2. Vatican city-state (Latin: StatusCivitatisVaticanae;; Italian: StatodellaCittàdelVaticano), referred to as "Vatican", is an inland city-state located in the highland in the northwest corner of Rome, Italy. It is also the country with the smallest territory and the least population in the world, with a land area of only 0.44 square kilometers. Because it is bordered by Italy on all sides, it is called "China". It is the center of Catholicism in the world-the seat of the Holy See headed by the Pope, and the belief center of one sixth of the world's population.