ly. 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. Present concerns of the Holy See include
religious freedom, international development, the environment, the
Middle East, China, the decline of religion in Europe, terrorism,
interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the application of
church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About
one billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith.

Geography
Holy See (Vatican City)

Location:

Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)

Geographic coordinates:

41 54 N, 12 27 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 0.44 sq km
land: 0.44 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

total: 3.2 km
border countries: Italy 3.2 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to May) with hot, dry
summers (May to September)

Terrain:

urban; low hill

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: unnamed location 19 m
highest point: unnamed location 75 m

Natural resources:

none

Land use:

arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (urban area) (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

NA

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Climate Change
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification

Geography - note:

landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; beyond
the territorial boundary of Vatican City, the Lateran Treaty of 1929
grants the Holy See extraterritorial authority over 23 sites in Rome
and five outside of Rome, including the Pontifical Palace at Castel
Gandolfo (the Pope's summer residence)

People
Holy See (Vatican City)

Population:

824 (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.003% (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living w