The area is 301.3 thousand km2. Population - 58.1 million people
Unitary republic - 20 regions. Capital -. Rome
EGP
Italy is one of the seven major highly developed countries in the world. On the political map. Europe, it occupies an advantageous geographical and geopolitical position. Italy consists of three parts: mainland (over. 30% of the country's territory), peninsular (50%) and island (more than 17%%).
Mediterranean accommodation. Italy and the lingering maritime border (3/4 of the total length of the borders) have a very positive effect on it. EGP. Land borders in the north. Italy delimit its territory with. France,. Switzerland,. Austria and. Slovenia. Through territory. Italy has important land routes from the sea coast to the countries of the central part. Western. Europe. Within the country there are two enclave states: Vatican and. San Marinrino.
Population
Natural increase in population c. Italy has had negative values since the mid-1990s. Now it is about (-0.6) per 1000 people. The death rate is less than 10 per 1000 people, and the average life expectancy is 79 years. Important role in population change. Italy was constantly played by external migration. But in recent years, a significant part of the Italians are returning. The balance of migrations has positive values, fully compensating for losses from natural growth.
The national composition of the population is marked by homogeneity 98% of the citizens of the state are Italians belonging to the Romance language group. The same proportion is made up of Catholic Christians. Slovenes, Greeks, Albanians, French live in the border areas with neighboring states
The country is characterized by a high population density (190 people per 1 km2). In the middle of the country there are significant regional differences in the distribution of the population. The northern developed regions are much more densely populated. IT waist (200-1000 people per 1 km2) time in the south. In Italy and on the islands, the population density ranges from 40 to 70 people per 1 km2. This is due to the constant intrastate migrations of the population, persons livo in the direction. South North. The reason for this is the significant differences in living standards and opportunities to receive. Average size. GNP per capita in the south of the country is about 60% of that in the northeast.
The proportion of the urban population is estimated at about 70%. The highest level of urbanization in. Italy is within. Padana lowlands. The largest cities-millionaires is. Rome,. Milan,. Naples and. Turin. In the south towards the country dominated rural population. There are quite large villages in terms of population, which are sometimes called rural towns. In the north. In Italy, where the farming form of agriculture prevails, the solution is the farm form of population settlement. The mountains are dominated by villages small in population.
The share of the economically active population is somewhat reduced, which is partly due to the aging of the nation. The structure of employment is dominated by the service sector - 57%, industry - 38%, rural state - 5%. Among the countries in EU,. Italy has recently acted as a supplier of relatively cheap labor for. France and. Germany. The number of unemployed reaches more than 2 million people annually (10% %).
Natural conditions and resources
Italy is not rich in mineral resources, insignificant reserves of some of them do not meet the needs national economy. Of the fuel and energy resources in the country, there are small deposits of coal and oil, half the night in the eastern part. Italy has several large deposits of natural gas. They allow. Italy to produce up to 17 billion m3 of gas per year and meet its needs by 15%.
Italy has almost no manganese, iron and chromite ores, as a result of which her ferrous metallurgy works on imported raw materials. In the structure of mineral resources, reserves of polymetallic (primarily from lead, zinc) and mercury ores (one of the largest in the world) are distinguished.
Of the non-metallic minerals in the bowels of the country, there are large reserves of potash and table salt. Rich country on the Construction Materials, its reserves of marble and granite are of world importance
For water resources. Italy is not rich rivers are small and shallow in summer. The largest river -. By, which flows in the north and flows into. Adriatic Sea. Since most of the country's rivers are mountainous, they are significant potential water resources. Especially they are rich rivers originating with. AlAlp.
Only 20% of the territory. Italy is covered with forests, their main massifs are located in the north of the country. Lack of wood limits the development of certain industries
Italy, in general, is a mountainous country, more than 3/4 of the territory of which is occupied by mountains, which are of exceptional importance in shaping the climate. Italy, because it is a natural barrier to the penetration of moist air masses from the north of the mainland. economic development countries makes it difficult high level seismicity of the territory.
Plains and lowlands are located on the coast. Apennine Peninsula and in the northeast. Italy, where in the river basin. Po is the largest Italian plain -. The Padana lowlands are the most developed by man and the most populated.
Climate Resources. Italy is quite favorable for the development of agriculture. In the north, the climate is temperate continental, and in the south. Italy is characterized by a Mediterranean subtropical climate and dry summers.
Generally. Italy is poor in agricultural land and especially in arable land. There is about 0.2 hectares of arable land per person. A significant amount of arable land is irrigated, which is a necessary condition for obtaining high yields. Soils are generally quite fertile.
Mountain relief. Apennines and. The Alps with many small lakes of volcanic origin, forests, the Mediterranean type of climate, sea coasts play a significant role in the formation of rich recreational areas.
resources. Italy. Their second important component is a large number of historical and architectural monuments of world significance.
Features of the relief of Latin America are due to the tectonic structure. The territory on which it is located consists of the ancient South American platform and relatively young folding. The first corresponds to plateaus, plateaus (Brazilian, Patagonian and Guiana) in places where the platform rises and lowlands and plains (Amazonian, La Plata, etc.) in places of troughs. The second is formed by the Cordillera, which in South America is called the Andes. This is the world's longest chain of mountain ranges and massifs, stretching for 11,000 km and reaching a height of 6960 m (Mount Aconcagua).
Minerals
Latin America rich in minerals. It accounts for 18% of oil reserves, 30% of ferrous and alloying metals, 25% of non-ferrous metals and 55% of rare and scattered elements of the capitalist world. According to the reserves of some minerals individual countries regions occupy first place among the capitalist states: for example, in iron ore, niobium, beryllium and rock crystal - Brazil; for copper - Chile; for graphite - Mexico; for antimony and lithium - Bolivia. The presence of promising, but still poorly explored geological structures allows us to count on new mineral deposits in the coming years. It is from here that the United States of America receives up to 70% of the strategic raw materials they need, including more than 90% of tin concentrate and bauxite, and about 50% of copper and iron ore. Their diversity is a consequence of the diversity of tectonic structures.
Transportation and car rental Minerals Agriculture Tipping National peculiarities Electricity HealthcareGeographical position
State - city Vatican, a sovereign state. It was created according to the Lutheran agreements between the Roman Catholic Church and the Italian state of February 11, 1929. The Vatican is located in the western part of Rome on the right bank of the Tiber River. Here is the seat of the highest administrative centers of the Roman Catholic Church. The country has cathedral of st. Petra and the Vatican palaces with museums and libraries, administrative buildings, churches, residential buildings, yards and gardens. Vatican- Withsmallest country in the world. Its area is 0.44 sq. km.
Climate of the Vatican subtropical mediterranean. Average January temperatures range from 0 C to +12 C, July - from +20 to +28 C. Precipitation falls up to 700 mm., Especially in winter, in the form of rain. Snow is extremely rare. The most convenient time to visit the country April to June and September to November.
Visas, entry rules, customs rules
Customs regulations Vatican City are determined by the customs legislation of Italy. For import and export of local and foreign currencies none no restrictions. You can freely import up to 10 thousand euros or an equivalent amount in another currency. Export of large amounts must allow Customs.
From outside the EU per person can bring no more than 200 cigarettes or 250 gr. tobacco, up to 2 liters. wine or up to 1 liter. alcoholic beverages with a strength of over 22%, up to 250 ml. toilet water and 50 ml. spirits. It is also allowed to import jewelry, 1 radio, 1 tape recorder, 2 cameras, 1 video camera, 2 pairs of skis, 2 tennis rackets, 1 bicycle, 1 boat, one kayak or surfboard.
To visit the Vatican needed standard Italian or Schengen visa. To obtain a tourist visa, you must first obtain a passport, 2 application forms and the original invitation, 1 photo 3x4 cm, a certificate from the place of work. The period of stay on a tourist visa is limited to 2 weeks. Visas for more long term are issued in rare cases and they also take longer to process. The consular fee is $36.
Every tourist must have with you cash at the rate of $50 per day for the first 10 days of stay, and then $25 per day. Entering the Vatican with children entails unnecessary difficulties. You need a birth certificate and a copy of it. It is advised to paste pictures of children entered in the passport, regardless of age, because. the authorities have the right not to accept the child into the country. An original power of attorney with a translation into Italian is required, indicating the address and phone number of the parents. The power of attorney remains at the consulate and is not returned to the client.
Population, political condition
Permanent population- about a thousand people, of which less than half have Vatican citizenship, mostly - clerics, Swiss guards, gendarmes and a few "secular" citizens. More than 3 thousand people permanently living and working on the lands of the Vatican are citizens of Italy and other states.
Control form— absolute democracy. The Vatican became an independent state in 1929 in accordance with the Lutheran Accords between the Italian government and the Pope.
Head of State and of the entire Roman Catholic Church— Dad elected for life by the College of Cardinals. The Pope has all legislative, executive and judicial power in the country and in the Catholic world as a whole. The duty of government is carried out by a commission of pontiffs headed by the secretary of state.
What to watch
Vatican Gardens bounded by ramparts erected by popes since the Renaissance and Baroque eras. In the westernmost part of the gardens Residence of Pope Leo XIII, where until 1936 was Vatican observatory. Emphasizes residence of Pope Pius IV with bright frescoes inside.
The Vatican is a big treasure trove of art. Many of them are frescoes specially created on the inner walls of the palaces. Collected in galleries and inner palaces examples of painting, sculpture and other arts.
Extraordinary works of art are exhibited in the Vatican Museums. At the Pinakothek collected the richest collection of renaissance paintings and Baroque. There is 3 masterpieces by Raphael:Madonna of Foligno, Assumption and Transfiguration, as well as many paintings created from sketches by Raphael for Sistine Chapel depicting the deeds of the apostles. Among other famous paintings, Saint Jeremiah by Leonardo da Vinci, Pieta by Giovanni Bellini, the Entombment of Caravaggio, the Martyrdom of St. Erasmus Poussin and masterfully written Crucifixion of the Apostle Peter by Guido Reni.
Vatican Antiquities Collection- one of the best in the world. In addition to a rich collection of small forms of Roman art, including glass, ivory, bronze and mosaic, here are wonderful ides of Roman painting from the excavations of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The largest of them are the so-called. Aldobrandine wedding and Odyssey landscapes.
Among the treasures of the Vatican stand out frescoes in the Sistine Chapel, written by Michelangelo in 1508-1512, commissioned by Julius II. The frescoes are placed in rectangular and triangular cells "supported" architectural elements. Hundreds of figures are depicted in an amazing variety of movements and poses. Such a beautiful picture big court, completed by Michelangelo in 1541. It captures the entire altar wall. In contrast to the bright paintings on the ceiling, dedicated to the plots of the Testament. Although the original shades have faded over time, the composition of the painting still remains.
The Sistine Chapel also features other notable early Renaissance works by Perugino, Botticelli, Signorelli, Ghirlandaio, Pinturicchio and Cosimo Roselli.
On the floor above the Sistine Chapel are the famous paintings by Raphael, which were signed by order of several popes. Raphael himself worked under Julius II and Leo X. The painting was completed under Clement VII by Raphael's students. The frescoes were created in an era when the Renaissance achieved its rise: in Stanza Senyatura - the School of Athens, Dispute and Parnassus by Raphael, in Stanza d "Eliodoro - the Expulsion of Eliodor, the Liberation of the Apostle Peter from prison, the Mass in Bolsena, and in the Stanza del Incendio - the Fire in Borgo and the Coronation of Charlemagne by Pope Leo III.
From other Vatican frescoes there are works by Fra Angelico, reproducing scenes from the life of Saints Stephen and Laurence in the chapel of Father Nicholas V; chambers of Alexander VI's father, known as the apartments of Borgia, magnificently painted by Pinturicchio with scenes from sacred history and from pagan myths; frescoes from the history of the papacy in the Sala Reggia, created by Giorgio Vasari, Francesco Salviati and Federigo Zuccaro and other masters. Frescoes in the Vatican Library, the plots of which are partly inspired by the paintings found in the palace of the ruler Nero; ceiling painting of the Aldobrandino Wedding Hall with scenes from the life of Samson, painted by Guido Reni, and frescoes in the San Bibiana Chapel, commissioned by Pope Urban VIII by a painter of the 17th century. Pietro da Cortona.
Vatican Library contains approximately 65 thousand manuscripts, 400 thousand published volumes, 100 thousand geographical maps and engravings and over 100 thousand autographed items. The library has an exhibition of the most important and beautifully designed editions kept in the Vatican. Among countless old illustrated books there are two manuscripts of the 4th c. AD with poetic texts by Virgil. Ancient written documents of the works of Virgil, Cicero and Terentius serve as primary sources for new editions of these writers. Other items in the library are author's manuscripts and letters of such prominent figures of the Middle Ages and Renaissance as Thomas Aquinas, Petrarch, Michelangelo, Raphael, Luther and Henry VIII; paintings by Botticelli for Dante's Divine Comedy; the Roman diary of Antonio da Sangallo; two examples of Byzantine art - the Scroll of Joshua Roll and the Menologion of Basil II; as well as a complete set of Bible editions, including copies of the smallest and largest formats.
Vatican collections of antiquities- this is Pio Clementino Museum, where many sculptures collected by the popes are found. Some of them were in the villa of the emperor Hadrian near Tivoli and in the palace of the ruler Nero. They served as initial models for Renaissance sculptors who were inspired by ancient art. The most famous dating back to the 1st century. BC. Belvedere torso. The same value is sculptural group Laokon, which Michelangelo considered a model, and statue of Apollo Belvedere admired during the Renaissance.
Chiaramonti Museum also has very large archaeological collections. In his Gallery Lapidario there are many ancient inscriptions. The museum itself has a very beautiful display of Roman statues. The aesthetically largest exhibition pieces are concentrated in Braccio Nuovo. Here stand out Prima Porta Augustus- the best surviving image of the first Roman emperor; magnificent figure of the Nile, embodying the traditions of Hellenism, the magnificent Roman copy of Doryphoros Polikleitos.
Gregorian Museum dedicated Egyptian art. The most famous treasures of this museum are statue of the god Mars from Todi and excellently preserved Tomb of Regolini Galassi.
About 2000 years ago in a small Jewish village in a poor family of Joseph, his wife Mary had a child, who was named Jesus. This is how a new faith appeared - Christianity. The essence of Christianity lies in the belief in one Lord.
Christianity was inextricably linked until the 11th century. It is in this century Roman Catholic Church, in unilaterally, included in the general church confession of faith the fundamentally last sentence about the Holy Trinity, which was the reason " Great Schism". Eastern Christian churches from that time began to be called Orthodox, and all Western countries subordinate to Rome ended up in the Roman Catholic Church.
Roman Catholic Church this is more than 900 million followers, which far exceeds the number of other followers of different directions of Christianity. Leading the Catholic Church costs pope- just like that since the III-IV centuries. began to call themselves the bishops of Rome. Since the 6th century, this term has been attached to the head of the Christian community " eternal city » Rome. Roman Bishops calling themselves " vicars of god on earth”, claimed the honorary dignity of all Christian churches.
A lot of powerful Catholic churches stretched from Rome throughout Europe, under the jurisdiction of the pope and not dependent on local authorities. Numerous active military-religious orders were also created.
During the Franco-Prussian War 1870-1871 the capital of the papal country, Rome, was the capital of Italy and, together with the territory of the Vatican, became part of the Italian country. Only in 1929 did Pope Pius XI manage to reach an agreement with Mussolini's fascist regime on Lutheran agreements.
New concordat 1984 confirmed the sovereignty of the Vatican, solemnly handed over to the Italians the freedom of religion.
Characteristically, it was only in October 1993, after a ten-year dispute, that the pope recognized the trade union of civil officials and workers. Since October 1995, all 2,500 Vatican workers must adhere to the latest official regulations, which contained "fidelity to the pope", the rejection of divorce and abortion.
The main sources of income for the Vatican — tourism and Catholic donations. Mostly Italians work in the Vatican. The citizens of the Vatican mostly work in the church.
Foreign trade is almost non-existent.
The shops
Shops open from 8:00 to 13:00 and from 15:30 to 20:00. Sunday and Monday until noon.
Drinks in the hotel room bar are not included in the room rate, and paid extra when leaving the hotel. The same applies to telephone conversations. Moreover, not only long-distance calls are paid, but even calls within the city.
Demography
Vatican does not have its permanent population. On its territory lives Dad, leaders and employees of the Vatican institutions.
Industry
There is no industry in the Vatican.
Flora and fauna
Vegetable and animal world The Vatican is not only poor, but its general No. Because the country is the smallest in the world.
Banks and money
Vatican banknotes / Currency converter
Banks are open from Monday to Friday from 8.30 to 13.30 and from 15.00 to 16.15, Saturday and Sunday are days off.
money can exchange outside the Vatican, in Italy, at currency exchange offices, at banks, at the post office. At airports, as a rule, the exchange rate is less favorable, but the exchange points there work around the clock. There are also exchange machines that accept US dollars. In wide use plastic cards and traveler's checks . In institutions that accept cards, ads are usually posted in the window. Carta-si».
The official name is the Vatican. Located in the southern part of Europe. The area is 0.44 km2. The population is 0.9 thousand people. (2002 estimate). Official languages are Italian, Latin. The capital is the city of Vatican City (0.9 thousand people). Public holiday - the day of the coronation of Pope John Paul II on October 22 (since 1978). Currency unit- euro (since 2002).
Possessions: 13 buildings in Rome and the summer residence of the Pope in Castel Gandolfo, enjoying the right of extraterritoriality.
It has the status of a permanent observer in the UN and many other international organizations.
Attractions of the Vatican
Geography of the Vatican
The Vatican, the smallest state in the world, is located between 41 ° 54 'North latitude and 10 ° 27 'E longitude, in the western part of Rome on the right bank of the Tiber River. Has no access to the sea. The landscape is hilly, with a height difference of 19 to 75 m. There are no minerals. The climate is temperate (mild rainy winters and hot dry summers).
Population of the Vatican
Population growth rate - 1.15%; data on births, deaths, etc. are not published. Ethnic composition heterogeneous, dominated by Italians and Swiss. Prelates, nuns, guards and 3,000 employees live outside the Vatican. Religion - Roman Catholic.
History of the Vatican
The origin of the Vatican dates back to 756, when the King of the Franks Pepin the Short, in gratitude for political support, presented Pope Stephen II with the Roman region, part of Ravenna and Catania. The resulting state, which was called the Papal States, lasted until 1870 and acquired great political weight due to its active participation in internecine wars on the peninsula, as well as in the affairs of Europe. In 1809 it was liquidated by Napoleon Bonaparte, but in 1815 it was restored by the Congress of Vienna. During the Italian Revolution of 1848, the pope was expelled from his possessions, but returned to power by the troops of Napoleon III. In the process national association In Italy, the papal throne lost its possessions one after another, and in 1870 the troops of King Victor Emmanuel entered Rome. The "Law Concerning the Prerogatives of the Pope and the Holy See" (the "Law of Guarantees") issued by the Italian state recognized the sovereignty of the pope in the territory of the Vatican. And he granted him property privileges, but Pius IX did not accept these conditions and declared himself a prisoner. The conflict was resolved only in 1929 by the conclusion between the Vatican and Mussolini's government of the Lateran Treaty and the Concordat. According to the treaty, the Vatican was declared "neutral and inviolable territory", and the pope was paid compensation for the damage suffered. According to the Concordat, the Roman Catholic religion was declared the state religion of Italy. The Democratic Constitution of 1947 confirmed the operation of the Lateran Treaty, but the Concordat, revised in 1984, separated the church from the state and abolished most of the privileges given to it earlier.
State structure and political system of the Vatican
The Vatican is the center of the Catholic world, uniting more than 1 billion people. This is a theocratic state built on the principles of canon law. The Apostolic Constitution, adopted in 1967, is in force. The country does not have an administrative division, like other cities. In 2001, a forthcoming revision of the Constitution, linked to the Lateran Accords, was announced in the direction of a greater separation of powers.
The highest body of legislative and executive power is the Commission, headed and appointed by the pope. The pontiff is the head of state, personifying its sovereignty, and has full power. He is elected for life by a collegium (conclave) of cardinals under the age of 80 by a 2/3 majority vote. The head of government is the secretary of state, appointed by the pope. Under the pontiff there are advisory bodies: the Sacred College of Cardinals, appointed by the pope, and the Synod of Bishops. The latter includes patriarchs and some heads of Eastern Rite Catholic Churches, elected representatives of national episcopal conferences and religious orders, cardinal leaders of Roman congregations (standing committees), and other persons appointed by the pope. The order of the sessions of the Synod is determined by the pontiff. current affairs 9 congregations are engaged in church administration, each of which includes cardinals and bishops appointed for 5 years, consultants and civil servants. There are no political parties, associations, associations of business circles in the country.
The Vatican has diplomatic relations with 173 countries of the world. Unofficial diplomacy is carried out through the Pontifical Council "Justice and Peace", which has branches in many countries, as well as through Catholic non-governmental organizations. The traditionally conservative policy of the pre-war and early post-war years changed at the turn of the 1950s and 1960s. the policy of renewal (“agiornamento”), which found expression in the documents of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65). Pope John XXIII's encyclical "Pacem in terris" (1963) called for the participation of Catholics in dialogue with the outside world. The modern social doctrine of the Catholic Church proceeds from the ideas of strengthening peace as a global value, dialogue of civilizations and cultures, condemnation of all types of violence and religious fanaticism, calls for the creation of a worldwide "cooperative government" and for the expansion of the activities of international governmental and public organizations. In the encyclical “Laborem exercens” (1981) of Pope John Paul II (K. Wojtyla, former archbishop of Krakow and the first non-Italian pope since 1522), the idea of the value of labor as a way of developing the personality (“theology of labor”) was doctrinalized.
During the period of the present pontificate, the International activity Vatican. The Pope made more than 100 foreign trips, contributed to the establishment or renewal of diplomatic relations with countries of Eastern Europe(in 1989, the head of the Soviet state M. Gorbachev visited the Vatican for the first time), strengthening ties with the Arab world, and attempts to resolve the Middle East crisis. The reform of the Catholic Church also continues: for the first time since 1561, the edition of the catechism was updated, and the size of the conclave of bishops was increased from 120 to 135 people. (moreover, most of them were non-Europeans), the process of “cleansing memory” has begun - repentance for the sins of two thousand years of history (the Inquisition, the Crusades, etc.).
The armed forces of the Vatican consist of a corps of Swiss guards (70 people) who are on guard duty. The military defense of the country's territory is the responsibility of Italy.
The Vatican has diplomatic relations with Russian Federation(installed from the USSR in March 1990).
Economy of the Vatican
The Vatican lives on donations from the Catholic Churches various countries world, income from tourism (sale of postage stamps and souvenirs, minting of coins, payment for museum excursions) and from the implementation of an extensive printed matter. In addition, the capital of the Vatican is invested in the industry of Italy and other countries. One of the sources of income is "tithe" - deductions from rent for lands belonging to the church in the countries of the Catholic world. There is no own industry (with the exception of printing), Agriculture not conducted. Statistical data on the structure of the economy are not published. central bank The Vatican ("Institute for Religious Affairs"), reorganized in 1989, carries out operations of an international character. The budget is reduced with a small positive balance of approx. $200 million (1997)
The Vatican is connected to the territory of Italy railway line(0.86 km) and helicopter service. Vatican Radio broadcasts in 34 languages, incl. from Italian territory. There is a TV station. The telephone network is fully included in the Italian one, incl. international.
Science and culture of the Vatican
The Vatican is the spiritual center of Catholicism. Under his leadership and control, numerous educational establishments, the Catholic press, radio and television, church and secular organizations in many countries of the world. Since 1936, the activity of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, which has 70 members, has been resumed. On the territory of the Vatican there are architectural and artistic values of world importance - St. Peter's Cathedral and the palace ensemble of the 15th-16th centuries, which store the richest collection of works of art from the Renaissance period, a library with a unique collection of books and ancient manuscripts, an art gallery, outstanding examples of garden and park art .
Vatican is a city-state located in Southern Europe. The Vatican is the only state in the world located completely inside the capital of another state -. The country is included in only one international organization- The UN, and then for the rights of an observer. For residents of EU countries, entry into the territory of the Vatican is visa-free, for residents of other countries, a Schengen visa issued by the Italian Embassy is required.
The Vatican is considered the highest seat of the Roman Catholic Church. The Pope of Rome lives here - the head of the Roman Catholic Church and his cardinals. It is in the Vatican that the election of a new pontiff takes place at the Privy Council of Cardinals. The Vatican is actually a single city-state in Europe. The population of the country is 842 people. Capital - . The Vatican City covers the entire country. The Vatican is an enclave state, it is surrounded on all sides by the territory of Italy, in particular, its capital, Rome. The country is located in the same time zone. The difference with universal time is one hour.
The Vatican has no access to the sea.
There are no forests in the country, half of the area is occupied by a large park.
The Vatican is located in the center of Rome on the Vatican Hill. The relief is hilly. The highest point of the Vatican is 75 meters above sea level.
There are no rivers or lakes in the Vatican. The nearest large river - the Tiber - is located a few hundred meters in Rome.
The Vatican has no administrative-territorial division.
Map
Roads
The Vatican has its own railway station. It is used as a cargo. There is no passenger traffic here. Sometimes the Pope's personal train departs from the station when he goes on a journey.
There are no autobahns in the Vatican. There is one highway, which is in excellent condition and which leads to the residence of the Pope.
Story
The Vatican is about two thousand years old. It has a history that is directly related to the entire history of the Roman Catholic Church:
a) the prehistoric Vatican (before the beginning of our era) - in those days the territory of the modern Vatican was outside the city limits of Ancient Rome, it was a swampy area where there was a garden and a villa of the mother of the Roman emperor Caligula - Agrippina, and then a hippodrome appeared;
b) Formation of the Vatican and the Papal States - since 326 - the construction of the first Catholic basilica;
c) the Vatican during the period of the Papal States (until 1870) - the heyday of church power, the formation of the Inquisition, participation in the crusades and the conquest of new lands;
d) the Vatican during the rule of Italy by Benito Mussolini - confirmation by Italy of the independence of the Vatican (1929, Lateran agreements);
e) the Vatican during the Second World War (1939-1945) - secret support of the ruling fascist regime of Mussolini;
f) The Vatican in the post-war and modern times - since 1945, the strengthening of the role of the Roman Catholic Church in the world.
Minerals
The country has no minerals.
Climate
The climate of the Vatican is Mediterranean. It has very hot and dry summers and mild winters. The average temperature in winter is 5 degrees Celsius, although there are days when it snows and there is a slight frost. It often rains in winter. In summer, the usual temperature is 30 degrees Celsius in the shade. There is little rain in summer. The largest number rain falls in autumn.
