How many people live in Vatican City?

 

How many people live in Vatican City, and who are they?

The pope’s 109-acre enclave is home to a unique population, largely defined by their service to the Holy See rather than by territorial borders. by Anna Kurian The world’s smallest state also has its own inhabitants. According to the official website of the Vatican City Governorate, the population stood at 882 as of December 31, 2024. This was the date of the last public census. Among these residents, a little more than half possess Vatican citizenship. Besides the Pope, 10 cardinals live within the Leonine Walls (the ancient fortification surrounding the Vatican). The 135 soldiers of the Swiss Guard also live there. Most of the other inhabitants are prelates and religious employed in various services within the Vatican, although a few families reside inside the territory as well. A unique approach to citizenship However, not all inhabitants are automatically citizens, and not all citizens are inhabitants. The Vatican counted a total of 673 citizens at the end of 2024. This included 66 cardinals, out of 241 cardinals worldwide. Only 458 of the Vatican’s citizens resided inside its walls. The rest live abroad, primarily in pontifical representations (nunciatures etc.) across the globe. Vatican nationality is always held in addition to a person’s nationality of origin. It’s not based on bloodlines or birthright, but on the individual's function. Vatican diplomats (apostolic nuncios) and Swiss guards acquire Vatican citizenship during their years of service. They lose it once their service ends. This right extends to the spouses of military personnel if they reside with them, as well as to their children. However, children lose their Vatican nationality when they turn 18. Equipped with a passport displaying the keys of St. Peter and the papal tiara, a Vatican citizen can currently travel to 150 countries. This ranks the identity document 19th worldwide and grants it a global reach covering 75% of the globe. According to current legislation, which stems from the Lateran Pacts signed in 1929, the pope can also “sovereignly” authorize certain individuals to “reside permanently in Vatican City, by granting them or preserving their citizenship.” This applies regardless of the function they exercise at the Vatican. The governorate notes that at present, there are no pets living in the microstate. With fewer than 1,000 inhabitants but a community of citizens distributed worldwide, the Vatican remains a state where population is defined less by territory than by a mission to serve the Holy See.