Founded in 1506 to protect the Pope, the Pontifical Swiss Guard numbers only around 135 soldiers, making it one of the oldest continuously operating military units in the world and, per Guinness World Records, the smallest standing army.
Record no. MRB-2026-007000
Pontifical Swiss Guard, the world's smallest and one of its oldest standing armies
Reference Record – Not Certified
This record is compiled from publicly available sources for reference. It has not been examined or certified by The Book of World Records.