Demographics of Vatican City

Demographics of Vatican City
Population	764[1] (234th)
• Year	2023
Density	4,021/mi2 (1,559/km2) (2nd)
Growth rate	-1.87% (2023)
Birth rate	36.29 births/1,000 population (2024)
Death rate	18.15 deaths/1,000 population (2024)
Life expectancy	84.16 years (2023)[2]
Net migration rate	1,000 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024)
Nationality
Nationality	Vatican
Major ethnic	Italians Swiss people Argentinians
Language
Official	Italian, Latin
Spoken	Italian, English[citation needed]

The demographics of Vatican City had an estimated resident population of 764 in 2023, including non-citizens. Additionally, 372 Vatican citizens live abroad, primarily diplomats of the Holy See and cardinals in Rome.^[1] Vatican City remains the world’s smallest country in both land area and population size.^[3]

The population of Vatican City includes clergy, religious members, lay employees of the state (like the Swiss Guard), and their families.^[4] In 2013, 13 families of Holy See employees lived in Vatican City,^[5] and by 2019, 20 children of Swiss Guards resided there.^[6] All citizens, residents, and places of worship are Catholic. The city also hosts thousands of tourists and daily workers.

Demographic statistics of Vatican City

Year[7]	Total population	Male	Female	People (±)	Density per km2	Growth rate
1950	880	428	452	6	2000.0	0.682%
1951	886	430	456	6	2013.6364	0.677%
1952	892	434	458	6	2027.2727	0.673%
1953	898	436	462	6	2040.9091	0.668%
1954	904	440	464	7	2055.6818	0.774%
1955	911	444	467	6	2070.4545	0.659%
1956	916	447	469	4	2081.8182	0.437%
1957	918	448	470	1	2087.5	0.109%
1958	919	448	471	1	2089.7727	0.109%
1959	920	449	471	0	2090.9091	0.0%
1960	918	448	470	-4	2086.3636	-0.436%
1961	916	448	469	1	2082.9545	0.109%
1962	917	448	469	0	2084.0909	0.0%
1963	918	448	470	2	2086.3636	0.218%
1964	921	450	472	5	2094.3182	0.543%
1965	887	431	456	-74	2015.9091	-8.348%
1966	841	408	432	-19	1910.2273	-2.261%
1967	805	394	412	-51	1830.6818	-6.334%
1968	769	376	394	-22	1747.7273	-2.861%
1969	753	364	388	-10	1711.3636	-1.328%
1970	745	358	386	-7	1692.0455	-0.94%
1971	739	356	384	-4	1679.5455	-0.541%
1972	737	354	382	-1	1673.8636	-0.136%
1973	735	353	382	-3	1669.3182	-0.408%
1974	733	354	378	0	1665.9091	0.0%
1975	733	356	376	0	1665.9091	0.0%
1976	735	358	376	3	1669.3182	0.408%
1977	738	360	378	3	1676.1364	0.407%
1978	740	362	378	1	1680.6818	0.135%
1979	742	362	380	3	1685.2273	0.405%
1980	743	362	380	0	1688.6364	0.0%
1981	742	362	380	-2	1686.3636	-0.27%
1982	740	361	379	-2	1681.8182	-0.27%
1983	737	358	378	-4	1675.0	-0.543%
1984	735	356	378	-1	1669.3182	-0.136%
1985	732	353	378	-5	1662.5	-0.684%
1986	730	352	378	2	1659.0909	0.274%
1987	730	352	378	-2	1659.0909	-0.274%
1988	728	352	376	-2	1654.5455	-0.275%
1989	727	352	374	-1	1651.1364	-0.138%
1990	726	352	374	-1	1648.8636	-0.138%
1991	725	352	373	0	1647.7273	0.0%
1992	724	352	372	-2	1645.4545	-0.276%
1993	719	350	368	-9	1632.9545	-1.253%
1994	711	347	364	-7	1614.7727	-0.985%
1995	705	344	361	-5	1601.1364	-0.71%
1996	701	340	360	-3	1592.0455	-0.428%
1997	698	338	360	-2	1586.3636	-0.287%
1998	697	336	360	0	1584.0909	0.0%
1999	696	336	360	-2	1581.8182	-0.287%
2000	691	333	358	-8	1570.4545	-1.158%
2001	681	327	354	-11	1548.8636	-1.614%
2002	671	322	350	-9	1526.1364	-1.34%
2003	664	318	346	-6	1509.0909	-0.904%
2004	660	316	344	-1	1501.1364	-0.151%
2005	659	315	344	-2	1497.7273	-0.303%
2006	655	312	344	-5	1489.7727	-0.763%
2007	647	308	340	-11	1471.5909	-1.699%
2008	637	304	334	-9	1448.8636	-1.412%
2009	628	302	327	-9	1428.4091	-1.432%
2010	621	298	323	-7	1410.2273	-1.128%
2011	614	294	320	-6	1395.4545	-0.977%
2012	602	288	314	-19	1367.0455	-3.159%
2013	590	280	309	-5	1339.7727	-0.848%
2014	582	276	306	-10	1322.7273	-1.718%
2015	572	274	298	-10	1300.0	-1.748%
2016	563	270	292	-8	1279.5455	-1.421%
2017	555	266	289	-8	1261.3636	-1.441%
2018	545	260	286	-12	1238.6364	-2.202%
2019	535	256	280	-7	1217.0455	-1.307%
2020	528	252	276	-8	1200.0	-1.515%
2021	518	247	272	-11	1178.4091	-2.122%
2022	506	242	265	-13	1151.1364	-2.567%
2023	496	237	258	-9	1126.1364	-1.816%
2024	496	236	259	9	1126.1364	1.816%

Women make up a small fraction of Vatican City's citizenship, constituting roughly 5.5% of its population. As of a 2011 report by the Herald Sun, there were just 32 female Vatican passport holders out of 572 citizens, with one being a nun.^[8] By 2013, Worldcrunch reported about 30 women citizens, a group that included two South American women, two Polish nationals, and three from Switzerland, though the majority of Vatican women at the time were from Italy.^[9]

Among the few women residing in Vatican City, one notable example was the daughter of an electrician employed by the Vatican; she eventually "lost her right to live" in the city upon getting married. Another resident, Magdalena Wolińska-Riedi, is a Polish translator and the wife of a member of the Swiss Guard.^[9]

Among the women with Vatican City citizenship, one serves as an officer in the Vatican's military, while two work as teacher, one at the high school level and the other in kindergarten, and another holds a role as an academic. Vatican City citizenship for women is often granted through marriage to a Vatican citizen, provided they are baptized Catholics. However, this citizenship is typically temporary, remaining valid only for the duration of their residence within the city-state.^[9]

Historically, women in Vatican City faced significant restrictions, including the inability to open a bank account. However, during the tenures of Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, there was a notable shift towards recognizing the value of women within the Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI appointed Ingrid Stampa, a woman, as one of his assistant editors and confidential advisers.^[9]

On April 21, 2013, The Telegraph reported that Pope Francis planned to appoint more women to key positions within the Vatican. In May 2019, he made a significant move by appointing three women as consultors to the General Secretariat for the Synod of Bishops on Young People, Faith, and Vocational Discernment, marking a historic first for the Catholic Church.^[10] Additionally, the Vatican’s daily newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, began publishing supplementary pages focused on women's issues.^[11]

Despite these advancements, women are still not permitted to be ordained as priests or bishops. However, a commission is currently examining the possibility of allowing women to serve as unordained deacons.

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The Pope, as the head of state of Vatican City, is elected by the College of Cardinals, which consists of senior church officials appointed by the Pope. This body operates as part of the Holy See, a sovereign entity distinct from Vatican City itself. The cardinalate, while a prestigious office, is a privilege granted by the Pope and does not constitute a separate degree of Holy Orders; rather, it is conferred upon bishops and other church leaders.

Currently, only men can be Cardinals and eligible for the papacy, as Catholic Church tradition dictates. However, there is a possibility for change in this area. Since the cardinalate is not a divinely instituted office, the Pope has the authority to amend the laws governing the cardinalate. This means that, theoretically, women could be granted the title of Cardinal, although no such decision has been made to date. Discussions about the role of women in the Church continue, particularly under recent papacies, which have highlighted the importance of women’s contributions to the Church.^{[citation needed]}

Vatican City is one of two sovereign states that do not allow divorce, the other being the Philippines.

The legal framework in Vatican City is primarily rooted in canon law, the body of laws governing the Catholic Church, and uses it as the principal source for legal interpretation. To support its governance, Vatican City has also adopted several Italian laws for practical implementation, such as the Italian penal code from 1929, though it incorporates certain modifications.^[12]

Both canon law, specifically Canon 1397 §2, and articles 381 to 385 of the Vatican’s adapted penal code, categorically prohibit abortion without citing exceptions. However, article 49 of the penal code outlines the "principle of necessity" to save one’s life, a provision that, according to the Italian penal code’s original drafters, could technically allow abortion when necessary to save a woman’s life.^{[13][14][15][16]} However, the Church’s interpretation of canon law remains far stricter. The Church only condones an "indirect" abortion in cases where the procedure aims solely to save the woman’s life, and where the fetus’s death is an unintended, albeit anticipated, outcome.

This interpretation is grounded in the principle of double effect, which permits procedures such as the removal of a cancerous uterus or treatment for an ectopic pregnancy if the primary intent is to protect the woman’s health, with the death of the fetus seen as an undesired consequence, rather than the aim of the procedure.^[17][18]

Vatican City primarily uses Italian in official documents and daily operations, due to its central role in Vatican life and Italian-based tourism. Despite this, many other languages are used within Vatican City due to the diverse origins of its residents and its various institutions, such as the Holy See and the Swiss Guard.

Historically, Latin was the spoken language of the region during the Roman Empire and served as the official language of the Papal States for centuries. When the area became part of Italy in 1870, Italian became its official language. After Vatican City's establishment in 1929 through the Lateran Treaty, the state did not designate an official language, although its laws are published in Italian in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis. Latin remains the official language of the Holy See, while Italian is the primary working language in Vatican City's administration and diplomacy, with occasional use of French for diplomatic purposes.^{[19][better source needed]}

The Swiss Guard uses Swiss German for commands, while guards take their loyalty oath in their respective native languages: German, French, Italian, or Romansh. The language diversity extends into the Church's media presence; for instance, the Holy See's newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, is published in multiple languages including Italian, English, French, German, and Spanish.^[20] Similarly, the Vatican News website provides content in a wide range of languages.^[21]

Unlike most countries, where citizenship is based on jus sanguinis, citizenship through descent, or jus soli, citizenship by birth within the territory, Vatican City grants citizenship based on jus officii, meaning citizenship is given due to an individual's appointment to a specific role in service to the Holy See. Citizenship typically ends when the person's role ceases, though it is extended to spouses and children of citizens, provided they live together within Vatican City. Some individuals may also reside in Vatican City without opting for citizenship.^[3]

In cases where a person loses Vatican citizenship and does not hold another nationality, they automatically acquire Italian citizenship under the terms of the Lateran Treaty. The Holy See, distinct from Vatican City as an entity, issues only diplomatic and service passports, whereas Vatican City issues ordinary passports for its citizens.^[22]

Vatican City frequently stands out in per capita and per area statistical comparisons, primarily due to its tiny size and unique ecclesiastical function.^[23] For instance, because most citizenship-granting positions are held by men, Vatican City’s gender ratio skews significantly male, with several men per woman among citizens.^[9] Additionally, the high number of petty crimes against tourists creates an inflated per-capita crime rate,^[24] and the state also leads in per-capita wine consumption, largely because of sacramental wine usage in religious ceremonies.^[23]

These unusual metrics often make Vatican City an interesting outlier in global data comparisons. A humorous example of this is the hypothetical "Popes per km²" statistic, which surpasses two popes per square kilometer due to the city-state's area being less than half a square kilometer.^[25]

360-degree view from the dome of St. Peter's Basilica, looking over the Vatican's Saint Peter's Square (centre) and out into Rome, showing Vatican City in all directions

Vatican City is home to notable works of art and architecture. St. Peter's Basilica, a prominent example of Renaissance architecture, was designed by several architects, including Bramante, Michelangelo, Giacomo della Porta, Maderno, and Bernini. The Sistine Chapel is widely recognized for its frescoes, featuring works by artists such as Perugino, Domenico Ghirlandaio, and Botticelli, along with Michelangelo's ceiling and Last Judgment. The interiors of Vatican buildings also include contributions from artists like Raphael and Fra Angelico.

The Vatican Apostolic Library and the Vatican Museums' collections are valued for their historical, scientific, and cultural significance.^[27] Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984, Vatican City is the only state entirely listed as such. It is also the sole UNESCO site recorded in the "International Register of Cultural Property under Special Protection" in accordance with the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.^[28]

In 1936, Pope Pius XI established the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, building on the foundation of the Pontifical Academy of New Lincei, founded by Pope Pius IX in 1847. Located in the Casina Pio IV, the Academy promotes academic freedom and encourages research in mathematics, physical sciences (including astronomy, Earth sciences, physics, and chemistry), and natural sciences (including medicine, neuroscience, biology, genetics, and biochemistry), while also engaging with epistemological and historical aspects of science. Its members have included notable scientists such as astrophysicist Martin John Rees, mathematician Cédric Villani, theoretical physicist Edward Witten, Nobel laureates in Chemistry Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier, as well as geneticists Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza and Francis Collins, the head transplant pioneer Robert J. White, and the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine Alexander Fleming.^[29][30]

Another Vatican-based institution, the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, addresses a wide range of fields, including anthropology, communication studies, information sciences, cybernetics, economics, education, geography, history, law, linguistics, political science, psychology, behavioral sciences, sociology and demography.^[31] The Pontifical Academy for Life, located at the San Callisto complex, focuses on bioethics and ethics related to technology.^[32][33]

The Vatican Observatory, which traces its origins to the 16th century, initially operated telescopes in Vatican City and at the Palace of Castel Gandolfo. However, light pollution has limited these facilities' effectiveness for research, leading to a partnership with the University of Arizona and the establishment of the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope in Arizona. The Observatory remains active in astronomical research, contributing to areas such as cosmological models, stellar classification, binary stars, and nebulae. Additionally, it participates in philosophical interdisciplinary studies at the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences in Berkeley, California and research on the history of astronomy thanks to its extensive library, which also includes a meteorite collection.^[34]

Vatican City is not a member of the International Olympic Committee and does not participate in the Olympic Games. However, it has taken part in other international sporting events, such as the World Cycling Championships,^[35] the Championships of the Small States of Europe, and the Mediterranean Games.^[36] The nation has its own athletics association, Vatican Athletics.^[37]

Football in Vatican City is overseen by the Vatican Amateur Sports Association, which organizes the national championship, known as the Vatican City Championship. This league includes eight teams, such as FC Guardia, representing the Swiss Guard, along with teams from the police and museum guard.^[38] The association also manages the Coppa Sergio Valci and the Vatican Supercoppa. Additionally, it oversees the Vatican City national football team, which is not affiliated with either UEFA or FIFA.

The economy of Vatican City is primarily funded through the sale of stamps, coins, medals, and tourist souvenirs, alongside museum admission fees and publication sales. In 2016, Vatican City employed a total of 4,822 people.^[39]

Vatican City receives subsidies from the Italian state, including a free water supply, tax exemptions, and other forms of dedicated public funding.

Vatican City issues its own coins and stamps and has used the euro as its currency since January 1, 1999, through the Council Decision 1999/98 with the European Union. While euro banknotes are not issued by the Vatican, it began issuing euro coins on January 1, 2002. The issuance of these coins is tightly limited by treaty, with slightly higher allowances in years of a papal change.^[40] Due to their limited availability, Vatican euro coins are popular among collectors.^[41]

As of 2021, Vatican City reported budgeted revenue of €770 million, expenditures of €803 million, and a resulting deficit of €33 million.^[42] Vatican City’s industries include printing, the production of a limited amount of mosaics, and the manufacture of staff uniforms, along with global banking and financial operations.^[39]

Electricity is partially generated by solar panels, which produce up to 442 MWh, with the remainder supplied by Italy.^{[citation needed]}

Vatican City law comprises various forms, with the canon law of the Catholic Church being the most significant.^[43] The state's governing bodies operate under the Fundamental Law of Vatican City State, while the Code of Penal Procedure regulates its tribunals, and the Lateran Treaty outlines its relationship with Italy.

Canon law holds the highest authority within the civil legal system of Vatican City. The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, a dicastery of the Roman Curia and the top canonical tribunal, also serves as the final court of cassation in Vatican City’s civil legal system. Its responsibilities include handling appeals related to legal procedure and judicial competence. Under a 2008 law issued by Pope Benedict XVI, the civil legal system of Vatican City recognizes canon law as its first source of norms and first principle of interpretation. within the Vatican's civil legal system. Pope Francis has affirmed that principles of canon law are essential for interpreting and applying the laws of Vatican City.^[43]

The civil government of Vatican City is governed by the Fundamental Law, which serves as its constitutional framework. Promulgated by Pope John Paul II on November 26, 2000, the Fundamental Law consists of 20 articles^[44] and took effect on February 22, 2001, the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter. This law replaced the previous Fundamental Law of Vatican City established by Pope Pius XI on June 7, 1929. All existing norms in Vatican City that conflicted with the new law were abrogated, and the original document, bearing the Seal of Vatican City State, was archived in the Archive of the Laws of Vatican City State, with the corresponding text published in the Supplement to the Acta Apostolicae Sedis. In April 2023, Pope Francis introduced a new Fundamental Law, which came into effect the same year.^[45]

The apostolic constitution Praedicate evangelium regulates the Roman Curia, which provides assistance to the pope in governing the Catholic Church.^[46][47]

The Corpo della Gendarmeria dello Stato della Città del Vaticano is the gendarmerie, and functions as the police and security force for Vatican City and the extraterritorial properties of the Holy See.^[48] This corps is responsible for various duties, including maintaining security, ensuring public order, conducting border and traffic control, performing criminal investigations, and providing general police services within Vatican City, including protecting the pope outside its borders. Comprising 130 personnel, it operates under the Security and Civil Defence Services Department, which also encompasses the Vatican Fire Brigade, an organ of the Governorate of Vatican City.^[49][50] The Pontifical Swiss Guards are specifically tasked with the protection of the pope and the Apostolic Palace.^[51][52]

According to Article 3 of the 1929 Lateran Treaty between the Holy See and Italy, St. Peter's Square, while part of Vatican City State, is primarily patrolled by the Italian police up to the steps leading to the basilica. Article 22 of the Lateran Treaty stipulates that the Italian government will seek the prosecution and detention of criminal suspects at the request of the Holy See, with the expenses incurred covered by Vatican City. Vatican City does not have its own prison system, apart from a few cells designated for pre-trial detention. Individuals sentenced to imprisonment by Vatican authorities serve their sentences in Italian prisons, with the costs borne by Vatican City.^[22][53][54]

The Vatican Gendarmerie maintains a limited number of prison cells. Under the provisions of the Lateran Treaty, individuals convicted of crimes are incarcerated in Italian prisons.^[55]

Crime in Vatican City primarily involves purse snatching, pickpocketing, and shoplifting, typically committed by tourists targeting other tourists.^[56] St. Peter's Square, with its high tourist traffic, is a common area for such incidents.^[57]

Vatican City's small size leads to some statistical anomalies. With 18 million visitors each year,^[58] petty theft is the most frequent crime, often involving tourists as both perpetrators and victims. In 1992, based on a population of 455, there were 397 civil offenses, equating to a crime rate of 0.87 offenses per person, and 608 penal offenses, or 1.33 per capita.^[56]