Vatican City, officially called the Vatican City State (in Italian: Stato della Città del Vaticano; in Latin: Status Civitatis Vaticanae), is often shortened to "the Vatican." It is a landlocked, independent city-state. The Pope rules Vatican City, and it is located within the city of Rome, Italy. It serves as the administrative center of the Catholic Church. Vatican City is governed by the See of Rome, also known as the Holy See, which is a sovereign entity under international law. The Holy See maintains its own power, governance, diplomacy, and spiritual independence. The word "Vatican" is sometimes used to refer to the Holy See, which is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It includes the Pope and the Roman Curia. Vatican City became an independent state in 1929 through the Lateran Treaty between the Holy See and the Kingdom of Italy. This treaty described Vatican City as a new creation, not a leftover from the larger Papal States (756–1870), which once covered much of Central Italy.
Vatican City has an area of 48.99 hectares (121 acres) and a population of about 882 people in 2024. It is the smallest sovereign state in the world by both area and population. It is the only country with fewer than 1,000 people and one of the least populated capitals globally. Vatican City is ruled by the Holy See as a religious state led by the Pope, who is the bishop of Rome and head of the Catholic Church. The highest officials in the state are Catholic clergy from different backgrounds. The Holy See dates back to early Christianity and is the main religious center of the Catholic Church. In 2018, the Catholic Church had about 1.329 billion baptized members, including those in the Latin Church and 23 Eastern Catholic Churches. Since the Avignon Papacy (1309–1377), the Pope has mainly lived in the Apostolic Palace, now located in Vatican City. At times, the Pope has also lived in the Quirinal Palace in Rome or other locations.
Vatican City includes religious and cultural landmarks such as St. Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican Apostolic Library, and the Vatican Museums. These places are home to some of the world's most famous paintings and sculptures. The economy of Vatican City relies on donations from Catholic believers, the sale of postage stamps and souvenirs, museum admission fees, and the sale of publications. Vatican City has no taxes, and items are sold duty-free.
Name
The name Vatican City was first used in the Lateran Treaty, signed on February 11, 1929. This treaty created the modern city-state, which is named after Vatican Hill, the location of the state within the city of Rome. The word "Vatican" comes from the name of an ancient Etruscan settlement called Vatica or Vaticum. This settlement was located in an area the Romans called Ager Vaticanus, meaning "Vatican territory."
The Italian name for the city is Città del Vaticano, or more formally, Stato della Città del Vaticano, which means "State of Vatican City." Its Latin name is Status Civitatis Vaticanae. This name is used in official documents by the Holy See, the Church, and the pope.
History
The name "Vatican" was already used during the Roman Republic for the Ager Vaticanus, a wet, swampy area on the west side of the Tiber River, across from Rome. This area was between the Janiculum, Vatican Hill, and Monte Mario, and extended to the Aventine Hill and the place where the Cremera stream meets the Tiber. The name Ager Vaticanus was used until the 1st century AD. Later, the name Vaticanus referred to a smaller area, including Vatican Hill, today’s St. Peter’s Square, and possibly today’s Via della Conciliazione. Because this area was near Rome’s enemy, the Etruscan city of Veii (also called Ripa Veientana or Ripa Etrusca), and because it was often flooded by the Tiber River, the Romans thought it was a sad and scary place.
The poor quality of wine from the Vatican area, even after the land was drained, was noted by the poet Martial, who lived from about AD 40 to AD 102. Tacitus wrote that in AD 69, during the Year of the Four Emperors, many soldiers from the northern army who arrived in Rome camped in the unhealthy areas of the Vatican. This caused many deaths among the soldiers. The Tiber River was nearby, and the heat made the soldiers thirsty, leading them to drink from the river. This weakened their bodies and made them more likely to get sick.
During the Roman Empire, many villas were built in the Vatican area after Agrippina the Elder drained the swamp and created gardens in the early 1st century AD. Her son, Emperor Caligula, built a chariot race track in her gardens around AD 40. Later, Emperor Nero completed the track and named it the Circus Gaii et Neronis, often called the Circus of Nero.
The Vatican obelisk in St. Peter’s Square is the only visible part of the Circus of Nero. It was brought from Heliopolis in Egypt by Emperor Caligula. The obelisk originally stood in the center of the spina (middle) of the circus. After the Great Fire of Rome in AD 64, the circus became a place where many Christians were martyred. Tradition says that Saint Peter was crucified upside down there. In 1586, Pope Sixtus V moved the obelisk to its current position using a method designed by architect Domenico Fontana.
Opposite the circus was a cemetery separated by the Via Cornelia. Before the construction of the Constantinian Basilica of St. Peter in the early 4th century, many funeral monuments, tombs, and altars to pagan gods were built there. A shrine to the Phrygian goddess Cybele and her partner Attis remained active even after the basilica was built nearby. Remains of this ancient cemetery were found during renovations by popes over the centuries. These discoveries increased during the Renaissance, and the area was systematically excavated from 1939 to 1941 under Pope Pius XII.
The Constantinian basilica was built in 326 over what was believed to be the tomb of Saint Peter, buried in that cemetery. After this, the area became more populated due to activity at the basilica. A palace was built nearby as early as the 5th century during the time of Pope Symmachus.
Popes gradually took on a secular role as rulers of areas near Rome. They governed the Papal States, which covered much of Italy, for over a thousand years until the mid-19th century, when the Kingdom of Italy took over all papal lands.
For most of this time, popes lived elsewhere, such as the Lateran Palace on the other side of Rome. From 1309 to 1377, they lived in Avignon, France. When they returned to Rome, they moved to the Vatican. In 1583, they moved to the Quirinal Palace after it was completed under Pope Paul V. In 1870, after Rome was captured by Italian forces, popes began living in the Vatican. The Quirinal Palace was taken over by the King of Italy.
In 1870, the Vatican’s land was in a confusing situation after Rome was annexed by Italy, completing the unification of Italy. From 1861 to 1929, the pope’s position in Rome was called the "Roman Question."
Italy did not interfere with the Holy See inside the Vatican but took over church property elsewhere. In 1871, the Quirinal Palace was taken by the Italian king and became the royal palace. After this, popes lived undisturbed in the Vatican, and some rights were recognized by the Law of Guarantees, including the right to send and receive ambassadors. Popes refused to leave the Vatican until the dispute was resolved in 1929. Pope Pius IX, the last ruler of the Papal States, was called a "prisoner in the Vatican." Without secular power, popes focused on spiritual matters.
This situation ended on February 11, 1929, when the Lateran Treaty was signed by Prime Minister Benito Mussolini on behalf of King Victor Emmanuel III and by Cardinal Pietro Gasparri for Pope Pius XI. The treaty, which took effect on June 7, 1929, created the independent state of Vatican City and confirmed Catholicism’s special status in Italy.
The Holy See, which governed Vatican City, remained neutral during World War II under Pope Pius XII. German forces occupied Rome after the September 1943 Armistice of Cassibile, but Allied forces drove them out in 1944. Both sides respected Vatican City’s neutrality.
One of Pope Pius XII’s main goals was to stop bombing in Rome. He even protested when the British dropped pamphlets over Rome, saying that some landed inside Vatican City and broke its neutrality. The British government stated they would not attack Vatican City but would bomb other parts of Rome depending on how the Italian government followed war rules.
When the United States joined the war, American officials opposed bombing Vatican City to avoid offending Catholic soldiers. However, they said they could not stop the British from bombing Rome if the British decided to do so. The U.S. military exempted Catholic soldiers from air raids in Rome and other Catholic areas unless they volunteered.
Geography
Vatican City is located on Vatican Hill and nearby areas called the Vatican Fields. Important buildings such as St. Peter's Basilica, the Apostolic Palace, the Sistine Chapel, and museums were built in this area. Before 1929, this land was part of the Roman rione of Borgo. It lies on the west side of the Tiber River and was separated from Rome. This area was protected by walls built during the time of Pope Leo IV (847–855), and later expanded by walls constructed under Pope Paul III (1534–1549), Pope Pius IV (1559–1565), and Pope Urban VIII (1623–1644).
When the Lateran Treaty of 1929 was created, the boundaries of Vatican City were shaped by the existing walls and buildings around the area. Some parts of the border were marked by buildings, while a small section had a modern wall built.
St. Peter's Square is part of Vatican City and is separated from Italy by a white line along its edge, where it meets Piazza Pio XII. The square is reached through the Via della Conciliazione, a road built by Benito Mussolini after the Lateran Treaty. St. Peter's Square is partially surrounded by a small area of Italian land called the Ricciolo d'Italia.
According to the Lateran Treaty, certain buildings owned by the Holy See, such as the Papal Palace of Castel Gandolfo and major basilicas, have a special legal status similar to foreign embassies. These buildings, located in Italy, are used for important offices and institutions of the Holy See.
Castel Gandolfo and the named basilicas are protected by police officers from Vatican City, not Italian police. However, Italian police normally patrol St. Peter's Square up to the steps leading to the basilica.
There are no passport checks for visitors entering Vatican City from Italy. Public access is free to St. Peter's Square and Basilica, and tickets are required for papal audiences and major events in the square and basilica. The Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel, usually charge an entrance fee. The gardens are not open to the public, but guided tours for small groups can be arranged. Other areas of Vatican City are only open to people with official business.
Vatican City has the same climate as Rome: a temperate Mediterranean climate (Csa). Winters from October to mid-May are mild and rainy, and summers from May to September are hot and dry. Some local weather effects, like mists and dews, are influenced by the size of St. Peter's Basilica, its height, fountains, and the large paved square. The highest temperature recorded was 40.8°C (105.4°F) on June 28, 2022.
In July 2007, the Vatican accepted a proposal from two companies in San Francisco and Budapest to become the first carbon-neutral state by creating a "Vatican Climate Forest" in Hungary. This was a symbolic action to encourage Catholics to protect the environment, but the project did not proceed.
In November 2008, the Vatican installed solar panels on the roof of the Paul VI Audience Hall.
The Vatican Gardens, covering about half of Vatican City, were created during the Renaissance and Baroque periods. They include fountains and sculptures. The gardens span about 23 hectares (57 acres), with the highest point 60 meters (197 feet) above sea level. Stone walls surround the area on the north, south, and west sides.
The gardens have a long history, dating back to medieval times when orchards and vineyards were near the Apostolic Palace. In 1279, Pope Nicholas III enclosed this area with walls and planted an orchard, lawn, and garden.
Governance
The government of Vatican City operates as an absolute elective monarchy, meaning the Pope is chosen and holds full power. The Pope has the main responsibility for making laws, managing daily operations, and overseeing the courts in Vatican City. This is a rare example of a non-hereditary monarchy, where leadership is not passed down through a family.
Vatican City was created in 1929 through the Lateran Pacts, which gave the Holy See a small area of land to govern. This land is separate from the Holy See itself, which has existed as a legal entity since ancient Roman times. The Holy See has been recognized as an independent and powerful entity worldwide since the late ancient period, even when it did not control land, such as between 1870 and 1929.
Vatican City is one of the few independent countries not part of the United Nations. However, the Holy See has a special role in the UN, with the right to participate in meetings but not to vote.
The government of Vatican City has a unique structure. The Pope is the head of state, but he works with other groups. A group of cardinals, called the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State, helps make laws in the Pope’s name. The president of this commission also leads the Governorate, with help from the general secretary and deputy general secretary. Foreign relations are handled by the Holy See’s Secretariat of State and its diplomats.
The Pope holds full power in all areas of government, making him the only absolute monarch in Europe. Other departments manage health, security, and communication.
During times when the Pope is not present, such as when there is no Pope (called a sede vacante), the Cardinal Camerlengo leads the Apostolic Camera. This group manages the Holy See’s property and rights. The Vatican State’s affairs remain under the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State. The Cardinal Camerlengo works with three other cardinals, chosen randomly every three days, to act as the head of state during this time. All their decisions must be approved by the College of Cardinals.
Some noble families who once worked with the Pope during the Papal States continued to serve in the Vatican after losing their lands. These families had mostly ceremonial roles, like the Papal Master of the Horse or the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household. In 1968, Pope Paul VI removed these honorary positions, such as Quartermaster General and Master of the Horse.
Since Vatican City is governed by the Holy See, the Pope is automatically the head of state. His role as head of state comes from being the bishop of Rome and leader of the Catholic Church. The term "Holy See" refers to the Pope’s spiritual leadership, managed through the Roman Curia. The Pope’s official title for Vatican City is "Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City."
Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, United States, was elected on May 8, 2025. The main government official for Vatican City is the president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State, who also serves as the president of the Governorate of Vatican City. This role was previously held by the Governor of Vatican City. Since 2001, the president of the Pontifical Commission has also been called the president of the Governorate of Vatican City. The current president is Raffaella Petrini, an Italian woman appointed by Pope Francis on March 1, 2025, and confirmed by Pope Leo XIV on May 9, 2025.
The Pope makes laws but also delegates some responsibilities to the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State, led by its president. Members of the commission are cardinals chosen by the Pope for five-year terms. All commission decisions must be approved by the Pope through the Secretariat of State and published in a special section of the Acta Apostolicae Sedis. Most of this section includes routine decisions, like approving new postage stamps.
The president of the Governorate of Vatican City, who also leads the Pontifical Commission, has two assistants: the general secretary and deputy general secretary. These roles are filled by members of the General Secretariat, each chosen by the Pope for five years. Important decisions by the Governorate must be approved by the Pontifical Commission and the Pope through the Secretariat of State.
The Pontifical Commission and the Governorate can work with the Council of Vatican City State to draft laws and handle important issues. The Governorate president can bring together council members, outside experts, and others to address challenges. The Governorate manages central government functions through several departments, including law, personnel, infrastructure, telecommunications, security, economy, health, museums, and pontifical villas. Directors and officials in these departments are chosen by the Pope for five-year terms.
The Governorate includes offices for law, personnel, and departments focused on infrastructure, telecommunications, security, economy, health, museums, and pontifical villas. There are also groups that handle money, discipline, and personnel matters.
The Vatican’s courts, called the Vatican judiciary, operate through four groups: a Supreme Court, a Court of Appeal, a Tribunal, and a Sole Judge. Their roles are defined by Vatican laws and a 2013 document called "Motu Proprio On the Jurisdiction of Judicial Authorities of Vatican City State in Criminal Matters." If needed, sentences can be carried out in Italy.
Because Vatican City is a small area within Italy, many Holy See offices are located in Italy. These offices have the same legal protection as foreign embassies, as agreed in the Lateran Treaty. They are called "extraterritorial areas."
Since Vatican City is an enclave within Italy, its defense is handled by the Italian military. There is no formal defense agreement with Italy because Vatican City is neutral. Vatican City has no army, but the Swiss Guard, a military group of the Holy See, protects the Pope and residents.
Economy
The Vatican City State budget includes the Vatican Museums and post office. It is supported by selling stamps, coins, medals, and tourist items; by charging admission fees to museums; and by selling books and publications. The income and living standards of non-religious workers are similar to those of workers in Rome. Other industries include printing, making mosaics, and creating uniforms for staff.
The Institute for Works of Religion (IOR), also called the Vatican Bank, is a financial organization in the Vatican that handles money matters worldwide. It has ATMs with instructions in Latin, possibly the only ATMs in the world with this feature.
Vatican City makes its own coins and stamps. It uses the Euro as its currency since January 1999, because of an agreement with the European Union. Euro coins and notes were introduced on January 1, 2002. Vatican City does not print Euro banknotes. The number of coins it produces each year is limited by a treaty. More coins are allowed when a new pope is chosen. Vatican Euro coins are rare and valuable to collectors. Before the Euro, Vatican money was called Vatican lira, which had the same value as Italian lira.
Vatican City State employs about 2,000 people. In 2007, it had a surplus of 6.7 million euros. In 2008, it had a deficit of over 15 million euros.
In 2012, the U.S. Department of State listed Vatican City in a report about money laundering. It was placed in a middle category, along with countries like Ireland, but not in the most vulnerable group, which includes the United States, Germany, Italy, and Russia.
In February 2014, the Vatican created a new group called the Secretariat for the Economy. This group manages all financial and administrative work for the Vatican and the Holy See. It was led by Cardinal George Pell. This followed charges against two high-ranking priests for money laundering. Pope Francis also appointed an auditor to check financial activities and hired a U.S. company to review the Vatican’s 19,000 accounts. He named the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See as the Vatican’s central bank, with duties similar to other central banks.
In 2022, the Vatican planned to release NFTs of its museum collection.
Vatican City has a small but well-developed transportation system. It is only 1.05 kilometers long and 0.85 kilometers wide. It has no airports or highways. The only aviation facility is the Vatican City Heliport. Vatican City does not have an airport and uses Rome’s airports, such as Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino and Ciampino.
There is a standard-gauge railway and a train station in Vatican City, mainly for moving goods. It connects to Italy’s rail network through a short track near Rome’s San Pietro station. Pope John XXIII was the first pope to use the railway. Pope John Paul II rarely used it.
The nearest subway stop is Ottaviano – San Pietro – Musei Vaticani.
Vatican City has its own telephone system, called the Vatican Telephone Service. It controls its own internet domain (.va) and provides broadband internet. It has a radio prefix (HV) used by some amateur radio operators.
In 2015, Vatican News, L'Osservatore Romano, Vatican Radio, and Vatican Media were combined under the Dicastery for Communication. This group manages the Vatican’s communication efforts. It also oversees the Vatican Printing Press (founded in 1587), the Vatican Publishing House (founded in 1926), and the Vatican Film Archive.
Vatican Radio, started by Guglielmo Marconi, broadcasts on radio and the internet. Its main antennas are in Italy, and they sometimes exceed emission limits, leading to legal issues. Photo, audio, and video services are handled by Vatican Media.
L'Osservatore Romano is a newspaper that reports on official Vatican matters. It is published by a private company but follows Vatican guidelines. Official documents are published in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis, the official gazette of the Holy See.
A postal system (Poste Vaticane) was created in 1929. The Vatican started issuing its own stamps on August 1, 1929, under the Philatelic and Numismatic Office. The Vatican’s postal service is sometimes called the best in the world and faster than Rome’s.
The international postal code is SCV-00120.
The Vatican has taken steps to protect the environment. Since 2008, it has installed solar panels, including on the roof of the Paul VI Audience Hall. It has 35 electric vehicle charging stations and plans to replace government cars with electric vehicles.
In 2019, the Vatican banned single-use plastics before the European Union’s 2021 deadline. It now recycles 55% of its waste, aiming to reach 70–75% as required by the EU. It uses energy-saving lights in St. Peter’s Basilica and switches to digital documents to save energy and paper. These efforts support Pope Francis’s vision in the encyclical Laudato si’ and the Apostolic Exhortation Laudate Deum.
Demographics
As of 2024, Vatican City has 882 people living there, no matter their citizenship. There are 372 Vatican citizens living in other countries, including diplomats from the Holy See and cardinals who live in Rome.
The population includes clergy, other religious workers, people who work for the government (like the Swiss Guard), and their family members. In 2013, there were 13 families of Holy See employees living in Vatican City. In 2019, 20 children of Swiss Guards lived at the Vatican. All citizens, residents, and places of worship in the city are Catholic. The city receives thousands of tourists and workers daily.
Vatican City does not have an official language, but unlike the Holy See, which often uses Latin for important documents, Vatican City uses Italian for its laws and official messages. Most people who work in the city speak Italian daily. In the Swiss Guard, Swiss German is used for giving orders. Each guard takes an oath in their own language: German, French, Italian, or Romansh. The official websites of the Holy See and Vatican City are mainly in Italian, but they also offer translations in many other languages.
Vatican City citizenship is different from other countries. It is not based on being born to a citizen or being born in the country. Instead, it is given to people who are hired for specific jobs in the Holy See’s service. This includes cardinals living in Vatican City or Rome, diplomats, and others working there. Citizenship usually ends when the job ends. Spouses and children of citizens can also become citizens if they live in Vatican City with them. Some people live in the city but do not become citizens. If someone loses Vatican citizenship and has no other citizenship, they automatically become Italian citizens, as stated in the Lateran Treaty.
The Holy See, which is not a country, only issues diplomatic and service passports. Vatican City issues regular passports for its citizens.
In statistics comparing countries, Vatican City often has unusual numbers because of its small size and religious role. For example, most jobs that give citizenship are held by men, so there are more men than women among citizens. The city also has a high rate of petty crimes against tourists and leads the world in wine consumption per person because of its use in religious ceremonies. A fun way to show how small Vatican City is is by calculating "popes per square kilometer," which is more than two because the city is less than half a square kilometer in size.
Culture
The Vatican City is home to some of the most famous art in the world. St. Peter's Basilica, designed by many architects including Bramante, Michelangelo, Giacomo della Porta, Carlo Maderno, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini, is a well-known example of Renaissance architecture. The Sistine Chapel is famous for its frescoes, which include works by Perugino, Domenico Ghirlandaio, and Sandro Botticelli, as well as Michelangelo’s ceiling painting and the Last Judgment. The interiors of the Vatican were decorated by artists such as Raphael and Fra Angelico.
The Vatican Apostolic Library and the Vatican Museums are important for their historical, scientific, and cultural value. Added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1984, the Vatican is the only site on the list that is an entire state. It is also the only UNESCO site registered as a center 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.
Following the example of the Pontifical Academy of New Lincei, founded by Pope Pius IX in 1847, Pope Pius XI created the Pontifical Academy of Sciences in 1936. Located in the Casina Pio IV, the academy brings together scientists who study mathematics, physics, natural sciences, and medicine. It also focuses on questions about knowledge and the history of science. Notable members include astrophysicist Martin John Rees, mathematician Cédric Villani, theoretical physicist Edward Witten, Nobel Prize in Chemistry winners Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier, and Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine winner Alexander Fleming.
The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences is another institution of the Holy See located in Vatican City. The Pontifical Academy for Life, which studies bioethics and technology ethics, is based at the San Callisto complex, a Vatican property outside Vatican City.
The Vatican Observatory, which began in the 16th century, continues to help with astronomical research. It works with the University of Arizona and uses the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope in Arizona for infrared and optical studies. The observatory also helps with science education and projects that share scientific knowledge with the public. As a member of the International Astronomical Union and the International Center for Relativistic Astrophysics, it studies topics like the structure of the universe, types of stars, and nebulae. Its library includes a collection of meteorites and has supported research on the history of astronomy.
The first telescopes of the Vatican Observatory, located in the Vatican Gardens and near St. Peter’s Basilica, were used to create the Carte du Ciel. However, these telescopes became less useful for research in the 1930s due to light pollution. Pope Pius XI moved the observatory to the Vatican’s extraterritorial Palace of Castel Gandolfo.
The Vatican City is not part of the International Olympic Committee and does not compete in the Olympic Games. However, it has taken part in some international sporting events, such as the World Cycling Championships, the Championships of the Small States of Europe, and the Mediterranean Games. Vatican City has its own athletics group called Athletica Vaticana.
Football in Vatican City is organized by the Vatican Amateur Sports Association, which runs the national championship known as the Vatican City Championship. This competition includes eight teams, such as the Swiss Guard’s FC Guardia and teams from the police and museum guards. The association also organizes the Coppa Sergio Valci and the Vatican Supercoppa. It manages the Vatican City national football team, which is not affiliated with UEFA or FIFA.