Which European country has observer status at the United Nations?

Vatican City is the European country commonly identified with the United Nations’ permanent observer status. More precisely, the status belongs to the Holy See, the sovereign entity that represents the Catholic Church internationally; Vatican City is the territory that gives the Holy See its independence.

The Holy See became a permanent observer state on 6 April 1964. It is not a full UN member, so it cannot vote in the General Assembly, but it may attend meetings, make statements, participate in discussions and maintain a permanent mission at UN headquarters.

This distinction is easy to miss because “Vatican City” and “the Holy See” are often used interchangeably in everyday reporting. The Vatican City State was created by the Lateran Pacts in 1929, while the Holy See is the older diplomatic and juridical entity. The other current non-member observer state at the UN is the State of Palestine.