Introduction

 
Background: The third smallest state in Europe (after the Holy See and Monaco) also claims to be the world's oldest republic. According to tradition, it was founded by a Christian stonemason named Marino in 301 A.D. San Marino's foreign policy is aligned with that of Italy. Social and political trends in the republic also track closely with those of its larger neighbor.

 

Geography

 

Location: Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy

 

Geographic coordinates: 43 46 N, 12 25 E

 

Map references: Europe

 

Area: total: 61.2 sq km; land: 61.2 sq km; water: 0 sq km

 

Area - comparative: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

 

Land boundaries: total: 39 km; border countries: Italy 39 km

 

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

 

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

 

Climate: Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers

 

Terrain: rugged mountains

 

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Torrente Ausa 55 m; highest point: Monte Titano 755 m

 

Natural resources: building stone

 

Land use: arable land: 16.67%; permanent crops: 0%; other: 83.33% (2001)

 

Irrigated land: NA sq km

 

Natural hazards: NA

 

Environment - current issues: NA

 

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification; signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution

 

Geography - note: landlocked; smallest independent state in Europe after the Holy See and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines

 

People

 

Population: 28,880 (July 2005 est.)

 

Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.7% (male 2,482/female 2,328); 15-64 years: 66.5% (male 9,255/female 9,943); 65 years and over: 16.9% (male 2,106/female 2,766) (2005 est.)

 

Median age: total: 40.29 years; male: 39.91 years; female: 40.65 years (2005 est.)

 

Population growth rate: 1.3% (2005 est.)

 

Birth rate: 10.18 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

 

Death rate: 8.07 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

 

Net migration rate: 10.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

 

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female; under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female; 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female; 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female; total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

 

Infant mortality rate: total: 5.73 deaths/1,000 live births; male: 6.16 deaths/1,000 live births; female: 5.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

 

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 81.62 years; male: 78.13 years; female: 85.43 years (2005 est.)

 

Total fertility rate: 1.33 children born/woman (2005 est.)

 

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

 

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

 

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

 

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

 

Ethnic groups: Sammarinese, Italian

 

Religions: Roman Catholic

 

Languages: Italian

 

Literacy: definition: age 10 and over can read and write; total population: 96%; male: 97%; female: 95% (1976 est.)

 

Government

 

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of San Marino; conventional short form: San Marino; local long form: Repubblica di San Marino; local short form: San Marino

 

Government type: independent republic

 

Capital: San Marino

 

Administrative divisions: 9 municipalities (castelli, singular - castello); Acquaviva, Borgo Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano, Fiorentino, Montegiardino, San Marino Citta, Serravalle

 

Independence: 3 September 301

 

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

 

Constitution: 8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the functions of a constitution

 

Legal system: based on civil law system with Italian law influences; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

 

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

 

Executive branch: chief of state: cochiefs of state Captain Regent Cesare GASPERONI and Captain Regent Fausta MORGANTI (for the period 1 April - 30 September 2005); head of government: Secretary of State for Foreign and Political Affairs Fabio BERARDI (15 December 2003); cabinet: Congress of State elected by the Great and General Council for a five-year term; elections: cochiefs of state (captains regent) elected by the Great and General Council for a six-month term; election last held NA March 2005 (next to be held September 2005); secretary of state for foreign and political affairs elected by the Great and General Council for a five-year term; election last held 13 December 2003 (next to be held June 2006 when general elections are scheduled); election results: Cesare GASPERONI and Fausta MORGANTI elected captains regent; percent of legislative vote - NA%; Fabio BERARDI elected secretary of state for foreign and political affairs; percent of legislative vote - NA%

note: the popularly elected parliament (Grand and General Council) selects two of its members to serve as the Captains Regent (cochiefs of state) for a six-month period; they preside over meetings of the Grand and General Council and its cabinet (Congress of State), which has 10 other members, all selected by the Grand and General Council; assisting the captains regent are 10 secretaries of state; the secretary of state for Foreign Affairs has assumed some of the prerogatives of a prime minister

 

Legislative branch: unicameral Grand and General Council or Consiglio Grande e Generale (60 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms); elections: last held 10 June 2001 (next to be held by June 2006); election results: percent of vote by party - PDCS 41.4%, PSS 24.2%, PD 20.8%, APDS 8.2%, RC 3.4%, AN 1.9%; seats by party - PDCS 25, PSS 15, PD 12, APDS 5, RC 2, AN 1

 

Judicial branch: Council of Twelve or Consiglio dei XII

 

Economy

 

Economy - overview: The tourist sector contributes over 50% of GDP. In 2000 more than 3 million tourists visited San Marino. The key industries are banking, wearing apparel, electronics, and ceramics. Main agricultural products are wine and cheeses. The per capita level of output and standard of living are comparable to those of the most prosperous regions of Italy, which supplies much of its food.

 

GDP: purchasing power parity - $940 million (2001 est.)

 

GDP - real growth rate: 7.5% (2001 est.)

 

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $34,600 (2001 est.)

 

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA%; industry: NA%; services: NA%

 

Labor force: 18,500 (1999)

 

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 1%, industry 42%, services 57% (2000 est.)

 

Unemployment rate: 2.6% (2001)

 

Population below poverty line: NA%

 

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%; highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.3% (2001)

 

Budget: revenues: $400 million; expenditures: $400 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2000 est.)

 

Agriculture - products: wheat, grapes, corn, olives; cattle, pigs, horses, beef, cheese, hides

 

Industries: tourism, banking, textiles, electronics, ceramics, cement, wine

 

Industrial production growth rate: 6% (1997 est.)

 

Exports: trade data are included with the statistics for Italy

 

Exports - commodities: building stone, lime, wood, chestnuts, wheat, wine, baked goods, hides, ceramics

 

Imports: trade data are included with the statistics for Italy

 

Imports - commodities: wide variety of consumer manufactures, food

 

Debt - external: $NA

 

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

 

Currency (code): euro (EUR)

 

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175

(2001), 1.0854 (2000)

 

Fiscal year: calendar year

 

Communications

 

Telephones - main lines in use: 20,600 (2002)

 

Telephones - mobile cellular: 16,800 (2002)

 

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate connections; domestic: automatic telephone system completely integrated into Italian system; international: country code - 378; connected to Italian international network

 

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

 

Television broadcast stations: 1 (San Marino residents also receive broadcasts from Italy) (1997)

 

Internet country code: .sm

 

Internet hosts: 1,763 (2004)

 

Internet users: 14,300 (2002)

 

Transportation

 

Highways: total: 220 km; paved: 220 km; unpaved: 0 km (2001)

 

Airports: none (2004 est.)

 

Transnational Issues

 

Disputes - international: none.