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Holy See (Vatican City) — Military File
Rankings · Power · Military

Holy See (Vatican City) — Military File

Armed forces, personnel, equipment, deployments: the complete military file on Holy See (Vatican City).

Magna assessment

POWER 2.93/100 — The Magna Power score is our 0–100 composite of structural national power — five dimensions, 100+ indicators. It is the Bureau's own assessment, not a mirror of World Bank or CIA figures.

Momentum 0 — Quarterly momentum: the Bureau's read on the country's trajectory over the last quarter, from −10 (deteriorating fast) to +10 (accelerating).

A quiet quarter: no major shocks, no breakthroughs. The country's trajectory is set by structural forces larger than any single season.

The honest reading is steadiness — neither crisis nor windfall — with the long currents of demography, trade and institutions deciding more than any three months.

Armed forces

the Pontifical Swiss Guard Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera Pontificia) serves as the de facto military force of Vatican City; the Gendarmerie Corps of Vatican City (Corpo della Gendarmeriais) is a police force that helps augment the Pontifical Swiss Guard Corps during the Pope’s appearances, as well as providing general security, traffic direction, and investigative duties for the Vatican City State (2025)

Service age & obligation

Pontifical Swiss Guard Corps: 19-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; must be a single Roman Catholic male with Swiss citizenship who has completed basic training with the Swiss military and can obtain a certificate of good conduct; qualified candidates must apply to serve; the service contract is between 2 and 25 years (2025)

Note

defense is the responsibility of Italy

Related

Power indexMilitary indexLargest armiesHoly See (Vatican City) — FactbookHoly See (Vatican City) — RankingsLeader: Holy See (Vatican City)

Across the Bureau

Holy See (Vatican City) — Country ProfileHistory of Holy See (Vatican City) — TimelineRaffaella Petrini — Leader of Holy See (Vatican City)Holy See (Vatican City) Ranking — Magna Country RankingsWhat is the population of Holy See (Vatican City)?Who is the president of Holy See (Vatican City)?Vatican City, Holy See (Vatican City) — City ProfileThe Holy Roman Empire: neither holy, nor Roman — History