Vatican City (State of the Vatican City)

Vatican City State of the Vatican City
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	85th best
Capital	Vatican City
Land Area
Location	Europe
Population
GNI
ISO3166-1 Codes	VA, VAT, 3361
Internet Domain	.va2
Currency	Euro (EUR)3
Telephone	+3794

1. Overview
2. Vatican City National and Social Development
3. Vatican City's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance
4. Vatican City's Responsibility Towards The Environment
5. Vatican City's Modernity and Learning
6. Vatican City's Culture, Peace and Inequality
7. Religion and Beliefs
8. Links

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1. Overview

#christianity #italy

“Popes in their secular role ruled portions of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordat between the Holy See and Italy modified certain of the earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See include religious freedom, threats against minority Christian communities in Africa and the Middle East, international development, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the application of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1.2 billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₅

“The Vatican, at a mere 0.44 sq km, may be the world´s smallest soverign state, but it boasts some of Italy´s most celebrated masterpieces. Ensconced in the centre of the Italian capital Rome and enshrined in a bevy of sacrosanct traditions and rituals, the Vatican City is one of those rare places that must be visited to be believed. This is the seat of the Catholic Church, ruled with absolute authority by the Pope, who lives in a palace with over a thousand rooms and is protected by a hundred single Swiss men in ceremonious red, yellow and blue costume.

The city was established by the 1929 Lateran Treaty, and is the modern vestige of the Papal States, the fiefdom that ruled Rome and much of central Italy until the Italian reunification in 1861. The Vatican´s association with Christianity dates to the 1st century, when St Peter was crucified in Nero´s Circus. To commemorate this, the emperor Constantine commissioned a basilica to be built on the site where the saint was buried.

The glory of St Peter´s Basilica, however, is only the beginning of the wealth of treasures that await deep inside the bowels of the Vatican Museums.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₆

2. Vatican City National and Social Development

#human_development

Social & Moral Development Index7
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank7
1	Denmark	25.2
2	Norway	28.2
3	Netherlands	30.1
	...
82	Russia	84.7
83	Bolivia	85.9
84	Morocco	86.0
85	Vatican City	86.3
86	Kazakhstan	86.7
87	UAE	86.7
88	Dominica	86.9
89	Armenia	87.0
	Europe Avg	55.7
	World Avg	88.4
q=199.

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. Vatican City's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#equality #freedom #gender_equality #homosexuality #human_rights #international_law #morals #politics #prejudice #tolerance #women

Compared to Europe (2025)8
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank8
1	Sweden	7.8
2	Netherlands	8.7
3	Denmark	8.8
	...
41	Moldova	83.7
42	Albania	86.0
43	Bosnia & Herzegovina	88.0
44	Kosovo	96.1
45	Turkey	98.8
46	Armenia	99.1
47	Vatican City	113.6
48	Belarus	121.5
49	Azerbaijan	123.2
	Europe Avg	47.37
q=49.

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)8
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank8
1	Sweden	7.8
2	Netherlands	8.7
3	Denmark	8.8
	...
139	Tanzania	112.4
140	Laos	113.3
141	China	113.4
142	Vatican City	113.6
143	Kenya	114.0
144	Congo, (Brazzaville)	114.4
145	Morocco	114.4
146	Gambia	115.0
	World Avg	89.80
q=199.

The best countries in the world at ensuring human rights, fostering equality and promoting tolerance, are Sweden, The Netherlands and Denmark₉. These countries are displaying the best traits that humanity has to offer. The worst countries are Somalia, Eritrea and Saudi Arabia₉.

31 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on supporting press freedom, combatting modern slavery, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms, its average Freedom in the World rating, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports, its nominal commitment to Human Rights, speed of uptake of HR treaties, opposing gender inequality, the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators), the year from which women could participate in democracy, its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice, LGBT equality and freethought. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₉, whereas the worst are The Middle East, Africa and Asia₉.

For more, see:

• " Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Human Rights & Tolerance Datasets:

Nominal Commitment to HR Higher is better10
Pos.		2009 Treaties10
1	Argentina	24
2=	Chile	23
2=	Costa Rica	23
	...
156=	Laos	10
156=	Solomon Islands	10
156=	Qatar	10
156=	Vatican City	10
156=	India	10
156=	Fiji	10
156=	Vietnam	10
156=	Vanuatu	10
	Europe Avg	19.5
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

HR Treaties Lag Lower is better11
Pos.		2019 Avg Yrs/Treaty11
1	Ecuador	2.15
2	Uruguay	2.25
3	Tunisia	3.65
	...
117	Slovakia	11.24
118	Burundi	11.27
119	Qatar	11.34
120	Vatican City	11.34
121	Latvia	11.39
122	Angola	11.59
123	Cameroon	11.63
124	Sudan	11.65
	Europe Avg	9.09
	World Avg	10.02
q=195.

Gender Equality Datasets:

Women have far fewer political rights than men, and are prevented from voting and standing for election.

See:

• "Religion Versus Womankind" by Vexen Crabtree (2007)

Year Women Can Vote Lower is better
Pos.		Total Year
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
	...
182	Samoa	1990
183	Kazakhstan	1993
184=	Moldova	1994
184=	Oman	1994
186	Qatar	2003
187	Kuwait	2005
188	Saudi Arabia	0
189	Vatican City	0
	Europe Avg	1895
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

Prejudice Datasets:

LGBT Equality in the 2020s Higher is better12
Pos.		Total Score12
1=	Germany	4.88
1=	Spain	4.88
3	Portugal	4.81
	...
122	Kyrgyzstan	-1.18
123	Haiti	-1.27
124	Gabon	-1.38
125	Vatican City	-1.45
126	Georgia	-1.49
127	Swaziland	-1.51
128	Venezuela	-1.63
129	Central African Rep.	-1.74
	Europe Avg	1.77
	World Avg	-1.21
q=215.

The Zanardelli Penal Code in 1890 abolished criminal penalties for consensual same-sex activity. But later, fearing the worldwide trend towards tolerance, in 1983 the Vatican enacted the Code of Canon law, which explicitly limited marriage to a man and a woman.

Actions taken at the United Nations:

•  ⇣  Opposed a 2003 resolution at the UN Commission tabled by Brazil, on prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and opposed it again in 2004 (it was defeated both times by the Vatican and a collection of Islamic countries).
•  ⇣  Opposed the 2006 Norway Joint Statement on sexual orientation and gender identity at the UN.
•  ⇣  Opposed the 2008 Declaration at the UN General Assemly affirming LGBTQ rights tabled by Argentina.

4. Vatican City's Responsibility Towards The Environment

#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #environmentalism #internationalism #italy #over-exploitation #the_environment #USA

Compared to Europe (2025)13
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank13
1	Switzerland	45.0
2	Denmark	50.4
3	Liechtenstein	56.8
	...
40	Montenegro	97.3
41	Azerbaijan	101.2
42	Bosnia & Herzegovina	103.5
43	Serbia	104.8
44	Armenia	108.2
45	Belarus	116.0
46	San Marino	134.9
47	Andorra	136.3
48	Vatican City	138.3
	Europe Avg	86.45
q=48.

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)13
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank13
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Uruguay	43.2
3	Switzerland	45.0
	...
192	N. Korea	132.3
193	Turkmenistan	134.1
194	Nauru	134.4
195	San Marino	134.9
196	Andorra	136.3
197	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	137.5
198	Vatican City	138.3
199	Eritrea	146.2
	World Avg	84.93
q=199.

We have known for a long term that we must protect the environment from habitation destruction, over-exploitation, pollution, and the emissions that cause climate change. In 1998, Greenpeace wrote that "Environment can no longer be meaningfully separated from health, quality of life, democracy, education, economy or trade"₁₄. What countries have been doing the right thing, via legislation and national culture? All countries' current and historical approach towards the environment is gauged via 21 datasets, including multiple decades of data on its forested percent change 2000-2020, its environmental performance, energy to GDP efficiency, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population, reducing annual meat consumption per person and its score on the Green Future Index.

The countries that do the best (Sri Lanka, Uruguay and Switzerland) tend to have avoided the excesses of early industrial countries, and have not yet repeated the same mistakes of environmental destruction - at least, not on the same scale. The regions with the best average results per country are Central America, South America and Scandinavia. The worst are Eritrea, The Vatican City and Timor-Leste (E. Timor), and the worst regions Micronesia, Australasia and Melanesia.

For more, see:

• "Countries With the Best Environmental Records" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Regarding its responsibility towards the environment, the Vatican City comes 2nd-worst in the world, only Eritrea does worse, after . This rank is formulated from 21 data sets. The Vatican City does better than average in terms of its forested percent change 2000-2020₁₅. And finally, it is the worst in its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment.

Forest Area Change 2000-2020 Higher is better15
Pos.		Total15
1	Guernsey	82.6%
2	Bahrain	75.2%
3	Iceland	64.7%
	...
96=	Bahamas	0.0%
96=	San Marino	0.0%
96=	Afghanistan	0.0%
96=	Vatican City	0.0%
96=	Vanuatu	0.0%
96=	Tuvalu	0.0%
96=	Nauru	0.0%
96=	Seychelles	0.0%
	Europe Avg	8.2%
	World Avg	-0.1%
q=234.

International Accords on the Environment Higher is better
Pos.		Total Avg Rate
1	Sweden	83%
2	Canada	82%
3	Norway	81%
	...
190	Palau	34%
191	Angola	33%
192	Iraq	28%
193	San Marino	26%
194	Haiti	25%
195	Andorra	22%
196	Palestine	19%
197	Vatican City	10%
	Europe Avg	62.7%
	World Avg	57.5%
q=197.

The Vatican is one of only 6 countries that have not signed the Basel Convention on Hazardous Waste; although it might not seem applicable, the Vatican does produce waste, and also, signing this signals to Catholic everywhere - including those in government, in corporations and in the shipping industry, that the effect of waste on others ought to be taken into account - there would also be no cost to the Vatican in signing it; yet, it has so far refused. It is also the only country alongside the USA that refuses to sign the Convention on Biological Diversity. If it wants to maintain its status as an independent country (i.e., not paying taxex to Italy), then, it should accept its responsibilities as a country.

5. Vatican City's Modernity and Learning

#education #metric #modernity #technology #the_internet

Compared to Europe (2025)16
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank16
1	Vatican City	1.0
2	Finland	4.8
3	Belgium	8.5
4	Denmark	8.9
5	Iceland	9.2
6	Sweden	10.7
7	Germany	11.2
8	Switzerland	11.7
9	Norway	11.9
10	Austria	12.9
11	Netherlands	13.0
12	Czechia	14.5
13	Monaco	15.1
	Europe Avg	31.28
q=49.

Modernity & Learning (2025)16
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank16
1	Vatican City	1.0
2	Finland	4.8
3	Belgium	8.5
4	Denmark	8.9
5	Iceland	9.2
6	Sweden	10.7
7	Germany	11.2
8	Switzerland	11.7
9	Norway	11.9
10	Austria	12.9
11	Netherlands	13.0
12	Czechia	14.5
	World Avg	80.33
q=194.

The most modern countries, with the best results from education, the highest levels of research, and with the easiest access to information on the Internet, are The Vatican City, Finland and Belgium₁₇. The worst countries are S. Sudan, Eritrea and Somalia₁₇. Despite improves in global education, access to tertiary (adult) education is becoming increasingly unequal between the rich haves and the poor have-nots₁₈.

“Education, at all levels and ages, is the single most vital support for equality as well as being a country's most vital economic and social resource. [...] Every successful aspirant to modernisation and economic development, from Japan to South Korea, China to Chile, has got there with a big emphasis on education.”

Bill Emmott (2017)₁₉

23 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on Research and Development, Intellectual Endeavours, metric system adoption rate, Religiosity, IQ, Secondary Education, Length of Schooling, Maths, Science & Reading, the percent of citizens with access to the internet, Freedom On The Internet, IT Security, IPv6 Uptake and digital quality of life. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₁₇, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Africa and Micronesia₁₇.

For more, see:

• " Which Countries are Most Modern, With the Best Education and Internet Access?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Modernity Datasets:

Metric System Adoption Rate Higher is better20
Pos.		2025 %20
1=	Slovakia	100
1=	Poland	100
1=	Portugal	100
	...
11=	Sweden	100
11=	Switzerland	100
11=	Italy	100
11=	Vatican City	100
11=	Hungary	100
11=	Germany	100
11=	New Zealand	100
11=	Denmark	100
	Europe Avg	97
	World Avg	92
q=187.

Adopted metric in 1929, inheriting it from Italy. By the 1960s, it was fully metric including in ecclesiastical contexts, too.

6. Vatican City's Culture, Peace and Inequality

#internationalism

National Culture Datasets:

Passport Reach (2020s) Higher is better21
Pos.		Total Q21
1	Singapore	192.2
2	Japan	192.0
3	S. Korea	190.7
	...
51	Mexico	159.0
52=	St Kitts & Nevis	156.3
52=	Bahamas	156.3
54	Vatican City	154.2
55	Uruguay	154.0
56	Seychelles	153.2
57	St Vincent & Grenadines	152.5
58	Antigua & Barbuda	151.3
	Europe Avg	160.7
	World Avg	108.8
q=195.

7. Religion and Beliefs

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems