How is smoke used to announce the new Pope?

To the outside world, the only information about how the conclave is progressing is smoke from the chapel's chimney when ballot papers are burned after each round of voting. 

Black smoke signals failure. White smoke means a new Pope has been chosen.

The new Pope normally appears on the balcony overlooking St Peter's Square within an hour of his selection. 

The senior cardinal confirms the decision with the words "Habemus Papam" - Latin for "we have a Pope" - and introduces the new pontiff by his chosen papal name, which may not be his original given name.

For example, Pope Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, but chose his papal name to honour St Francis of Assisi.

Who can become Pope?

In theory, any Roman Catholic man who has been baptised can be considered.

In practice, however, the cardinals prefer to select one of their own.

In 2013, Francis became the first pontiff to hail from South America - a region that accounts for around 28% of the world's Catholics - and the southern hemisphere. 

Historical precedent suggests the cardinals are far more likely to pick a European - and especially an Italian. Of the 266 popes chosen to date, 217 have been from Italy.

Several Vatican analysts have suggested Francis's successor could come from outside Europe - not least because the late Pope appointed more than 140 cardinals from beyond the continent.

What does the Pope do?

The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church, and is an important source of authority for the world's roughly 1.4 billion Roman Catholics. 

They believe the Pope represents a direct line back to Jesus Christ. He is considered a living successor to St Peter, who was chief among Christ's initial disciples, the Apostles.

About half of all Christians worldwide are Roman Catholics. Other denominations, including Protestants and Orthodox Christians, do not recognise the Pope's authority.

The Pope lives in Vatican City, the smallest independent state in the world. It is surrounded by the Italian capital, Rome.

The Pope does not receive a salary, but all his travel costs and living expenses are paid for by the Vatican.okay