Hi Folks,
While I haven't been contributing much to BP lately, I have been reading everything that's coming along. I've been rushing in the past couple of months to complete two new book manuscripts (successfully, but unfortunately not related to borders)--so my apologies.
Regarding the Vatican issues that are the focus of present discussions:
1) The Vatican Radio transmitter is located entirely within contiguous Vatican City territory--it is not any form of exclave. The Vatican City state has considerably more contiguous territory than St Peters Square. The Pope presently lives inside the Vatican City state in an apartment overlooking St Peters.
2) I disagree with Andrew that the Vatican City State does not have any citizens. While all (or nearly all) of its 1000+ citizens may be citizens of second countries (e.g. Poland and Italy), they are also full citizens of the Vatican City state. Their Vatican passports certainly attest to this. Vatican passports are issued on the basis of citizenship, not religion. They are referred to in this context as citizens, not nationals.
3) I'm not sure at what stage the Italian post office takes care of Vatican mail. Every time I go to Rome, which is usually every year, I do a strange little experiment--I mail a postcard or letter to myself from one of the Vatican post offices and within five minutes I cross the street and mail a postcard or letter from the Italian post office. Inevitably the Vatican postal service is much more efficient. Postcards and letters to North America from the Vatican usually take about 4-6 days. From Italy it takes between 8 and 10 days, even though the two post offices I use are literally only a couple of hundred meters apart. Just a fun experiment.
4) For border enthusiasts, an 'Embassy Walk' through Rome is an incredible experience--probably one of the best places for embassy watching in the world! Within the space of one or two kilometers you will find foreign embassies to the Holy See, Italy, and SMOM. For example, just up the road from SMOM (Sovereign Military Order of Malta...) is the very large and impressive Embassy of Spain to SMOM and all along the main road (can't remember the name) into the Vatican are several embassies to the Holy See. A short distance away is the Embassy of Spain to Italy, and another short distance is the Embassy of Spain to the Holy See! It's fascinating.
Cheers from sunny Arizona,
Dallen