Vatican City State, often referred to simply as Vatican City, is an independent city-state located entirely within the city of Rome, Italy. It is the smallest internationally recognized independent state in the world, with an area of approximately 44 hectares (110 acres). The Vatican serves as the spiritual and administrative center of the Roman Catholic Church and the residence of the Pope, the spiritual leader of over a billion Catholics worldwide.

Established as an independent state in 1929 through the Lateran Treaty, Vatican City has a unique political and religious role. It operates under a theocratic government headed by the Pope, who holds both religious and temporal authority. The governance of the Vatican is largely driven by the Catholic Church’s hierarchical structure, with the Pope at its apex, s... Read More