Capital: Vatican City

Independence: 11 February 1929 (from Italy)
National holiday: Installation Day of the Pope, 22 October (1978) (John Paul II)
note: Pope John Paul II was elected on 16 October 1978

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

Legal system: NA
Suffrage: limited to cardinals less than 80 years old

Executive branch:
chief of state: Pope JOHN PAUL II (Karol WOJTYLA; since 16 October 1978); election 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
head of government: Secretary of State Archbishop Angelo Cardinal SODANO (since NA 1991)
cabinet: Pontifical Commission; appointed by Pope

Legislative branch: unicameral Pontifical Commission

Judicial branch: none; normally handled by Italy

Political parties and leaders: none
Other political or pressure groups: none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)
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 miter centered in the white band

NOTE: The information regarding Holy See (Vatican City) on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Holy See (Vatican City) Government 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Holy See (Vatican City) Government 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.