Vatican City Facts

The total population of the Vatican City adds up to around 800 people, making it the smallest country in the world. Upon your visit to this destination, you can tour the city that spans over just 112 acres. The Vatican City is a country that has its own governance and security systems. The Head of the Roman Catholic Church, the Supreme Pontiff, resides in the Vatican Palace and manages the worldwide institution of the catholic Christian religion.

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One of the interesting facts of Vatican City is that it has no prison or jailing system, and it is the only country in the world with this attribute. However, there is a detention cell for keeping the accused before the trial. Once convicted, the criminals are transferred to the Italian jail as per the Lateran Treaty. All the expenses of these convicts are covered by the Vatican City management, and it is an important political insight for the people travelling to this destination.

Factually, Italian is the official language of the region and is used in all matters of the State. However, the Vatican City is considered to be the custodian of the ancient language of Latin. According to the Vatican facts, the country still uses this dying language in several instances like that of ATM instructions and other guidelines. The Holy See uses Latin as the official language because of its religious significance and pious implications. On your tour to this place, you can even encounter this language engraved upon stone slates upon the magnificent monuments.

The population of Vatican City is very thin, a factor that contributes to a higher crime rate. On visiting their official website, you can encounter warnings for tourists to be aware of thieves. The most common issues include pickpocketing, shoplifting, and purse snatching, and are generally committed by the millions of tourists that visit this place. 

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One of the most interesting Vatican city facts is that it has no hospitals within its borders; as a result, no children are born in Vatican City, and thus no one becomes an automatic citizen here. Instead, one becomes a citizen only when one becomes an employee at the city. These citizenship rights are then revoked one the jobs are transferred out of the city.

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Another one of Vatican facts is that the per capita consumption of wine in the destination of Vatican City is double that of France and Italy. As per annual statistics, 74 litres of wine is consumed by a resident on average. There are several reasons for this, like duty-free wine and the tradition of dining in community gatherings, thereby making it one of the wine capitals of the world.

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The country of Vatican City is home to the shortest railway track in the world. There are two 300-metre tracks running through the city, having only one station to halt at, which is the Citta Vaticano. It is generally used as a ferry to transport goods from one end to another, and regular passenger trains do not run on these tracks. This railway system was constructed in 1934, during the Pontificate of Pope Pius XI, and it still runs smoothly today.

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Surprisingly, it is a lesser-known fact that the Vatican conducts studies in the fields of Astronomy and Cosmology. In 1981, the country purchased one of the largest telescopes in the world, which is placed atop Mount Graham in Southeast Arizona. It is named the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope and it's a spectacle to witness. The state-of-the-art design of this equipment was a precious buy and serves Vatican City well in terms of research.

According to Vatican City facts, it is the only country that is entirely recognised by UNESCO to be a World Heritage Site because of its rich religious and cultural heritage. The historical context behind the significance of this place contributes to its popularity as well. This territory is inclusive of the City and its extraterritorial Roman lands that hold the great St. Peter's Basilica and St. Mary Major. Listed back in 1984, it remains one of the most highly visited places by tourists from all over the world till date.

There are 135 Swiss Soldiers dedicated to the protection of the Supreme Pontiff. They are easily recognisable due to their unique striped uniform of blue and yellow, with red sleeves and white collars. There are strict guidelines for a person to join the service of Guards. They specify criteria to be a Christian male 19 to 30 years of age, with a height of 5’8”, having basic military training to qualify for the position. The first guards were appointed by Pope Julius II in the year 1506, and this tradition is still carried on to this date.