Population growth rate in Vatican
Vatican: Population growth rate was -1.8% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Population growth rate in Vatican, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Vatican recorded -1.8% for population growth rate in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 29.3% on the previous year and down 114.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth rate in Vatican peaked at 0.8% in 1954 and was at its lowest, -8.3%, in 1965.
That places Vatican 231st out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population growth rate in Vatican, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 0.7% | — |
| 1951 | 0.7% | -0.7% |
| 1952 | 0.7% | -0.6% |
| 1953 | 0.7% | -0.7% |
| 1954 | 0.8% | +15.9% |
| 1955 | 0.7% | -14.9% |
| 1956 | 0.4% | -33.7% |
| 1957 | 0.1% | -75.1% |
| 1958 | 0.1% | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 1960 | -0.4% | — |
| 1961 | 0.1% | -125.0% |
| 1962 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 1963 | 0.2% | — |
| 1964 | 0.5% | +149.1% |
| 1965 | -8.3% | -1637.4% |
| 1966 | -2.3% | -72.9% |
| 1967 | -6.3% | +180.1% |
| 1968 | -2.9% | -54.8% |
| 1969 | -1.3% | -53.6% |
| 1970 | -0.9% | -29.2% |
| 1971 | -0.5% | -42.4% |
| 1972 | -0.1% | -74.9% |
| 1973 | -0.4% | +200.0% |
| 1974 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 1975 | 0.0% | — |
| 1976 | 0.4% | — |
| 1977 | 0.4% | -0.2% |
| 1978 | 0.1% | -66.8% |
| 1979 | 0.4% | +200.0% |
| 1980 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 1981 | -0.3% | — |
| 1982 | -0.3% | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -0.5% | +101.1% |
| 1984 | -0.1% | -75.0% |
| 1985 | -0.7% | +402.9% |
| 1986 | 0.3% | -140.1% |
| 1987 | -0.3% | -200.0% |
| 1988 | -0.3% | +0.4% |
| 1989 | -0.1% | -49.8% |
| 1990 | -0.1% | -0.0% |
| 1991 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 1992 | -0.3% | — |
| 1993 | -1.3% | +354.0% |
| 1994 | -1.0% | -21.4% |
| 1995 | -0.7% | -27.9% |
| 1996 | -0.4% | -39.7% |
| 1997 | -0.3% | -32.9% |
| 1998 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 1999 | -0.3% | — |
| 2000 | -1.2% | +303.5% |
| 2001 | -1.6% | +39.4% |
| 2002 | -1.3% | -17.0% |
| 2003 | -0.9% | -32.5% |
| 2004 | -0.2% | -83.3% |
| 2005 | -0.3% | +100.7% |
| 2006 | -0.8% | +151.8% |
| 2007 | -1.7% | +122.7% |
| 2008 | -1.4% | -16.9% |
| 2009 | -1.4% | +1.4% |
| 2010 | -1.1% | -21.2% |
| 2011 | -1.0% | -13.4% |
| 2012 | -3.2% | +223.3% |
| 2013 | -0.8% | -73.2% |
| 2014 | -1.7% | +102.6% |
| 2015 | -1.7% | +1.7% |
| 2016 | -1.4% | -18.7% |
| 2017 | -1.4% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | -2.2% | +52.8% |
| 2019 | -1.3% | -40.6% |
| 2020 | -1.5% | +15.9% |
| 2021 | -2.1% | +40.1% |
| 2022 | -2.6% | +21.0% |
| 2023 | -1.8% | -29.3% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth rate in Vatican changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | -1637.4% | 0.5% | -8.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 1960s | -2.1% | -8.3% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | -0.1% | -0.9% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.2% | -0.7% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.4% | -1.3% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | -1.1% | -1.7% | -0.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.6% | -3.2% | -0.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | -2.0% | -2.6% | -1.5% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Vatican
- 228 Ukraine -1.5% compare
- 229 American Samoa -1.6% compare
- 230 Tuvalu -1.8% compare
- 232 Greece -2.1% compare
- 233 Northern Mariana Islands -2.1% compare
- 234 Marshall Islands -3.3% compare
More population data for Vatican
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population density 3,098 people per km² (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.3% (2100)
- World population growth 0.3% (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.2943 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.2943 % change on previous year (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 40 people (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -100 % change on previous year (1999)
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate 1.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. Share of people who are religious 1 live births per woman (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth rate in Vatican?
- Population growth rate in Vatican was -1.8% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population growth rate recorded in Vatican?
- The highest recorded value was 0.8% in 1954.
- What is the lowest population growth rate recorded in Vatican?
- The lowest recorded value was -8.3% in 1965.
- How does Vatican rank for population growth rate?
- Vatican ranks 231st out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population growth rate rising or falling in Vatican?
- Over the last ten years it is down 114.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Vatican data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual rate at which the population is growing, expressed as a percentage.