Capital of Vatican City: Vatican City — Facts & Quiz
The capital of Vatican City is Vatican City. Vatican City sits in Europe, has a population of 825, and uses the EUR. Official languages include Italian, Latin.
Quick facts
- Capital: Vatican City
- Continent: Europe
- Population: ~825
- Area: 0 km²
- Population density: 0.0 people per km²
- Official languages: Italian, Latin
- Currency: EUR
- ISO code: VA
How big is Vatican City?
By population, Vatican City ranks 197th in the world, holding roughly well under a hundredth of a percent of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 197th.
Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Vatican City has 0.0 people per square kilometre, which is far below the world average of 59.4. Its population and area ranks line up exactly, which is uncommon.
Within Europe, Vatican City is the 46th most populous country of 46.
Countries of a similar size
The two countries closest to Vatican City in population are Tuvalu (11,312) and Nauru (12,668).
By land area, its closest counterparts are Monaco (2 km²) and Nauru (21 km²).
Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.
Language and currency
Italian is spoken officially in 4 countries in this dataset, including Italy, San Marino and Switzerland.
The EUR is not unique to Vatican City — it is also used by Andorra, Austria, Belgium and Croatia, and 21 others. Shared currencies usually mark a monetary union or a long-standing peg, and they are a useful shortcut in quizzes: get one country's currency and you often get several.
How to remember Vatican City
The capital question is a trick: Vatican City is a city-state, so the country and its capital are the same place. It is home to the pope, and its flag is one of only two square national flags, along with Switzerland's.
The flag of Vatican City: yellow and white
🇻🇦 The flag is two vertical bands of yellow and white, with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal crown on the white band. Yellow and white stand for the pope's spiritual and worldly power, and the keys are the keys of Saint Peter.
Region and neighbours
Vatican City is the world's smallest country, a walled city-state surrounded completely by the city of Rome in Italy. It shares land borders with one country: Italy. Vatican City is an enclave: it sits entirely inside Rome, so Italy is its only neighbour. Vatican City is landlocked, with no coast on the open ocean.
- Italy 🇮🇹 — capital Rome
Three facts about Vatican City
- Vatican City is the smallest country in the world, both by area (about 44 hectares) and by population.
- Saint Peter's Basilica is the largest church in the world by the space inside it.
- The Swiss Guard, which protects the pope, was founded in 1506.
Sources: Wikipedia: Vatican City, Wikipedia: Flag of Vatican City, Wikipedia: St. Peter's Basilica, Wikipedia: Swiss Guard, CIA World Factbook.
Quiz yourself on Vatican City
- European capitals quiz — match Vatican City to Vatican City
- European flags quiz — spot the Vatican City flag among its neighbours
- Landlocked countries quiz — Vatican City has no sea coast
Vatican City capital quiz
What is the capital of Vatican City 🇻🇦?
- Athens
- Vienna
- Tirana
- Vatican City
Show answer
Vatican City
What is the capital of San Marino 🇸🇲?
- London
- Andorra la Vella
- San Marino
- Minsk
Show answer
San Marino
What is the capital of Monaco 🇲🇨?
- Vatican City
- Monaco
- Luxembourg
- Bratislava
Show answer
Monaco
What is the capital of Liechtenstein 🇱🇮?
- Vienna
- Pristina
- Vaduz
- Dublin
Show answer
Vaduz
What is the capital of Andorra 🇦🇩?
- Andorra la Vella
- Prague
- Nicosia
- Budapest
Show answer
Andorra la Vella
Vatican City capital quiz tip
Vatican City is a city-state, so the country and its capital are the same place, an enclave inside Rome.
Vatican City in Europe
The largest countries by population sharing this continent are Russia, Germany, United Kingdom and France.
If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — Europe is the block Vatican City belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.
Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Vatican City.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Vatican City?
The capital of Vatican City is Vatican City.
What is the population of Vatican City?
About 825, making it the 197th most populous country in the world.
How big is Vatican City?
0 square kilometres, ranking 197th by land area, at a density of 0.0 people per square kilometre.
What currency does Vatican City use?
The EUR, shared with 25 other countries.
What are the colours of the Vatican City flag?
The flag of Vatican City is two vertical bands of yellow and white, with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal crown on the white band. Yellow and white stand for the pope's spiritual and worldly power, and the keys are the keys of Saint Peter.
Which countries border Vatican City?
Vatican City shares land borders with Italy. Vatican City is an enclave: it sits entirely inside Rome, so Italy is its only neighbour.
How can I remember the capital of Vatican City?
The capital question is a trick: Vatican City is a city-state, so the country and its capital are the same place. It is home to the pope, and its flag is one of only two square national flags, along with Switzerland's.
More capitals to learn
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