Economy - overview This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by contributions (known as Peter's Pence) from Roman Catholics throughout the world, the sale of postage stamps and tourist mementos, fees for admission to museums, and the sale of publications. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to, or somewhat better than, those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome.

Labor force NA
by occupation: dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers who live outside the Vatican

Budget
revenues: $175.5 million
expenditures: $175 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994)

Industries printing and production of a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities

Electricity - capacity 5,000 kW standby
note: electricity supplied by Italy

Electricity - production NA kWh
note: electricity supplied by Italy

Electricity - consumption per capita NA kWh

Currency 1 Vatican lira (VLit) = 100 centesimi

Exchange rates Vatican lire (VLit) per US$1 - 1,787.7 (January 1998), 1,703.1 (1997), 1,542.9 (1996), 1,628.9 (1995), 1,612.4 (1994), 1,573.7 (1993); note - the Vatican lira is at par with the Italian lira which circulates freely

Fiscal year calendar year

NOTE: The information regarding Holy See (Vatican City) on this page is re-published from the 1998 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Holy See (Vatican City) Economy 1998 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Holy See (Vatican City) Economy 1998 should be addressed to the CIA.