Why Vatican City is its Own Country

Vatican City is a small city-state in Italy, surrounded by Rome, which serves as the headquarters of the Catholic church. “The Vatican” is the palace that is the official residence of the Pope and the seat of government of the Catholic church. The term is also used to describe the authority of the Pope.

The Vatican is also known as the Holy See, which technically also includes the bishops of all dioceses throughout the world and their official residences.

What is Vatican City? Is Vatican City a country or something else? And why is Vatican City so important?

What is Vatican City?

Located entirely within the city of Rome, Vatican City is officially called the Vatican City State or the State of Vatican City. It is an independent state with an area of 0.17 square miles (0.44 km2) and a population right around 1,000. As such, it is the smallest state in the world by both area and population.

When you come to Rome and visit Vatican City, you are technically leaving Italy and entering a new country. Don’t worry, there’s no need to bring your passport to get into the Vatican. However, knowing that this is technically a border can lead a lot of people to wonder: why is Vatican City a country?

Why the Vatican City Counts as a Country

• Has space or territory that has internationally recognized boundaries.
• Has people who live there on an ongoing basis.
• Has economic activity and an organized economy.
• Has the power of social engineering, such as education.
• Has a transportation system for moving goods and people.
• Has a government that provides public services and police power
• Has sovereignty.
• Has external recognition. A country has been “voted into the club” by other countries.