San Marino

Full name of country: Republic of San Marino

Region: Europe

Official language: Italian

Population: 35,095 (2024 est.)

Nationality: Sammarinese (singular and plural) (noun), Sammarinese (adjective)

Land area: 61 sq km (24 sq miles)

Capital: San Marino

National anthem: "Inno Nazionale della Repubblica" (National Anthem of the Republic), by Federico Consolo

National holiday: Founding of the Republic, September 3 (AD 301)

Population growth: 0.57% (2024 est.)

Time zone: UTC +1

Flag: The flag of San Marino is a bicolor flag that consists of two equal horizontal bands—a white stripe on top and a light blue stripe on the bottom. Centered in the flag is the country’s national coat of arms, which features the three plumed towers of the citadel of San Marino (Guaita, Cesta, and Montale) atop three mountain peaks, all below a crown and bordered in wreath-flanked gold. The motto “Libertas” rests on a ribbon situated below the wreath’s branches.

Motto: “Libertas” (Liberty)

Independence: September 3, 301 AD

Government type: republic

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Legal system: civil law system with Italian civil law influences

San Marino is a European "microstate" located entirely inside Italy, in the Apennine Mountains, and is one of the world's smallest nations. Formally known as "The Most Serene Republic of San Marino" (Italian: "La Serenissima Repubblica di San Marino"), the nation considers itself the world's oldest republic, dating to the early fourth century. Historically, it is a survivor of the medieval and Renaissance period, when Italy was divided into hundreds of city-states.

San Marino is located near Rimini in north-central Italy. The Sammarinese economy is based largely on tourism; other important activities are banking and the sale of postage stamps. San Marino relies on Italy for defense, and has a closely related foreign policy. Though not a member of the European Union (EU), San Marino is part of the Euro economic zone.

Note: unless otherwise indicated, statistical data in this article is sourced from the CIA World Factbook, as cited in the bibliography.

Population: The Sammarinese are similar to their Italian neighbors, in that they speak the same language and most profess the same faith, Roman Catholicism. (There are small groups of Baha'is, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, Muslims, Orthodox Christians, and Waldensian Church members as well.)

The population is mostly Sammarinese, though some Italian citizens live in the country. Many Sammarinese also live in neighboring Italy and in France.

The republic has nine municipalities, or castelli (singular: castello). The word is derived from the Latin "castellum," or "fortress," recalling the days of medieval walled towns. The main population center is San Marino proper, the capital, which is built on Mount Titano. The other main town is Serravalle. The other seven castelli are Acquaviva, Borgo Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano, Fiorentino, and Montegiardino. These communities are all quite small and retain many of their medieval customs and traditions, including markets and festivals.

San Marino's HDI value for 2022 is 0.867— which put the country in the Very High human development category—positioning it at 43 out of 193 countries and territories.

Indigenous People: The territory of present-day San Marino has been inhabited since prehistoric times, but the current population of native Sammarinese has been basically Italian since the Roman era.

Education: San Marino has an extensive system of public education, and a high literacy rate. Education is administered by the Secretary of State for Public Instruction, University, Cultural Institutions, Information and Research.

The University of the Republic of San Marino (Università degli Studi della Repubblica di San Marino) offers degrees in a wide variety of subjects, including communications, economics, technology, education, biomedicine, law, and history.

Health Care: San Marino has an excellent public-health system, and average life expectancy is 84.2 years for the total population (2024 estimate). The infant mortality rate is low: 6.2 deaths per 1,000 live births (2024 estimate). The public-health authority, or Salute, is under the jurisdiction of San Marino's Secretary for Health and Social Security.

Food: San Marino's cuisine is essentially the same as that of north-central Italy, focusing on pasta and meat recipes. Popular forms of pasta eaten in San Marino include tortellini and lasagna, and roasted meat is also widely consumed.

Several types of wine are produced in San Marino, including Brugneto di San Marino, a red wine.

Arts & Entertainment: Sports in San Marino reflect both the country's present and its past. The most popular sport is football (soccer), which is run mainly through the San Marino Football Federation. The national team has played in international competition since the early 1990s, though with relatively little success. Crossbow competitions are also highly popular, reflecting the country's medieval heritage; competitions are a regular feature of Founding of the Republic day on September 3, as well as during a week-long crossbow festival in July.

San Marino also gave its name to a Formula One auto race; the San Marino Grand Prix was held from 1981 to 2006. Ironically, the race did not take place in San Marino itself, but in nearby Imola, Italy, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) northwest of the republic.

San Marino receives most of its mass media from neighboring Italy. The major local radio and television station is the government-operated San Marino RTV.

Holidays: San Marino's national holiday, which commemorates the establishment of the republic by Saint Marinus in the year 301, is observed on September 3. Saint Agatha's Day (February 5) celebrates San Marino's liberation from the 1739 invasion led by Cardinal Alberoni, papal legate of Ravenna. Other important holidays include many Roman Catholic feast days, such as the Feast of Christi Domini (May 31). Secular holidays include the anniversary of the 1906 Arengo and Feast of the Militia (March 25), the Investiture Ceremony of the Captains Regent (April 1 and October 1), Labour Day (May 1), and New Year's Eve and New Year's Day (December 31 and January 1).

Environment and Geography

Topography: San Marino was originally established on Mount Titano, a limestone mountain in the Apennine range in north-central Italy. The difficult terrain helped the Sammarinese preserve their independence from the time of the city's founding.

The highest point is Mount Titano itself, which rises 739 meters (2,424 feet) above sea level. The lowest point is Torrente Ausa, 55 meters (180 feet) above sea level. The Marano and Ausa flow through the republic and into the Adriatic Sea.

Only a small portion of San Marino's land (about 16.7 percent) is suited for agriculture, and San Marino must obtain most of its food from Italy. An enclave inside Italy, San Marino shares a land border of 39 kilometers (24.2 miles) with its larger neighbor.

Natural Resources: San Marino has no mineral resources, other than stone for building.

Though only a small percentage of the land is arable, the Sammarinese have turned many acres into rich vineyards. Much of the wine produced in the country is exported.

Plants & Animals: San Marino has little forested land; trees that do exist are a mix of coniferous and deciduous species typical of the Mediterranean climate. Other plant life also follows the climate of mountainous Mediterranean regions.

The Apennine Mountains in general are home to some of Italy's remaining wild species, including the Italian wolf (gray wolf), the brown bear, and various deer species including the roe deer and red deer. Notable bird species in the region include the golden eagle.

Climate: San Marino has a Mediterranean climate typical of northern Italy, with temperate seasons. Winters are mild or even cool, while summers are generally warm and sunny. The average January temperature is about 2.4 degrees Celsius (36.3 degrees Fahrenheit), while the average July temperature is near 21.3 degrees Celsius (70.3 degrees Fahrenheit).

Economy

San Marino is a small but prosperous nation. The government is fiscally frugal, preferring not to maintain a large national debt. Banking and manufacturing are the most important economic sectors.

The country also receives an annual subsidy from Italy, under a treaty arrangement. In 2021, the GDP was estimated at US$2.218 billion, with an estimated per capita GDP of US$65,700. The euro is the official currency, under a special agreement with the European Union, although San Marino is not an official EU member.

In 2017 the country's unemployment rate stood at 8.1 percent of the labor force.

Industry: San Marino generates much of its revenue from the sale of commemorative postage stamps and gold coins. This industry is handled by the State Philatelic and Numismatic Office. Stamps have been sold since the 1890s, and are very popular among collectors throughout the world. Under the terms of the postal agreement with Italy, Sammarinese stamps are valid only within the republic.

San Marino also has an extensive manufacturing sector, producing consumer goods such as electronics, textiles, ceramics, paints, and furniture. The country is highly dependent on imported fuel.

As one might expect, San Marino's major trading partner is Italy. San Marino also trades extensively with the rest of Europe.

Due in part to its small size and inaccessible location, San Marino has a relatively undeveloped transportation network. There are 292 kilometers (181.4 miles) of roadways, but no connections by rail, water, or air. The only way into the country is by road; the largest nearby city is Rimini, Italy.

Agriculture: Less than 17 percent of San Marino's land is arable, and the Sammarinese must import much of their food. There is, however, a fair amount of agricultural activity, including crop farming and animal husbandry of swine, horses, and both beef and dairy cattle. The main crops are wheat, grapes, corn, and olives.

Though not much of the land is suitable for farming, San Marino maintains wine, cheese, and hide industries.

Tourism:Tourism is the mainstay of San Marino's economy. In 2019 about 1.9 million foreign arrivals to San Marino were recorded. Though tourists to San Marino dropped significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, the numbers began to recover by 2022. Major attractions include the spectacular mountain landscapes and the country's medieval heritage.

Popular tourist sites include the Palazzo Pubblico (town hall) in San Marino City's historic downtown plaza, the Piazza della Libertà. During the summer months, the honor guard of the Guardia di Rocca, San Marino's police force, performs a changing of the guard ceremony in front of the Palazzo.

The National Museum of San Marino, located in the Palazzo Pergami, includes extensive art and archeological collections dating back to the Stone Age. The Palazzo Valloni is home to the nation's library and official archives. The Basilica del Santo, largely rebuilt in the nineteenth century, is particularly notable for its history and local importance.

Government

According to legend, San Marino was founded on Mount Titano in 301 by a Christian stonemason, Saint Marinus (Marino), who fled from Dalmatia to escape Roman persecution of Christians. The city was eventually named in his honor, as the "Land of San Marino."

In the following centuries, San Marino came under the control of the Dukes of Spoleto, but achieved independence by the tenth century. The tiny state's independence has been recognized multiple times over the centuries, though usually as the protectorate of a more powerful neighbor. There have also been occasional periods of foreign occupation, particularly during the Renaissance and World War II.

San Marino has becoming increasingly involved in world affairs since the late twentieth century. It joined the Council of Europe in 1988 and the United Nations in 1992. It also belongs to a number of other international organizations, including the World Health Organization and the International Criminal Court.

San Marino's government is basically parliamentary, with the unique feature of dual heads of state: the coequal captains regent (capitani reggenti). The country adopted its first constitution on October 8, 1600. This has been expanded upon by the electoral law of 1926, as well as the 1974 declaration of rights, which has been amended numerous times, including in 2012 and 2019.

Like many other European nations, large and small, San Marino is run by a coalition government. Political parties often come and go, forming various alliances and movements. Some of the more prominent parties include the Sammarinese Christian Democratic Party (PDCS), the Socialist Party (PS), and the RETE Movement.

The two coequal heads of state, or captains regent, are elected every six months by the Sammarinese legislature. The practice is derived from the ancient Roman Republic, in which the Senate elected coequal heads of state known as consuls. In San Marino, the office dates back to 1243. Their role is to preside over the legislature and the Congress of State (the cabinet). The cabinet, whose members are elected to a five-year term by the legislature, handles the actual business of government. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Political Affairs serves as "prime minister," though Sammarinese law makes no official provision for a head of government.

The Grand and General Council (Consiglio Grande e Generale) is a single-house legislature with sixty members, who are elected to five-year terms through direct popular vote. This body is the descendent of the republic's medieval council, the Arengo.

The Grand and General Council is also responsible for electing the judicial branch, known as the Council of Twelve (Consiglio dei XII). The judges serve five-year terms. Civil cases are handled by Justices of the Peace.

San Marino is noted for the liveliness of its political culture, with almost total voter turnout in the frequent elections. The country has universal suffrage for citizens ages eighteen and older. One of the main political issues facing San Marino is whether to seek full membership in the European Union.

Interesting Facts

• San Marino is the third smallest country in Europe. The other two are Vatican City and Monaco.
• The city-state greatly expanded its territory in 1463, thanks to a successful war in which it was allied with Pope Pius II. As thanks for aiding him against Sigismondo Malatesta of Rimini, the pope gave San Marino the communities of Domagnano, Fiorentino, Montegiardino, and Serravalle.
• San Marino has enjoyed diplomatic relations with Italy since 1862, when the Kingdom of Italy recognized the republic's independence. The two countries signed a postal agreement in 1877, which allowed San Marino to print its own stamps.
• San Marino declared its neutrality at the outset of World War II.
• Despite its growing tourist economy, San Marino was the least-visited European nation in 2017.

Bibliography

2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: San Marino, US Department of State, 2022, www.state.gov/reports/2022-report-on-international-religious-freedom/san-marino/. Accessed 25 Oct. 2023.

"San Marino." The World Bank, 2024, data.worldbank.org/country/san-marino. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.

"San Marino." The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 15 Jan. 2025, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/san-marino/. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.

"Human Development Insights." Human Development Reports, United Nations Development Programme, 13 March 2024, hdr.undp.org/data-center/country-insights#/ranks. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.

"San Marino." World Health Organization, 18 Oct. 2023, www.who.int/countries/smr/. Accessed 25 Oct. 2023.

UNWTO Tourism Highlights, World Tourism Organization, 2018, doi: doi.org/10.18111/9789284419876. Accessed 30 Jun. 2022.