Vatican City, also known as the Vatican City State, is a landlocked independent city-state enclaved within Rome, Italy. It is the spiritual and administrative headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church and is the residence of the Pope, who serves as its absolute monarch. The Pope is the highest authority in both religious matters, as the Bishop of Rome, and in civic matters as the head of state of the Vatican City.

The Pope exercises principal legislative, executive, and judicial power over the State of Vatican City, which is a distinct entity from the Holy See. He is able to delegate certain powers within the Vatican to various departments and individuals. A key body within the Vatican City is the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State, appointed by the Pope and responsible for the administration of the city-state.

Despite its small size, the Vatican has a complex and rich political history. It maintains diplomatic relations with other states, issues its own passports, license plates, and postage stamps. Though the Vatican City is closely connected to the Holy See, it’s worth noting that the latter is the sovereign entity that conducts diplomatic relations on behalf of the Vatican City and the Roman Catholic Church. While the Vatican City is the smallest internationally recognized independent state in the world by both area and population, the influence it exerts through the Catholic Church is global and profound.