highly sought by

collectors.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cathnews.com/news/604/100.php|title=Benedict Vatican euros set for

release|accessdate=2007-02-23|work=Catholic News|date=2006-04-21}}</ref> Until the adoption of the Euro, Vatican

coinage and stamps were denominated in their own [[Vatican lira]] currency, which was on par with the Italian

[[lira]].

It also has its own bank, Istituto per le Opere di Religione (also known as the [[Vatican Bank]], and with the

acronym IOR). This bank has an [[automated teller machine|ATM]] with instructions in [[Latin]], possibly the only

such ATM in the world.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cardinalseansblog.org/?p=232|title=A Glimpse Inside the Vatican

& Msgr. Robert Deeley’s Guest Post|author=[[Seán P. O'Malley]]|date=2006-09-28|accessdate=2008-01-30}}</ref>

* Budget: Revenues (2003) 252 million [[United States dollar|USD]]; expenditures (2003) 264 million USD.<ref>{{cite

web|url=http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3819.htm|title=Holy See (10/06)|work=U.S. Department of

State|accessdate=2007-03-04}}</ref>
* Industries: printing and production of few mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide financial activities.

== Demographics ==
=== Population and languages ===
[[Image:Rome Vatican Museums.jpg|thumb|right|Vatican Museums.]]
Almost all of Vatican City's 821 (July 2007

est.<ref>[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/vt.html CIA - The World Factbook - Holy

See (Vatican City)<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref>) citizens either live inside the Vatican's walls or serve in

the Holy See's [[diplomatic missions of the Holy See|diplomatic service]] in embassies (called "[[nunciature]]s"; a

papal ambassador is a "nuncio") around the world. The Vatican citizenry consists almost entirely of two groups:

[[clergy]], most of whom work in the service of the Holy See, and a very few as officials of the state; and the

Swiss Guard. Most of the 3,000 lay workers who comprise the majority of the Vatican work force reside outside the

Vatican and are citizens of Italy, while a few are citizens of other nations. As a result, all of the City's actual

citizens are [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]]. Catholicism is the state religion. All the places of worship inside

Vatican City are Catholic.

Vatican City has no set official language. Unlike the Holy See, which most often uses [[Latin]] for the

authoritative version of official documents of the Catholic Church, Vatican City uses [[Italian language|Italian]]

in its legislation and official communications.<ref>The Vatican City State appendix to the [[Acta Apostolicae

Sedis]] is entirely in Italian.</ref> Italian is also the everyday language used by most of those who work in the

state. In the Swiss Guard, [[German language|German]] is the language used for giving commands, but the individual

guards take their oath of loyalty in their own languages, German, French or Italian. Vatican City's

[http://www.vaticanstate.va/EN/homepage.htm official website] languages are [[Italian language|Italian]], [[English

language|English]], [[French language|French]], [[German language|German]] and [[Spanish language|Spanish]].(This

site should not be confused with that of the [http://www.vatican.va/ Holy See], which uses all these languages,

along with [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] and, since [[9 May]] [[2008]], also [[Latin]].)

=== Citizenship ===
[[Citizenship]] of the Vatican City is granted ''iure officii'', which means it is conferred upon some of those who

have been appointed to work in certain capacities at the Vatican, and it is usually revoked upon the termination of

their [[employment]]. During the period of employment citizenship may also be extended to a Vatican citizen's spouse

(unless the [[marriage]] is annulled or dissolved, or if a conjugal separation is decreed) and children (until, if

they are capable of working, they turn 25, or in the case of daughters, if they marry).{{Fact|date=February 2007}}

Terms of citizenship are defined in the [[Lateran Treaty]], and laws concerning the creation of the Vatican state in

1929 sought to restrict the number of people who could be granted Vatican citizenship. The only [[passports]] issued

by the Vatican are diplomatic passports and service passports.<ref name="treaty"/>

As of [[31 December]] [[2005]], there were 558 people with Vatican citizenship, of whom 246 are dual-citizens of

other countries (the majority being Italian). The Lateran Treaty provides that in the event a Vatican citizen has

his or her original nationality revoked and also loses Vatican citizenship, he or she will be automatically granted

Italian citizenship.<ref name="treaty"/>

Among the 558 were:<ref>{{cite

web|url=http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/sp_ss_scv/informazione_generale/cittadini

-vaticani_en.html|title=Vatican citizenship|accessdate=2006-12-03|publisher=Holy See Press Office}}</ref>

* The [[Pope]];
* 58 [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|cardinals]];
* 293 members of the [[clergy]] who serve as [[diplomacy|diplomatic]] [[envoy]]s abroad;
* 62 lesser-ranking clergy members who work in the Vatican;
* 101 officers, [[Non-commissioned officer|NCOs]], and men of the Papal [[Swiss Guard]]; and
* 43 lay persons.

== Culture ==
{{main|Vatican City culture}}
[[Image:StPetersBasilicaEarlyMorning.jpg|thumb|right|St. Peter's Square in the early morning.]]
The Vatican City is itself of great cultural significance. Buildings such as [[St. Peter's Basilica]] and the

[[Sistine Chapel]] are home to some of the most famous art in the world, which includes works by artists such as

[[Sandro Botticelli|Botticelli]], [[Gian Lorenzo Bernini|Bernini]], [[Raphael]] and [[Michelangelo]]. The [[Vatican

Library]] and the collections of the [[Vatican Museums]] are of the highest historical, scientific and cultural

importance. In 1984, the Vatican was added by [[UNESCO]] to the List of [[World Heritage Site]]s; it is the only one

to consist of an entire state. Furthermore, it is the only site to date registered with the UNESCO as a ''centre

containing monuments'' in the "International Register of Cultural Property under Special Protection" according to

the 1954 [[Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict]].

== Crime ==
Because, while the population is only a few hundred, millions visit the state each year, the crime rate measured

against the resident population alone would seem enormous, as if 87.2% of the population committed civil offences

each year, with penal offences running at a staggering 133.6% - 397 [[Civil law (common law)|civil offence]]s and

608 [[Criminal law|penal offence]]s in 1992.<ref name="crime rate">{{cite

web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2639777.stm|title=Vatican crime rate

'soars'|publisher=BBC|accessdate=2007-11-28}}</ref> The most common crime is petty theft - purse snatching,

pickpocketing and shoplifting - and the perpetrators, being outsiders, like the victims, are rarely caught, with

only 10% of crimes leading to a prosecution.<ref name="crime rate"/>

In accordance with Article 22 of the 1929 [[Lateran Treaty]] between the Holy See and [[Italy]], the Italian

government, when requested by the Holy See, handles the prosecution and detention of criminal suspects, at the

expense of the Vatican.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aloha.net/~mikesch/treaty.htm|title=Lateran Treaty,

1929|publisher=Aloha.net|accessdate=2007-11-28}}</ref> In 1969, the Vatican state abolished [[capital punishment]],

which was envisaged in the legislation it adopted in 1929 on the basis of Italian law, but which it never exercised.

== Infrastructure ==
===Transport===
{{main|Transport in Vatican City}}
Vatican City has a reasonably well developed transport network considering its size. As a country that is 1.05

kilometres (0.6 mi) long and .85 kilometres (0.5 mi) wide,<ref>{{cite

web|url=http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/sp_ss_scv/informazione_generale/sp_ss_scv

_info-generale_en.html|title=Holy See - State of the Vatican City|publisher=Vatican Papal

Conclave|accessdate=2007-11-28}}</ref> it has a small transportation system with no [[airport]]s or [[highway]]s.

There is one [[heliport]] and a [[standard gauge]] [[rail transport in Vatican City|railway]] connected to Italy's

network at Rome's Saint Peter's station by an {{convert|852|m|yd|0}} long spur, only {{convert|14.35|m|yd|0}} of

which is within Vatican territory. [[Pope John XXIII]] was the first Pope to make use of this railway, and [[Pope

John Paul II]] used it as well, albeit very rarely. The railway is mainly used only to transport freight.<ref

name="Sinfin">{{cite web|url=http://www.sinfin.net/railways/world/vatican/vaticanrail.html#Origini Vatican City

State Railway|title=Railways of the World|publisher=Sinfin.net|accessdate=2006-08-08}}</ref> As the Vatican City has

no airports, it is served by the airports that serve the city of Rome, within which the Vatican is located, namely:

[[Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport]] and to a lesser extent, [[Ciampino Airport]], which both serve as the

departure gateway for the Pope's international visits.<ref name="Sinfin"/>

=== Communications ===
[[Image:Poste Vaticane.JPG|thumb|right|The stamp vending machine of the Vatican Postal Service]]
The City <!-- Referring to the Vatican City, not city. Do not decapitalise. --> is served by an independent, modern

telephone system,<ref>[http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=20631 On call 24/7: Vatican

phone system directs thousands of call each day], July 24, 2006.</ref> the [[Vatican Pharmacy]], and post office.

The postal system was founded on [[February 11]], [[1929]], and two days later became operational. On [[August 1]],

the state started to release its own postal stamps, under the authority of the [[Philatelic and Numismatic Office of

the Vatican City State]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vaticanphilately.org/vc.htm|title=The Early

Definitives|publisher=Vatican Philacetic Society|accessdate=2007-11-28}}</ref> The City's postal service is

sometimes recognised as "the best in the world"<ref name="NYT">{{cite

web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950CEFDE1738F934A15755C0A9629C8B63&n=Top/News/World/Countries

%20and%20Territories/Vatican%20City|title=Hail Marys Not Needed: Vatican Mail Will Deliver|publisher=New York

Times|accessdate=2007-11-28}}</ref> and mail has been noted to get to its target before the postal service in

Rome.<ref name="NYT"/> The Vatican also controls its own Internet domain, which is registered as ([[.va]]).

Broadband service is widely provided within Vatican City. Vatican City has also been given a radio [[ITU prefix]],

HV, and this is sometimes used by [[amateur radio]] operators.

[[Vatican Radio]], which was organised by [[Guglielmo Marconi]], broadcasts on short-wave, medium-wave and FM

frequencies and on the Internet.<ref>[http://www.vatican.va/news_services/radio/index.htm Vatican Radio -

Index<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref> Its main transmission antennae are located in Italian territory. Television

services are provided through another entity, the Vatican Television

Center.<ref>[http://www.vatican.va/news_services/television/index.htm Vatican Television Center -

Index<!--Bot-generated title-->]</ref>

''[[L'Osservatore Romano]]'' is the multilingual semi-official newspaper of the Holy See. It is published by a

private corporation under the direction of Catholic laymen but reports on official information. However, the

official texts of documents are in the ''[[Acta Apostolicae Sedis]]'', the official gazette of the Holy See, which

has an appendix for documents of the Vatican City State.

Vatican Radio, the Vatican Television Center, and L'Osservatore Romano are organs not of the Vatican State but of

the Holy See, and are listed as such in the [[Annuario Pontificio]], which places them in the section "Institutions

linked with the Holy See", ahead of the sections on the Holy See's diplomatic service abroad and the Diplomatic

Corps accredited to the Holy See, after which is placed the section on the State of Vatican City.

{{Geolinks-cityscale|47.193603|8.488023}}

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<nowiki>[[Category:Vatican City| ]]
[[Category:Holy cities]]
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[[de:Vatikanstadt]]

Revision as of 16:03, 31 December 2008

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