Know About Vatican City

National name

Stato della Città del Vaticano (Santa Sede)

Government

The pope has full legal, executive, and judicial powers. Executive power over the area is in the hands of a commission of cardinals appointed by the pope. The College of Cardinals is the pope’s chief advisory body, and upon his death the cardinals elect his successor for life.

Geography

The Vatican City State is situated on the Vatican hill, on the right bank of the Tiber River, within the city of Rome.

Historical Background

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.

Capital

Vatican City[2]

Government

Ecclesiastical,[5] sacerdotal

-monarchical[6]

-Sovereign Pope Benedict XVI

-President of the Government Giovanni Lajolo

Area

Total 0.44 km2 (231st) 0.17 sq mi               

Population

July 2010 estimate 829[7] (223rd)             

Currency

Euro (€)[8][9] (EUR)