Vatican City , officially the Vatican City State , is a country in the continent of Europe, located in the middle of the city of Rome, Italy. It has only one border country and that is Italy. It shares a 2-mile border with Italy.
Vatican City is the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church; The head of the nation here is the Pope. 100% of the population of this country is Catholic.
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With an area of 49 hectares and a population of 825, Vatican City is the smallest country in the world in terms of both area and population . Despite being the smallest country in the world, mints, post offices, radio stations, railway stations operate here. The facility of passport, license is also provided to the citizens.
Vatican City is a world famous tourist destination as well as being the main religious pilgrimage of Christians. Cultural sites such as St Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums attract tourists from all over the world. The entire country has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Let us know interesting facts and information about Vatican City ( Facts and Information About Vatican City)
54 Amazing Facts About Vatican City
Short Description
Vatican City Capital | The capital of Vatican City is Vatican City. |
Vatican City Area | The area of Vatican City is 0.49 km 2 (0.19 sq mi). |
Vatican City Population | The estimated population in the year 2019 is 825. |
Vatican City Currency | The currency of Vatican City is Euro. |
Vatican City Language | The official language of Vatican City is Italian. |
Vatican City Religion | 100% of the people in Vatican City are Catholic. |
City Map
Historical Facts
1. Vatican City came into existence in 1929 after the Lateran Treaty between Italy and the ‘Holy See’.
2. The name Vatican City was first used on February 11, 1929, when the Lateran Treaty was signed. This name was named after ‘Vatican Hills’.
3. The official Italian name of Vatican City is ‘Stato della Citta del Vaticano’.
4. Historian P.N. According to Oak, the word ‘Vatican’ is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Vatika’, which means – Vedic cultural centre. The size of the Vatican City is similar to the Shiva lingam, the original form of Lord Shiva. That is why it is believed that this country is related to Lord Shiva.
5. It is said that during archaeological excavations, a Shivling was found in Vatican City, which is kept in the Gregorian Etruscan Museum.
6. The reason behind the establishment of Vatican City – The Pope is considered the representative of Jesus Christ and the residence of the Pope should not be subject to any country. Therefore Vatican City was recognized as an independent nation.
Information About Vatican City
7. Vatican City is a city-state like Singapore.
8. The national flag of Vatican City was adopted on 7 June 1929.
9. Italian and Latin languages are spoken in the Vatican City.
10. The currency of Vatican City is Euro. An agreement was signed by Vatican City and Italy in the year 2000, in which the ‘Holy See’ recognized the euro as the official currency and gave the right to mint it.
11. The sale of postage stamps, tourist souvenirs, entry fees for museums, sale of publications etc. help the economy of the country.
12. Vatican City has no GDP, because this country does not produce goods for trade purposes.
Vatican City Government Facts
13. Vatican City is a country ruled by an autocratic monarchy; Here the Pope is the head of state. He has the powers of legislature, judiciary and executive.
14. Executive power is transferred to the President by appointing him by the Pope for 5 years. Usually the President is the Cardinal of the Catholic Church.
15. Vatican City is the only country in the world with a continuous non-hereditary monarchy.
16. The Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope, was opened on 30 April 1589. It is also called Papal Palace, Vatican Palace and Vatican Palace.
17. John Paul II has been the only non-Italian pope of Vatican City since the sixteenth century. He is also the Pope to have visited the most countries ever. He has visited more than 130 countries till now.
18. Vatican City is one of the few independent nations that is not a member of the United Nations (UN).
Vatican City Army Facts
19. There is no army force in Vatican City. There is a Swiss Guard 19 deployed for the protection of the Pope. The Swiss Guard was formed on 22 January 1506 by Pope Julius II. It is the official guard of the Pope as well as the apotolic palace.
20. There are a total of 135 Swiss Guards in Vatican City, who have been protecting the Pope for more than 500 years.
21. Military units such as the Nobal and Palatine Guard were functioning in Vatican City until 1970, they were abolished by Pope Paul VI in 1970.
Vatican City Law Facts
22. Citizenship is granted not on the basis of birth in Vatican City, but on the basis of job or office held in the country. There are no hospitals in Vatican City, so practically no one is born there.
23. Those who obtain citizenship on the basis of their job in Vatican City lose their citizenship when they lose their jobs. When this happens, they return to their original citizenship. If they do not have any citizenship, they get Italian citizenship.
24. Vatican City along with the Philippines is included in the two countries in the world that do not have laws for divorce.
25. Passports are issued to the people of Vatican City. These passports are issued by both the Holy See and the Vatican City State. Vatican City State issues normal passports. On the other hand, the Holy See issues Personal Passport, Diplomat Passport and Service Passport.
26. No tax is imposed on citizens in Vatican City.
27. Italians can donate 8% of their taxes to Vatican City. This helps Vatican City to meet its expenses.
Interesting Facts
28. The highest crime rate in the world is in Vatican City. Despite a population of only 825, the per capita crime rate here is 1.5. However, small crimes like pickpocketing, burglary and chain snatching are the main crimes here.
29. There is no prison in Vatican City and there is only one judge. Those who are convicted of a crime are deported to the neighboring country of Italy.
30. There is only one ATM in the entire Vatican City, which can be accessed in Latin language. This is the only ATM of its kind in the world. It is operated by Vatican Bank.
31. Vatican City has only one railway station, which was officially inaugurated on 2 October 1934. This station is used only for freight. Its main railway track is ‘standard gauge’ and is 300 meters (980 ft) long. In this way it is the world’s smallest national railway station system (Shortest National Railway System In The World).
32. There is no airport in Vatican City. But there is definitely a heliport on the western corner of the country.
33. Excessive consumption of alcohol by residents of Vatican City. Here the consumption of alcohol per year is about 54 litres/person.
34. The Vatican City radio station is located within the Vatican Gardens tower. Programs are broadcast from here in 20 different languages.
35. The license plates of vehicles in Vatican City have the SCV “Stato Citta Vaticano” written on them.
36. Vatican City also has its own football team (Vatican City national football team).
37. On May 13, 1981, there was an attempt to assassinate Pope John Paul II in Vatican City. But the person who was attacked by the Pope was pardoned.
Cultural Facts About Vatican City
38. 100% of the population of Vatican City is Catholic.
39. There are no religious holidays in Vatican City. The main holidays here are on the festivals of Christmas and Easter. Apart from this, there is a holiday on the festival days of various holy saints.
40. Pilgrimage and tourism are an important part of the daily life of Vatican City.
41. Prayer Mass is organized for the people on weekends in Vatican City. The Pope meets with the general public every week.
42. Vatican City mainly prepares Roman/Italian style food and like the Italians, the people here consider their cooking to be the best in the world.
43. According to Italian tradition on New Year’s Eve, seven fishes are eaten here, in which eel, conch, squid are prominent. The traditional food for Easter is lamb. Pasta is a must with all these food items.
44. Vatican City is a small country with only one restaurant. Mainly Italian cuisine is prepared here, especially Roman style cuisine.
45. The clothing style of the people in Vatican City reflects their social status. The Pope wears white, which sets him apart from the others, while the Cardinal wears red.
46. Dress code applies to people in St. Peter’s Basilica. This dress code is similar to the dress code worn in the Catholic Church. Here it is forbidden to wear hats, short skirts above the knee, sleeveless shirts, more ornaments.
47. Married people in Vatican City are mainly working people, who move to and from Italy.
Tourism In Vatican City
48. The entire Vatican City is included in the ‘UNESCO World Heritage Site List’. This is the only country of this kind in the world.
49. Vatican City is home to world-renowned paintings and sculptures in cultural sites such as St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, and the Vatican Museums.
50. The ‘Vatican Museums’ located in Vatican City was established by Pope Julius II in the early 16th century. The paintings in this 9-mile long museum are one of the largest collections of art in the world.
51. According to estimates, if it takes 1 minute to see a painting of ‘Vatican Museums’, then it will take 4 years to see the whole museum.
52. About five to five and a half million tourists visit the Vatican Museums/Museum every year.
53. St. Peter’s Basilica is the second largest Christian church in the world. In the first place is the Yamoussoukro Basilica located in Cote d’Ivoire. St Peter’s Basilica is the largest cathedral in the world among Catholic churches.
54. It took 120 years to complete the construction work of ‘St. Peter’s Basilica’ cathedral. Built in 18000 square yards, this cathedral is 400 feet long and 138 feet in diameter. Its dome was designed by Michelangelo.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
When was Vatican City founded?
Vatican City was established in 1929. It came into existence in the country after the Lateran Treaty between Italy and the ‘Holy See’.
What is the capital of Vatican City?
The capital of Vatican City is Vatican City. It is a city-state.
How many states are in Vatican City?
Vatican City is a city-state, which has the status of country, city, state.
How many districts are there in Vatican City?
Vatican City city-state that has country, city, state status.
What is the area of Vatican City?
The area of Vatican City is 0.49 square kilometers (0.19 sq mi).
What is the population of Vatican City in 2020?
In the year 2020, the population of Vatican City was about 801, of which about 50% lived elsewhere. Thus the people living in Vatican City were around 400.
What is the population of females in Vatican City?
Females in Vatican City are around 30, which is 5% of the total population. Most of these women are women who have come here after marrying Swiss Guards. Most of the women here are teachers, journalists and the wives of the men living here. They do not have the right to vote and their citizenship remains as long as they reside here. (year 2020)
What is the currency of Vatican City?
The official currency of Vatican City is Euro. On 1 January 1999, Italy adopted the Euro currency in place of the Italian currency Lira, although its official date is 2000. In 2002, a treaty was signed between Italy and Vatican City, allowing Vatican City to use the euro as its official currency even though they were not a member of the European Union.
What are the official languages of Vatican City?
The official language of Vatican City is Italian. Italian and Latin languages are spoken primarily here.
Who is the Prime Minister of Vatican City?
Monarchy is established in Vatican City, where the Pope is the king of the country. The legislature, executive and judicial power of the country is vested in the Pope. The Pope appoints a President, who is usually a cardinal of the Catholic Church, to administer the country’s system of governance. The current President of Vatican City is Giuseppe Bertello.
Why are there no kids in Vatican City?
Vatican City is a country where no child has been born since 1983. The reason for this is that the population here is mainly old people. The youth goes out of the country for education, job or other work and resides there.
Who is the President of Vatican City?
Monarchy is established in Vatican City, where the Pope is the king of the country. The legislature, executive and judicial power of the country is vested in the Pope. The Pope appoints a President, who is usually a cardinal of the Catholic Church, to administer the country’s system of governance. The current President of Vatican City is Giuseppe Bertello.
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