Buzz
Vatican - the smallest country globally, stands out as a renowned tourist destination in Europe.
Encompassing a mere 0.44 square kilometers, Vatican City, or officially known as the Vatican City State, is currently acknowledged as the world's smallest country. The entire nation is snugly nestled within the city of Rome, Italy.
Being the seat of the Roman Catholic Church, Vatican is not only a pilgrimage site but also a famous tourist spot globally. It showcases some of the most significant art pieces throughout the centuries, attracting history enthusiasts and art lovers alike.
1. Vatican is the smallest country in the world.
With a mere 0.44 square kilometers and a population of 825 people, Vatican is perhaps the only country globally where you can walk around in less than 1 hour. To put it in perspective, this country is only as big as 1/10th of the area of Hồ Tây Lake in Hanoi. It's also smaller than the second smallest country in the world, Monaco, by four times.
Vatican employs Italian as its official language and operates under a specialized Monarchical system with the head of state being the Pope.
2. The Vatican City has no prisons.
Vatican stands as the only country on Earth without prisons due to its sparse population. Nevertheless, it still maintains detention rooms for pre-trial confinement. Individuals convicted are incarcerated in Italy under the Lateran Treaty. The expenses for imprisonment are covered by the Vatican government. However, an interesting fact is that Vatican has the highest crime rate globally, simply because of its low population. The most common offense here is pickpocketing tourists.
3. Vatican is the Wine Capital.
Residents of Vatican consume more wine per capita than anywhere else in the world. The average Vatican resident consumes 74 liters of wine annually, double the consumption of renowned wine countries like France and Italy.
There are several reasons why they indulge in such high wine consumption. Firstly, Vatican residents have a culture of communal dining in large groups, often accompanied by alcoholic beverages. Secondly, the country's sole supermarket sells tax-free wine at attractive prices.
4. No residents are born in Vatican.
Vatican lacks a hospital and maternity ward. Hence, no one can be a citizen of Vatican from birth. Citizenship in this tiny nation is only granted for the purpose of serving the Holy See. Citizenship rights extend to spouses, parents, and other relatives living with them. When employment concludes, citizenship rights are revoked.
5. The world's shortest railway track.
Vatican boasts the shortest railway track globally. The Citta Vaticano station has only two tracks, each measuring 300 meters. The railway and station were constructed during the papacy of Pope Pius XI. It is used for transporting goods and does not carry passengers.
6. The entire country is a World Heritage Site.
Vatican is the only country recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, earning this distinction in 1984.
7. The Vatican Museum dominates nearly the entire area of the city-state.
Stretching 9 miles, the Vatican Museum boasts an extensive collection of artworks and paintings. It houses one of the largest art collections globally, established by Pope Julius II in the early 16th century. The Vatican Museum welcomes around 5.5 million visitors annually - a staggering number compared to the country's population.
Source: The Fact File
