Country name:
conventional long form: The Holy See (Vatican City State)
conventional short form:
Holy See (Vatican City)
local long form:
La Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano)
local short form:
Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)
Government type:
ecclesiastical
Capital:
name:
Vatican City
geographic coordinates:
41 54 N, 12 27 E
time difference:
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time:
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
none
Independence:
11 February 1929 (from Italy); note - the three treaties signed with Italy on 11 February 1929 acknowledged, among other things, the full sovereignty of the Holy See and established its territorial extent; however, the origin of the Papal States, which over centuries varied considerably in extent, may be traced back to 754
National holiday:
Election Day of Pope FRANCIS, 13 March (2013)
Constitution:
previous 1929, 1963; latest adopted 26 November 2000, effective 22 February 2001 (Fundamental Law by Pope JOHN PAUL II); note - Pope Francis in October 2013 appointed a group of cardinals to revise the constitution (2013)
Legal system:
religious legal system based on canon (religious) law
International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Suffrage:
election of the pope is limited to cardinals less than 80 years old
[see also: Suffrage country ranks ]
Executive branch:
chief of state:
Pope FRANCIS (since 13 March 2013)
head of government:
Secretary of State Archbishop Pietro PAROLIN (since 15 October 2013); note - previous Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio BERTONE will remain as Camerlengo, a position he has held since 4 April 2007
cabinet:
Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City appointed by the pope
elections:
pope elected for life, or until voluntary resignation, by the College of Cardinals; election last held on 13 March 2013 (next to be held after the death or resignation of the current pope); Secretary of State appointed by the pope
election results:
Jorge Mario BERGOGLIO elected Pope FRANCIS
Legislative branch: unicameral Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State
Judicial branch:
highest court(s):
Supreme Court or Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura (consists of the cardinal prefect, who serves as ex-officio president of the court, and 2 other cardinals of the Prefect Signatura)
note - judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio, papal directive, of Pope PIUS XII on 1 May 1946; note 2: most Vatican City criminal matters are handled by the Republic of Italy courts
judge selection and term of office:
cardinal prefect appointed by the Pope; the other 2 cardinals of the court appointed by the cardinal prefect on a yearly basis
subordinate courts:
Appellate Court of Vatican City; Tribunal of Vatican City
Political parties and leaders:
none
Political pressure groups and leaders: none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)
International organization participation:
CE (observer), IAEA, Interpol, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, Schengen Convention (de facto member), UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, Union Latina (observer), UNWTO (observer), UPU, WIPO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:
Apostolic Nuncio Carlo Maria VIGANO (since 16 November 2011)
chancery:
3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 333-7121
FAX:
[1] (202) 337-4036
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Kenneth F. HACKETT (since 20 August 2013)
embassy:
Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome
mailing address:
Unit 5660, Box 66, DPO AE 09624-0066
telephone:
[39] (06) 4674-3428
FAX:
[39] (06) 575-8346
Flag description:
two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the arms of the Holy See, consisting of the crossed keys of Saint Peter surmounted by the three-tiered papal tiara, centered in the white band; the yellow color represents the pope's spiritual power, the white his worldly power
National symbol(s):
crossed keys
National anthem:
name:
"Inno e Marcia Pontificale" (Hymn and Pontifical March); often called The Pontifical Hymn
lyrics/music: Raffaello LAVAGNA/Charles-Francois GOUNOD
note: adopted 1950