Rome is the capital city and a special comune of Italy. Rome also serves as the capital of the Lazio region. It is also the country's most populated comune, with 2,872,800 residents in 1,285 km2. It is the fourth most populous city in the European Union by population within city limits. It is the centre of the Metropolitan City of Rome, which has a population of 4,355,725 residents, thus making it the most populous metropolitan city in Italy. The Vatican City is an independent country inside the city boundaries of Rome.
