Rome (Italian and Latin: Roma) is the capital of Italy and of its Latium region. It is located across the confluence of the Tiber and Aniene rivers. It was once the capital of the Roman Empire, the most powerful, largest, and longest lasting empire of classical antiquity. The Vatican, a sovereign enclave within Rome, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Church and the home of the Pope.

Rome is the largest city and commune in Italy and it is also one of the largest among European capital cities, with an area of 1,285 square kilometers. The commune territory extends up to the Tyrrhenian Sea, with the district of Ostia, on the south-west, located on the shore. Within the city limits, the population is about 2,5 million; almost 3.8 million live in the general area of Rome as represented by the province of Rome. The current mayor of Rome is Walter Veltroni.

With a gross domestic product of €97 billion in the year 2005, the comune of Rome produced 6.7% of Italy's GDP, which is the highest rate among all of Italy's cities.

The city's history extends nearly 2,800 years, during which time it has been the seat of ancient Rome, and later the Papal States, Kingdom of Italy and Italian Republic (modern Italy). Rome is also called "la Città Eterna" (the Eternal City), "l' Urbe" (the latin for the City pre-eminently) and "The City of the Seven Hills".