Tag: Holy see

How Big Is Vatican City? Smaller Than You Think

Posted on August 21, 2026 by Will Robbinson

Quick Answer – Vatican City is just 0.49 square kilometres (0.19 square miles or about 121 acres), making it the smallest independent country in the world. It is entirely surrounded by Rome, and a person can walk around its roughly 3.4-kilometre perimeter in under an hour. Vatican City is smaller than the average golf course. […]

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What Does the Pope Do? The Job, Explained

Posted on August 14, 2026 by Jordan Walker

Quick Summary: The pope holds three jobs at once, and most descriptions collapse them into one. He is the bishop of a single diocese in Italy. He is the spiritual leader of roughly 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide. And he is the sovereign of a 0.49 square kilometre state with its own diplomatic corps, currency arrangements, and […]

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