Italy's capital, Rome, also serves as the regional capital of Lazio. It is also the most populous commune in the nation, with 2,876,051 inhabitants spread across 1,285 km2 (496.1 sq. mi). According to the population within the city limits, it is the fourth most populated city in the European Union. It serves as the administrative hub for the 4.3 million-person Metropolitan City of Rome. Rome is situated in Lazio (Latium), in the central-western part of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River's banks. Rome has frequently been referred to as the capital of two states since the Vatican City; the only living example of a country within a city is an independent state inside the city limits of Rome.
The history of Rome encompasses 28 eras. Rome was supposedly founded around 753 BC, according to Roman mythology, but the location has been inhabited for much longer, making it one of the continent's oldest continuously inhabited settlements. Early residents of the city were a mixture of Latins, Etruscans, and Sabines. After some time, the city eventually rose to prominence as the capital of the Roman Kingdom, Roman Republic, and Roman Empire. It is now regarded as the origin of Western civilization and by some as the first metropolis in history. Roman poet Tibullus initially referred to it as The Eternal City (Latin: Urbs Aeterna; Italian: La Ciudad de Eterna) in the first century BC. Ovid, Virgil, and Livy also adopted the term. Known as the "Caput Mundi," Rome.
Rome is now considered a worldwide city, ranking as the third-most visited city in the European Union, the most visited city in Italy, and the fourteenth-most visited city overall in 2016. UNESCO has designated its historic center as a World Heritage Site. Monuments and museums like the Coliseum and the Vatican Museums rank among the top tourist destinations in the world, drawing millions of visitors each year. Rome served as the Olympic host city in 1960 and is home to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The city hosts the headquarters of many international business companies, such as Eni, Enel, TIM and national and international banks such as Unaccredited and BNL. Its business district, called EUR, is the base of many companies involved in the oil industry, the pharmaceutical industry, and financial services. Rome is also an important fashion and design centre thanks to international brands such as Fendi, Bulgari, Renato Balestra, Valentino, and Laura Biagiotti. Rome’s Cinecittà Studios have been the set of many Academy Award-winning movies.