The Tiny Little European Country Where No Babies Are Ever Born

Vatican City, the world’s smallest country by size (0.44 sq km) and population (825), is unique with a zero birth rate. Due to its small size and lack of hospitals or healthcare systems, residents rely on medical facilities in nearby Rome. Vatican citizenship is granted by papal authority and ends with employment at the Holy See. The city has a single pharmacy in the Belvedere Palace, serving locals and tourists. While officially no births occur within Vatican walls, historical anecdotes suggest otherwise. Claims include women giving birth in St. Peter's Square for charity and protection, or historical reports like a papal servant’s son born in the 1930s. However, a modern case of a homeless woman giving birth near Vatican territory in 2016 is officially outside its jurisdiction.