Is Rome a country?

As of 2014, Rome is not a sovereign country but is rather the capital city of the country of Italy. The city grew from the ancient capital of the Roman Empire that supposedly began construction in 753 B.C.

The city of Rome covers an area of approximately 496.26 square miles as of 2014. Estimates made on Dec. 31, 2013, indicate that the city's population was approximately 2,863,322 people. Aside from being the national capital of Italy, Rome is also the capital of both the Province of Rome and the region of Lazio. Geographically, the city of Rome is located on the shores of the Tiber River. Within its borders lies the independent country of Vatican City.