According to collegesanduniversitiesinusa, the Vatican is one of the most interesting and unusual countries. The Vatican is officially recognized as the smallest state in the world. The country got its name from the Vatican Hill of Rome, on which it is located. According to the norms of existing international law, the Vatican is not so much a state as an independent territory, where the Holy See of the Catholic Church is located. The official independence of the Vatican was on February 11, 1929 as the territory of the Holy See as a result of agreements signed with the government of Italy. The Vatican is known as a place of worship for numerous Catholics of the world, many of whom specially come here to visit the famous St. Peter’s Square and see the eponymous cathedral on it. It is also curious that most of the Vatican is surrounded by a high Leonine wall,
Geography of the Vatican
Geographically, the Vatican is part of Rome and is located on the right bank of the Tiber River, in the western part of the Italian capital. This whole small country is located on the surface of a hill that is called Monte Vaticano. The area of the Vatican is only 0.44 square meters. kilometers.
Capital
Vatican
Area
The area of the Vatican is 0.44 km. sq., occupies the 279th place in the world by area.
Population
836 people.
Currency
The national currency is the Euro (EUR).
Language
The official language is Latin and Italian.
Visa to the Vatican
The Vatican is located on the territory of Rome and therefore, to visit the country, you must obtain a Schengen or Italian visa. To obtain a regular tourist visa, you must submit the following documents: a foreign passport, a certificate of employment, a 3 by 4 cm photo, the original invitation and two questionnaires. It is obligatory to have medical insurance and financial guarantees (at least 50 US dollars for each day of stay during the first decade and 25 dollars per day from the second decade of stay). The cost of the consular fee is 36 US dollars. Entry clearance to the Vatican with children is more complicated. To the above list of documents, you must also add the child’s birth certificate (original and one copy) and copies of the parents’ internal Russian passports. It is also necessary to paste photographs of children into the passport of the parents, otherwise they may simply refuse entry at the border. If the child is not traveling with their parents, an original power of attorney translated into Italian will be required, where the phone number and addresses of the parents must be indicated.
Weather in the Vatican
The weather in the Vatican is identical to Rome: it is warm here in winter – and the temperature rarely drops below zero, and in summer it is very hot. The rainy season falls in October and November. In February, the average temperature is about 13-15 degrees Celsius, in March – about 16-20 degrees, and in July – can reach 32 degrees. The best time to travel is from late February to mid-March, when the weather is already warm, but there are not so many tourists yet. The high season in Rome lasts from late March to mid-June, so visiting the Vatican during this period may not be very comfortable due to the many tourists and high prices for hotels and meals.
Electricity
The voltage is standard – 220 V, 50 Hz. However, the sockets here are of European type, so you need to have an adapter with you.
Religion
Religion is Catholic. The Vatican is considered the seat of the Pope, the head of all Catholics, and the unofficial capital of the entire Catholic world.
Security
The Vatican has a very high crime rate. Here, in the crowd of tourists, as many thefts and pickpockets are committed as in the rest of Rome. Therefore, when visiting the monuments of the Vatican or excursions to local museums, you need to be very careful and attentive so that your purse or some valuable things are not stolen from you. Particular attention should be shown in the crowd, among numerous tourists, where local pickpockets can disguise themselves. According to official figures, about every third tourist becomes a victim of local thieves.
