Islands Surrounded by Land — Answers

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Here are the answers to today’s questions.

See question five. Flag of San Marino.
Image Wikimedia Commons

The first question relates to today’s date, 7 June, and also to an ‘enclave’. The other questions are not date related but all are about enclaves.

One

What enclave became a sovereign state on this day in 1929 as a result of the Lateran Treaty taking effect?

Answer: Vatican City.

On this day in 1929, the Lateran Treaty came into effect, establishing Vatican City as a sovereign state and the world’s smallest nation. Covering a mere 0.44 square km (0.17 square miles), it’s roughly one-eighth the size of New York City’s Central Park. Completely encircled by Rome, Vatican City is a tiny enclave within the city.

Two

Measuring approximately one mile by one mile, this city dates back to Roman times and can trace its charter back almost a thousand years. It is now an enclave within another (much larger) city. What three words form the name of this city?

Answer: City of London.

Surrounded by Greater London, the City of London, also known as the Square Mile, is a historic and financial centre in England. It is the smallest city in the UK by area, with a population of 8,583, yet it serves as a major employment hub with over 500,000 workers. Its unique government system, rooted in pre-Norman Conquest rights, has influenced parliamentary government. The Court of Husting, established by 1032, was the supreme court of medieval London, with Aldermen playing a key role in municipal authority.

Three

ACT, which became a federal area in 1911, is an enclave of another area (which is not a nation). What is ACT, and what area surrounds it, making it an enclave?

Answer: Australian Capital Territory; New South Wales.

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT), an internal Australian territory, encloses Canberra, the nation’s capital. Established in 1911, it hosts key political institutions like the Parliament and High Court. The ACT, landlocked and mostly comprising Namadgi National Park, includes smaller towns and experiences a dry, continental climate.

Four

Maseru is the capital of this landlocked sovereign state in the southern hemisphere, which is an enclave totally surrounded by another country. What is the name of this enclave, and that of the surrounding country?

Answer: Lesotho; South Africa.

Lesotho, a landlocked country in Southern Africa, is surrounded by South Africa and is the largest sovereign enclave. Formed in 1824, it gained independence in 1966. The Sotho ethnic group dominates, with Sesotho as an official language. Despite socioeconomic challenges, it boasts high literacy and is part of several international organisations.

Five

The flag shown at the top of this post is that of yet another enclave; a European sovereign state totally surrounded by another. What country is the enclave mentioned, and what country surrounds it?

Answer: San Marino; Italy.

San Marino, officially the Republic of San Marino, is a landlocked microstate in Southern Europe, surrounded by Italy. It is the fifth-smallest country globally, with a land area of over 61 square kilometres and a population of 34,042 as of 2025. Founded in AD 301, it claims to be the oldest sovereign state and constitutional republic, named after Saint Marinus. It has a unique constitutional structure with two Captains Regent, elected every six months, and the oldest Constitution, dating from 1600.