Vatican City Facts

Vatican City, independent papacy located in the northwest of Rome; 0.44 km², 801 residents (2018).The Vatican City is counted as the world’s smallest independent state. It is surrounded in the north, west and south by a city wall, which in the east opens to St. Peter’s Square. The Vatican City also includes a number of buildings and lands outside the actual Vatican City, including the papal summer residence Castel Gandolfo and the churches of Rome, Santa Maria Maggiore, San Paolo fuori le mura and San Giovanni in Laterano.

The Vatican City has its own postal, coin and ordering system, where the so-called Swiss Guard has mainly police functions. In addition, the Vatican has its own judicial system and a foreign administration, which handles the Vatican’s far-flung diplomatic relations (since 1982 also with Sweden). In addition to revenues from tourism, stamp sales and donations, the Vatican City economy is based on interest income from its own funds and profits from entrepreneurship (with a large number of owners, mainly Italian companies).

The Vatican City is counted as the world’s smallest independent state. It is surrounded in the north, west and south by a city wall, which in the east opens to St. Peter’s Square. The papacy also includes a number of buildings and lands outside the actual Vatican City.

The Vatican City is a sovereign and internationally recognized state. The pope is the head of state and at the same time bishop of Rome as well as the head of the Roman Catholic Church. The papal office, the Holy See, based in the Vatican City has diplomatic representatives in more than 170 countries. These, like foreign policy, are led by a secretary of state. The Vatican City is governed by the Pope, who is elected for life by the Cardinal College. The central chair of the Holy See consists of the Pope with the Holy Cardinal College at his side. The Cardinals are appointed for life by the Pope. The Roman Catholic Church’s highest administrative leadership, the Curia, is made up of the Cardinals in Rome. They also function as the Pope’s court.

The Vatican City has its own postal, coin and order system, where the Swiss Guard has mainly police functions. In addition to revenues from tourism, stamp sales and donations, the economy is based on interest income from own funds and on profits from companies.

Holy See National Flag