Vatican City State: Year In Review 2007
Fears that a German head of state, Pope Benedict XVI, might upset the traditional national bias within the Vatican were allayed in 2007 by reports that, if anything, the composition of the Holy See had become more Italian in some offices than in the past. This was evident in the Secretariat of State, where the top seven officials were all Italian. While consolidating the Italian hold on these key positions, however, the pope had internationalized the leadership of the nine congregations, which were headed by cardinals of as many nationalities. Vatican officials sought to strengthen relations with the Russian Orthodox Church, with a view toward an eventual exchange of formal visits. The plight of Roman Catholics in China was also a focus of Vatican attention, with calls for Beijing to restrain action against priests not affiliated with the state-recognized Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association. Finally, stronger diplomatic ties were pursued with Muslim countries. To this end, the Vatican state established full diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates, and in early November Pope Benedict welcomed King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia for the first official meeting between a pope and a reigning Saudi monarch. The financial health of the Vatican seemed to be good. Disclosure of the 2006 budget showed that its revenues had increased substantially, which allowed the Vatican state to cover the costs of its many activities throughout the world.Area: 44 ha (109 ac) Population (2007 est.): 930; about 3,000 workers live outside the Vatican Chief of state: (sovereign pontiff) Pope Benedict XVI Head of administration: Secretary of State Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone Domestic action was matched by an intense calendar of foreign initiatives, which included formal visits from U.S. Pres. George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, as well as separate visits by the presidents of both Israel and the Palestinian Authority. In his quest for world peace, Pope Benedict spoke out about the war in Iraq, where he claimed the conditions of Christians had actually deteriorated, and urged the U.S., along with North Korea, China, and other countries, to ratify the nuclear test ban treaty.
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