Vatican City State

Vatican City is a landlocked country, city-state, microstate, and enclave surrounded by, and historically a part of, Rome, Italy. It became independent from Italy in 1929 with the Lateran Treaty, and is a distinct territory under ‘full ownership, exclusive dominion, and sovereign authority and jurisdiction’ of the Holy See, which is itself a sovereign entity under international law, maintaining the city-state’s temporal power, governance, diplomatic, and spiritual independence.

With an area of 49 hectares (121 acres) and a population of less than 1000, it is the smallest sovereign state in the world both by area and by population. It is also among the least populated capitals in the world. As governed by the Holy See, Vatican City State is an ecclesiastical or sacerdotal-monarchical state ruled by the Pope, who is the bishop of Rome and head of the Catholic Church. The highest state functionaries are all Catholic clergy of various origins. After the Avignon Papacy (1309–1377) the popes have mainly resided at the Apostolic Palace within what is now Vatican City, although at times residing instead in the Quirinal Palace in Rome or elsewhere.

Vatican Gardens – ©Marek69, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Vatican City’s climate is the same as Rome’s: a temperate, Mediterranean climate one with mild, rainy winters from October to mid-May and hot, dry summers from May to September. Some minor local features, principally mists and dews, are caused by the anomalous bulk of St Peter’s Basilica, the elevation, the fountains, and the size of the large paved square.

Within the territory of Vatican City are the Vatican Gardens, which account for about half of its territory. The gardens, established during the Renaissance and Baroque era, are decorated with fountains and sculptures. They cover approximately 23 hectares (57 acres). It has a variety of trees, and is rather like an inner city park, but rather less disturbed. The highest point is 197 feet above mean sea level. Stone walls bound the area in the north, south, and west.

Birding The Vatican

Vatican City, despite its small size, supports a variety of wildlife, including birds like pigeons, gulls, and Ring-necked Parakeets, as well as migratory species like swifts Pallid & Common), Barn Swallows, and various warblers including Blackcaps and Sardinian Warblers. Bothe Peregrine and Kestrel have nested on the Vatican’s buildings.

A surprising number have been spotted in St Peter’s Square by visitors alongside the ubiquitous Rock Doves.