Vatican City

Vatican City is a sovereign city-state located within Rome, Italy.

It is a landlocked enclave, meaning it is entirely surrounded by another country. This tiny nation serves as the administrative center for the Catholic Church. The state is ruled by the pope, who is the Bishop of Rome. The government is also known as the Holy See. This entity includes the pope and the Roman Curia, which is the central governing body. Under international law, the Holy See maintains its own diplomacy and spiritual independence.

The structure of the state is an ecclesiastical or sacerdotal-monarchical system. This means it is a monarchy led by religious leaders. The highest state functionaries are all members of the Catholic clergy. These leaders come from many different parts of the world. The Holy See is the principal episcopal see of the Catholic Church. In 2018, the Church had approximately 1.329 billion baptized Catholics globally. These people belong to the Latin Church and 23 different Eastern Catholic Churches.

Vatican City is unique due to its extreme scale. It is the smallest sovereign state in the world by both land area and population. In 2024, the population was recorded at about 882 people. It is the only country in the world with a population under 1,000. Because of this, it is one of the least populated capitals on Earth.

Despite its small size, it holds immense cultural and religious importance. It contains famous sites like St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel. The Vatican Museums also house world-renowned paintings and sculptures.

The history of this land began long before the modern state existed. During the Roman Republic, the area was a marshy region called the Ager Vaticanus.

Romans once viewed this area as dismal and ominous. It was prone to floods from the nearby Tiber River. In the early 1st century AD, the area was drained to build gardens. Later, the emperor Caligula built a chariot racing track there. This became known as the Circus of Nero.

An obelisk from Egypt still stands in St. Peter's Square today.

For over a thousand years, popes ruled much larger territories called the Papal States. These lands covered a significant portion of Central Italy.

However, the political situation changed in the mid-19th century. The newly created Kingdom of Italy began seizing papal territories. By 1870, Italian forces captured Rome, ending the secular power of the popes. This created a long dispute known as the "Roman Question." For many years, popes lived within the Vatican walls but did not recognize the Italian king. Pope Pius IX was even called a "prisoner in the Vatican" during this time.

The modern state was finally established through the Lateran Treaty. This treaty was signed on February 11, 1929. It was signed by Cardinal Pietro Gasparri and Benito Mussolini. The treaty officially created the independent Vatican City State. It also confirmed the special status of Catholic Christianity in Italy.

This agreement allowed the Holy See to maintain its temporal power and governance. It transformed the Vatican from a disputed territory into a recognized sovereign nation.

During World War II, the Vatican maintained a policy of neutrality. This was led by Pope Pius XII. Even when German troops occupied Rome in 1943, both sides respected the Vatican's neutral status. The Holy See worked hard to prevent the bombing of Rome. The United States military even made special rules for its Catholic service members. They were often exempted from air raids on Rome unless they volunteered to participate.

This period showed how the small state navigated global conflict through diplomacy.

The economy of Vatican City functions without traditional taxes. Instead, the state is supported by several specific sources. Catholic believers provide financial donations to support the Church. The state also generates revenue through the sale of postage stamps and souvenirs.

Visitors to the museums pay admission fees, and the state sells various publications.

Because there are no taxes, items within the state are duty-free. This unique economic system allows the Vatican to maintain its historic buildings and cultural treasures.