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Vatican City State is an independent city-state enclaved within Rome, Italy.
The Vatican is physically inside Italy, but it is not part of Italy. It is a separate, fully sovereign microstate with its own laws, security, and administration. Modern Vatican City was established in 1929 under the Lateran Treaty, which recognized the Holy See’s independence and defined the state’s borders.
Often described as the spiritual and administrative center of the Roman Catholic Church, Vatican City is home to the Pope and major institutions of church governance. It is also one of the world’s most concentrated art-and-architecture destinations, with landmarks such as St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel.
Despite its tiny footprint, the Vatican runs many everyday services independently, including its post office, pharmacy, publishing and media operations, and internal communications. Most staff members live in Rome and commute, while the resident population inside the walls is usually estimated at roughly 800–900 people.
The area of Vatican City is about 0.44 square kilometers (around 0.17 square miles), making it the smallest sovereign state in the world by both area and (resident) population.
