Which country is the smallest in the world to have a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

Vatican City is the smallest country in the world to have a UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Vatican City site itself.

UNESCO inscribed Vatican City in 1984 because of its exceptional artistic, architectural and historical importance. The listed area includes major landmarks such as St Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, together with the surrounding historic city-state.

The site is distinctive because Vatican City is both a sovereign state and a concentrated cultural landscape. Its museums contain works associated with artists including Michelangelo, Raphael and Bernini, while St Peter’s Basilica stands on a site traditionally linked with the burial of Saint Peter.

The Vatican is sometimes confused with Rome’s Historic Centre, which is a separate transnational UNESCO listing shared by Italy and Vatican City. The Vatican City listing specifically identifies the independent state.