Vatican City: Government

The World Factbook 1993: Holy See (Vatican City) Government Names: conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City) conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City) local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano) local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)

Digraph: VT

Type: monarchical-sacerdotal state

Capital: Vatican City

Independence: 11 February 1929 (from Italy)

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

Legal system: NA

National holiday: Installation Day of the Pope, 22 October (1978) (John Paul II)

note: Pope John Paul II was elected on 16 October 1978

Political parties and leaders: none

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

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

Executive branch: pope

Legislative branch: unicameral Pontifical Commission

Judicial branch: none; normally handled by Italy

Leaders:

Chief of State: Pope JOHN PAUL II (Karol WOJTYLA; since 16 October 1978)

Head of Government: Secretary of State Archbishop Angelo Cardinal SODANO (since NA)

Member of: CSCE, IAEA, ICFTU, IMF (observer), INTELSAT, IOM (observer), ITU, OAS (observer), UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WIPO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Apostolic Pro-Nuncio Archbishop Agostino CACCIAVILLAN chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 333-7121 US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Raymond L. FLYNN embassy: Villino Pacelli, Via Aurelia 294, 00165 Rome mailing address: PSC 59, APO AE 09624 telephone: [396] 46741 FAX: [396] 638-0159

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