Foto: St. Peterâs Square in Vatican City (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Vatican City - Vatican City is the smallest independent state in the world. However, its territory is entirely surrounded by the city of Rome, making it an enclave within Italy. Internationally, Vatican City is represented by the Holy See and houses the central authority of the Roman Catholic Church. The head of state is the Pope, who resides in the Apostolic Palace. The current pope is Benedict XVI. The microstate was established in 1929 and is seen as a continuation or revival of the former Papal States. Vatican City is not a member of the European Union but does participate in several international organizations. It has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984. For centuries, the Pope ruled over a large part of Central and Eastern Italy as the Papal States, including the region of Lazio where Rome is located. In 1866, republican troops under Garibaldi conquered two-thirds of the Papal States, but Latium remained under papal control thanks to support from French Emperor Napoleon III.
