Country is a defined geographic territory under the authority of an independent government. The term may also be used to refer to the government of such a territory. A country may also be called a nation or a state. In 2002, there were 193 countries in the world, more than ever before. The number of countries has increased since the mid-1900's as more colonies have gained independence and large countries, such as the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia, have split up. In size, the countries of the world range from the Vatican City, which covers 1/6 square mile (0.4 square kilometer), to Russia, which covers 6,592,850 square miles (17,075,400 square kilometers).