View source for Vatican City

{{distinguish|Holy See}}
{{Infobox country
| conventional_long_name = Vatican City State
| native_name            = {{small|{{native name|it|Stato della Città del Vaticano|icon=no}}}}
| common_name            = Vatican City
| image_flag             = Flag of Vatican City (2023–present).svg
| image_coat             = Coat of arms of the Vatican City.svg
| image_map              = Location Vatican City Europe.png
| map_caption            = {{map caption |location_color=green |region=Europe |region_color=dark grey |legend=Location Vatican City Europe.png}}
| national_motto         = 
| national_anthem        = {{native name|it|[[Pontifical Anthem|Inno e Marcia Pontificale]]}}<br/>{{small|''Pontifical Anthem and March''}}<br/><center>[[File:United States Navy Band - Inno e Marcia Pontificale.ogg]]</center>
| capital                = {{nowrap|Vatican City}}
| official_languages     = Italian<br/>For Holy See: Latin<!--The Holy See uses Latin, but the Holy See is not Vatican City State.--><ref group="note">In accordance with paragraph 2 of the ''Legge sulle fonti del diritto'' of 7 June 1929, all laws and regulations of the state are published in the Italian language ''Supplemento per le leggi e disposizioni dello Stato della Città del Vaticano'' attached to the [[Acta Apostolicae Sedis]]. The text of the first seven items published in that supplement is given [http://www.vaticanstate.va/NR/rdonlyres/FBFEA0E8-B43A-452A-AAA0-1AF49590F658/2615/Supplemento.pdf here.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101227194112/http://www.vaticanstate.va/NR/rdonlyres/FBFEA0E8-B43A-452A-AAA0-1AF49590F658/2615/Supplemento.pdf |date=2010-12-27 }} While the state itself uses only Italian, many other languages are used by institutions situated within the state, such as the [[Holy See]], the [[Pontifical Guard|Pontifical Swiss Guard]], and the [[Pontifical Academy of Sciences]].<br> The Holy See uses [[Latin]] as an official language and French as a diplomatic language; in addition, its [[Secretariat of State (Holy See)|Secretariat of State]] uses English, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish. The Swiss Guard, in which commands on parade are given in German, also uses French and Italian in all its official ceremonies.</ref>
| latd                   = 41
| latm                   = 54.2
| latNS                  = N
| longd                  = 12
| longm                  = 27.2
| longEW                 = E
| government_type        = [[Ecclesiastical]]; [[sacerdotal]]-[[monarchical]];<br/>[[absolute monarchy]];<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vaticanstate.va/EN/State_and_Government/StateDepartments/index.htm |title=Internet portal of Vatican City State |publisher=Vatican City State |accessdate=9 July 2011 |archive-date=24 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524030947/http://www.vaticanstate.va/EN/State_and_Government/StateDepartments/index.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[elective monarchy]];<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=M3A-xgf1yM4C&pg=PA1009 Gerhard Robbers, ''Encyclopedia of World Constitutions'' (Infobase Publishing 2006), p. 1009] {{ISBN|978-0-81606078-8}}</ref> elective [[theocracy]].<ref>[http://www.staff.ncl.ac.uk/nick.megoran/pdf/theocracy.pdf Nick Megoran, "Theocracy" in ''International Encyclopedia of Human Geography'', vol. 11, Elsevier 2009, p.226| Quote:elective theocracy (although its representatives would be unlikely to accept that label)] {{ISBN|978-0-08-044911-1}}</ref>
| leader_title1          = [[Pope|Sovereign]]
| leader_name1           = {{Incumbent pope}}
| leader_title2          = [[Cardinal Secretary of State|Secretary of State]]
| leader_name2           = [[Pietro Parolin]]
| legislature            = [[Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State|Pontifical Commission]]
| area_rank              = 250th
| area_magnitude         = 1 E5
| area_ha                = 44
| area_acre              = 110
| population_estimate    = 526
| population_estimate_rank = 240th
| population_estimate_year = 2024
| population_density_km2 = 1777
| population_density_sq_mi = 4859
| population_density_rank = 6th
| Gini_year              = 
| Gini_change            = <!--increase/decrease/steady-->
| Gini                   = <!--number only-->
| Gini_ref               = 
| Gini_rank              = 
| HDI_year               = 
| HDI_change             = <!--increase/decrease/steady-->
| HDI                    = <!--number only-->
| HDI_ref                = 
| HDI_rank               = 
| sovereignty_type       = Independence {{nobold|from the [[Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)|Kingdom of Italy]]}}
| established_event1     = [[Lateran Treaty]]
| established_date1      = 11 February 1929
| currency               = Euro (€)<sup>b</sup>
| currency_code          = EUR
| country_code           = V
| time_zone              = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset             = +1
| time_zone_DST          = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
| utc_offset_DST         = +2
| drives_on              = right<ref group="note">Visitors and tourists are not permitted to drive inside the Vatican without specific permission, which is normally granted only to those who have business with some office in the Vatican.</ref>
| calling_code           = [[Telephone numbers in Vatican City|+379]]<ref>[[ITU-T]] assigned code 379 to Vatican City. However, Vatican City is included in the Italian telephone numbering plan and uses the Italian country code 39, followed by 06 (for Rome) and 698.</ref>
| iso3166code            = VA
| sport_code             = 
| vehicle_code           = V<ref>[http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/sp_ss_scv/informazione_generale/sp_ss_scv_info-generale_en.html#Targa www.vatican.va] [[Holy See Press Office]]&nbsp;— General Information. Retrieved 23 October 2009.</ref>
| cctld                  = [[.va]]
| footnote_a             = Since 1 January 2002 (see [http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/sp_ss_scv/informazione_generale/sp_ss_scv_info-generale_en.html#Valuta Valuta] at www.vatican.va, retrieved 23 October 2009). Before 2002, the currency was the [[Vatican lira]], on a par with the [[Italian lira]].
| demonym                = 
| area_km2               = 
| GDP_PPP                = 
| GDP_PPP_year           = 
| today                  = 
}}
'''Vatican City''' ({{IPAc-en|audio=en-us-Vatican City.ogg|ˈ|v|æ|t|k|ən|_|ˈ|s|ɪ|t|i}}; officially '''Vatican City State''', {{lang-it|Stato della Città del Vaticano}})<ref>"Stato della Città del Vaticano" is the name used in [http://www.vatican.va/vatican_city_state/legislation/documents/scv_doc_20001126_legge-fondamentale-scv_it.html the text] of the state's [[Constitution|Fundamental Law]] and in [http://www.vaticanstate.va/content/vaticanstate/en.html the state's official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131204011806/http://www.vaticanstate.va/content/vaticanstate/en.html |date=2013-12-04 }}.</ref> (also sometimes referred to as '''the Vatican''') is the smallest [[country]] in the world by [[list of countries by area|size]], at 0.49&nbsp;[[square kilometre|km²]] and by population.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.vaticanstate.va/EN/homepage.htm |title=Vatican City State - Homepage |access-date=2009-07-22 |archive-date=2010-11-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101102133940/http://www.vaticanstate.va/EN/homepage.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> It is also one of the world's three [[City-state|city-states]].

Its [[territory]] is completely surrounded by [[Italy]] and it is only one of three countries in the world that are [[enclave]]s of another country (the others being [[San Marino]], also in Italy, and [[Lesotho]] in southern Africa). Also, it is the only country in the world that is an enclave of a [[city]], as all of the land around it is part of [[Rome]], the capital of Italy. The Vatican City is a [[city-state]], because all its territory is [[urban]] and built-up.

The Vatican City is the [[headquarters]] of the [[Roman Catholic Church]] and its government, the [[Holy See]]. Its [[head of state]] is the [[Pope]] which is, religiously speaking, the [[Bishop of Rome]] and head of the Roman Catholic Church. The current Pope, [[Pope Francis]], former [[cardinal (Catholicism)|cardinal]] Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was elected on 13 March 2013.

The Vatican City is also important for its [[culture]] and [[art]]. The Vatican's masterpieces are very well known in the world: [[St. Peter's Square]], [[St. Peter's Basilica]], the [[Sistine Chapel]], the [[Vatican Museums]] and the [[Apostolic Palace]], where the Pope lives. There are also hundreds of other [[sculpture]]s and [[picture]]s.

== History ==

The Pope used to rule the [[Papal States]], which included most of Italy. Catholic popes had generally tried to stop Italy from becoming one country because they feared they would lose their control of at least one of the Papal States.{{cn}} In 1861 Italy was unified under the King of Savoy, but [[Rome]] and [[Latium]] remained unconquered. On September 20, 1870 Italian troops invaded. Rome became capital of the new [[kingdom]].

The [[Pope]] claimed he was a prisoner of the Italian state and [[excommunication|excommunicated]] all the people who helped invade the Papal state. This stopped Catholics from taking part in public life under Catholic government.

In 1929 [[Benito Mussolini]], decided to sign an agreement with [[Pope Pius XI]], called the [[Lateran Treaty]], which gave the territory of the Vatican to the Pope. Another treaty gave the Vatican money each year to compensate for the lost territories.

== Politics and Government ==

The government [[Hierarchy|structure]] is a [[theocracy]] (a country run by religion) with the [[Pope]] being the highest authority. The pope is elected by the College of Cardinals which can lead the Roman [[Catholic Church]] and the city-state itself. The Pope also holds the title of "Bishop of Rome".

The Pope is the head of state of the Vatican and holds the office until death or resignation. As head of state, the pope's title is officially "the Sovereign". The government and legislature is the [[Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State]].

== People ==
[[File:Vatican City map EN.svg|thumb|upright|Map of Vatican City]]
=== Population ===
Vatican City has a population of 526. The [[citizen]]s of the Vatican include the [[Pope]], all the [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|cardinals]], all the [[Apostolic Nunciature|nuncios]] (who is the [[wikt:equivalent|equivalent]] of an [[ambassador]]) and other [[diplomat]]s, all the [[Swiss Guards]], and other important people. Also, there are 372 Vatican citizens who live in other countries, including cardinals and nuncios. Vatican citizenship cannot be passed to [[children]] and [[spouse]]s; and, except for the Pope and cardinals, Vatican citizenship is lost when the term of office comes to an end, for the Swiss Guards, nuncios and diplomats, and other people working for the Vatican.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Popolazione|url=https://www.vaticanstate.va/it/stato-governo/note-generali/popolazione.html|access-date=2020-11-08|website=www.vaticanstate.va}}</ref>

=== Language ===
The Vatican does have a law declaring an [[official language]]. [[Italian language|Italian]] is the most used language, and the only official language in Vatican City.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2023-04-13|title=What language is spoken at the Vatican? - Visiting The Vatican|url=https://visitingthevatican.com/what-language-is-spoken-at-the-vatican/|access-date=2024-07-27|language=en-US}}</ref> The [[Holy See]]'s official language is [[Latin]], but its working language is Italian.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Canada|first=Global Affairs|date=2022-07-20|title=About the Holy See|url=https://www.international.gc.ca/country-pays/holy_see-saint-siege/about-a_propos.aspx?lang=eng|access-date=2024-07-27|website=GAC}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6eJJAQAAMAAJ&q=italian.diplomatic.language+holy+see&pg=PP3|title=Background Notes, the Holy See|date=1995|publisher=U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Public Affairs, Office of Public Communication|language=en}}</ref>

== Religion ==
The [[official religion]] of the Vatican is [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] [[Christianity]], and because the state is ruled by a Pope, it is a [[theocracy]].

== Gallery ==
 
<gallery>
Image:Saint Peter's Square from the dome v2.jpg|St. Peter's square seen from the basilica.
Image:StPetersBasilicaEarlyMorning.jpg|The basilica, in early morning
</gallery>

== References ==
{{commons}}
{{reflist}}

===Notes===
{{reflist|group=note}}

{{Europe}}

[[Category:Vatican City| ]]
[[Category:1929 establishments in Italy]]
[[Category:Microstates]]