Vatican

Vatican City, officially Vatican City State, is a landlocked sovereign city-state enclaved within Rome, Italy. It is the smallest independent state in the world by both area and population, covering about 44 hectares and hosting roughly 800 residents, most of whom are clergy, Swiss Guards, or Vatican workers.

The state is headed by the Pope, who holds supreme authority. Day-to-day governance is carried out by the Governorate of Vatican City State and a Pontifical Commission. The Holy See, a separate sovereign entity of international law, governs the worldwide Catholic Church and maintains diplomatic relations with states; while the Holy See and Vatican City share religious authority and historical ties, they operate as distinct entities in law and governance.

The Vatican’s economy relies on contributions to the Holy See, revenue from the Vatican Museums and other cultural institutions, post and postage stamps, and tourism. It uses the euro as the legal tender area through an agreement with the European Union, and it issues its own coins and stamps, primarily for collectors and philatelists.

Culturally and religiously, Vatican City is the administration center of the Catholic Church and a major pilgrimage site. It houses St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, and the Apostolic Palace, all of which attract millions of visitors annually. The city-state’s status as the spiritual and administrative heart of Catholicism gives it a profound global significance beyond its small physical footprint.

Historically, Vatican City was established as an independent state by the Lateran Treaty in 1929, resolving the “Roman Question” and separating the Holy See's sovereignty from Italian territorial claims.