Q: Where is the Vatican? A: The Vatican is located in Vatican City, an independent state located inside the city of Rome. Vatican City, the boundaries of which are marked by a wall, is only .17 square miles.

Q: Who lives there? A: As of 2000, the population of Vatican City was 524, which includes hundreds of priests, cardinals and, of course, Pope John Paul II. The population triples during the week, when Italians employed by the church cross the border to report for work.

Q: How long has Vatican City existed? A: While the majority of property (such as the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica) was built hundred of years ago, Vatican City only became a state in 1929, when the Lateran Treaty recognized papal jurisdiction.

Q: If Vatican City is a separate country, does it have a government? A: Pope John Paul II is the official head of state; he was elected for life in 1978 by the College of Cardinals. A Pontifical Commission, which the pope appoints, runs Vatican administration.

Q: How do priests travel within the Vatican? A: The Vatican owns approximately 200 cars, all of which must abide by the Vatican speed limit of 20 mph. In addition, a small railway travels from Vatican City to Rome.

Q: Does Vatican City have its own economy? A: Yes. The Vatican earns money through the use of Instituto per le Opera di Religione (Institute of Religious Works), the Vatican's bank. It also makes money from donations and interest earned on investments. Vatican City even has its own currency, the lire, which is roughly equal in value to the Italian currency. Beginning this year, the Vatican is also recognizing the Euro. The Vatican also includes among its assets a variety of real estate holdings.

Q: Can the Vatican Collections be viewed online? A: The Vatican Collections, which consists of a huge variety of artwork, are available for online viewing on an Italian Web site translated into English.

Q: Can the public visit the Vatican? A: Yes, but certain areas are off limits to the public. Tourists may visit St. Peter's Square and St. Peter's Basilica, as well as parts of the Vatican Palace, the pope's home. A map of Vatican City shows well-known spots such as St. Peter's Square and the Sistine Chapel.

Q: Does the Vatican occupy any other areas outside Vatican City? A: The papal summer palace is located in Italy and is home to the Vatican Observatory, an astronomy center supported by the Vatican and affiliated with the University of Arizona.

Q: Is the Vatican still fighting the lawsuit filed by families of Holocaust victims? A: The plaintiffs of Alperin v. Vatican Bank are still seeking restitution of the Nazi Croatian Treasury, which the U.S. State Department says was transferred to the Vatican Bank following the war. The assets of the Nazi Croatian Treasury are composed of assets taken from Jews in Eastern Europe.