Vatican City is a landlocked sovereign city-state located entirely within the city of Rome, Italy. It lies on the west bank of the Tiber River, near the Vatican Hill, and is surrounded by Rome on all sides

. It covers an area of about 44 to 49 hectares (roughly 0.44 to 0.49 square kilometers), making it the smallest independent state in the world by both area and population

. Vatican City was established as an independent state in 1929 through the Lateran Treaty between the Holy See and Italy

. It serves as the spiritual and administrative center of the Roman Catholic Church and is the residence of the Pope. The state includes famous landmarks such as St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, and the Vatican Museums

. In summary, Vatican City is an independent city-state enclaved within Rome, Italy, situated on the right bank of the Tiber River, and is the smallest country in the world both by size and population