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Vatican City

OFFICIAL NAME: State of the Vatican City

DATE OF FORMATION: 1929

POPULATION: 921

DENSITY: 5418 people per square mile

LANGUAGES: Italian, Latin

RELIGIONS: Roman Catholic 100%

ETHNIC MIX: The current pope is Polish, ending nearly 500 years of Italian popes. Cardinals are from many nationalities, but Italians form the largest group. Most of the resident lay persons are Italian.

GOVERNMENT: No legislative elections

CURRENCY: Euro

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The Vatican City, which lies in central Rome, is the world's smallest independent state. It includes ten other buildings in Rome and also the pope's summer residence at Castel Gandolfo. As the Holy See it is the seat of the Roman Catholic Church, deriving its income from investments and voluntary contributions known as Peter's Pence.