Vatican is the smallest country in Europe by population, but also by area, and not just in Europe, but it is the smallest country by population and area in the whole world. The country occupies only 44 hectares, and it has less then 800 inhabitants. It is also the only country in the world that has a birth rate of 0. The inhabitants of this country are the highest representatives of the Catholic Church, thus the Pope and the cardinals, and the people that work there. This miniature country is located in the central part of Rome, thus it has a border with only one country, Italy. It is a remnant of the Papal city-state that existed in this region, though it is much smaller nowadays. Vatican is the second most holy place for the 1.3 billion Catholics, right behind Jerusalem, and millions of people are visiting this small country every year, some because of religious purposes, while some as tourists.
