Catholic

Language: Italian, Latin, and various other languages

Literacy: 100%

Labor force: about 1,500; Vatican City employees divided into three
categories--executives, office workers, and salaried employees

Organized labor: Association of Vatican Lay Workers, 1,800 members (1987)

- Government
Long-form name: State of the Vatican City; note--the Vatican City is the
physical seat of the Holy See which is the central government of the Roman
Catholic Church

Type: monarchical-sacerdotal state

Capital: Vatican City

Independence: 11 February 1929 (from Italy)

Constitution: Apostolic Constitution of 1967 (effective 1 March 1968)

National holiday: Installation Day of the Pope (John Paul II),
22 October (1978); note--Pope John Paul II was elected on 16 October 1978

Executive branch: pope

Legislative branch: unicameral Pontifical Commission

Judicial branch: none; normally handled by Italy

Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government--Pope JOHN PAUL II (Karol
WOJTYLA; since 16 October 1978)

Political parties and leaders: none

Suffrage: limited to cardinals less than 80 years old

Elections:
Pope--last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death of
the current pope);
results--Karol Wojtyla was elected for life by the College of Cardinals

Communists: NA

Other political or pressure groups: none (exclusive of influence
exercised by church officers)

Member: IAEA, INTELSAT, ITU, IWC--International Wheat Council, UPU,
WIPO, WTO; permanent observer status at FAO, OAS, UN, and UNESCO

Diplomatic representation: Apostolic Pro-Nuncio Archbishop Pio LAGHI;
3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 333-7121;
US--Ambassador Thomas P. MELADY; Embassy at Villino Pacelli,
Via Aurelia 294, 00165 Rome (mailing address is APO New York 09794);
telephone p396o 639-0558

Flag: two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the crossed
keys of St. Peter and the papal tiara centered in the white band

- Economy
Overview: The economy is supported financially by contributions (known as
Peter's pence) from Roman Catholics throughout the world, the sale of postage
stamps, tourist mementos, fees for admission to museums, and the sale of
publications.

Budget: revenues $57 million; expenditures $113.7 million, including
capital expenditures of $NA (1986)

Electricity: 5,000 kW standby capacity (1989); power supplied by Italy

Industries: printing and producti