Vatican, Italian Political Geography

Related Category: Italian Political Geography

Vatican[vat´ikun] Pronunciation Key, residence of the pope at Rome (see papacy; Roman Catholic Church). Since the so-called Roman Question was ended by the Lateran Treaty of 1929 between Pope Pius XI and King Victor Emmanuel III (negotiated by Cardinal Gasparri and Mussolini), the Vatican City has been an independent state (108.7 acres/44 hectares), with the pope as its absolute ruler. It may be said to correspond politically to the former Papal States, but its origin is not connected with them.