World’s only country with zero hospitals, no child born here for 96 years! The name will SHOCK you, the country is…

Vatican City: Schools, hospitals and other basic amenities are the prerequisites of any modern nation, and its almost unimaginable to think that there would be any country on the planet which does not have even a single hospital. However, there is indeed one such country, but not for the reasons you might think. Let us find out more.

No hospitals in this country

The country we are talking about is the Vatican City, the epicenter of Christianity and the world’s smallest country. The home of the Roman Catholic Church, and the proverbial Mecca of Catholicism, Vatican City does not have a single hospital within its national boundaries, and more surprisingly, no child has reportedly been born in this tiny city state for almost 96 years.

According to reports, the Vatican City, which was officially carved out as an independent sovereign nation February 11, 1929, has not had a single childbirth since the country was formed.

Why Vatican City has no hospitals?

The Vatican City is the home of the Pope, as well as other major religious leaders and priests of the Roman Catholic Church, and while multiple requests for building a hospital in the city state were raised since its formation, they were all turned down. Luckily though, Vatican City lies in middle of Rome, the capital city of Italy, and whenever there is a situation where someone needs hospital care, they are taken to the Italian capital.

Its believed that the decision of not opening any hospitals in Vatican City might have been taken considering the minute size of the tiny city, and the quality of healthcare facilities available nearby. The Vatican City is essentially a tiny enclave within the city of Rome, spread across just 0.49 square kilometers (0.19 square miles).

The city state has a population of under a 1,000 people (around 882 as per latest estimates), and anyone who requires medical attention is shifted to clinics and hospitals in Rome. This is also the reason that no child has been born in Vatican City since its independence, because pregnant woman receive care at facilities in Rome.

Vatican City facts

While Vatican City has a miniscule population of just under 1,000, the city state receives millions of tourists from across the globe each year, which is also the reason for its abnormally high crime rate. Petty crimes like shoplifting, purse snatching and pickpocketing, often committed by foreigners have become a menace in Vatican City.

The Vatican City also has the world’s mallest railway station. The Città Vaticano station, also known as the Vatican City Railway Station, is the sole railway station in this tiny country. Built in 1933 during the reign of Pope Pius XI, the Città Vaticano station has two railway tracks, each measuring 300 meters in length.

The station is primarily used to transport freight as regular trains do not operate in Vatican City.

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