What is the smallest independent country in the world by area?

The smallest independent country in the world by area is Vatican City.

Vatican City is an independent city-state enclosed within Rome, Italy, covering about 0.44 square kilometres, or 0.17 square miles. Its territory was established by the Lateran Treaty of 1929, which settled a long dispute between the Holy See and the Italian state and recognized Vatican City as a sovereign entity.

The country serves as the administrative and spiritual centre of the Roman Catholic Church. The pope is its head of state, and the Holy See conducts its diplomacy. Major landmarks inside its compact territory include St. Peter's Basilica, St. Peter's Square, the Apostolic Palace, and the Vatican Museums.

Monaco is the next-smallest sovereign country by area, at roughly 2.0 square kilometres, so it is a frequent answer mix-up. San Marino and Nauru are also independent states, but both are substantially larger. Vatican City is also distinct from the Holy See: the former is the territory, while the latter is the governing entity representing the Catholic Church internationally.