After the Roman Empire fell in
the 5th century, the City of Rome gradually came under the control
of the Pope. For centuries, the Pope was
called King Pope. Little by little, he built his own Empire. When Italy got
United, the Pope held back and remained behind the Vatican Walls for 60 years. Finally, the Vatican was established as a
separate Nation in 1929. It is an
independent country inside the city of Rome. Only about a quarter mile squared,
it is the smallest country in the whole world.
It is however, the richest country of the world when measured for Per
Capita Wealth and has the lowest birth rate.
