2000 Edition

Background

The world's third smallest state also claims to be the world's oldest republic, founded by Saint Marinus (for whom the country is named) 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.

Area

land

60.5 sq km

total

60.5 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Monte Titano 749 m

lowest point

Torrente Ausa 55 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Nuclear Test Ban signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution

Geographic coordinates

43 46 N, 12 25 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

border countries

Italy 39 km

total

39 km

Land use

arable land

17%

forests and woodland

0%

other

83% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

0%

permanent pastures

0%

Location

Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

building stone

Terrain

rugged mountains

Age structure

0-14 years: 16% (male 2,181; female 2,038) 15-64 years: 68% (male 8,992; female 9,425) 65 years and over: 16% (male 1,849; female 2,452) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

10.88 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

7.65 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

Sammarinese, Italian

Infant mortality rate

6.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

Italian

Life expectancy at birth

female

85.02 years (2000 est.)

male

77.57 years

total population

81.14 years

Literacy

definition

age 10 and over can read and write

female

95% (1976 est.)

male

97%

total population

96%

Nationality

adjective

Sammarinese

noun

Sammarinese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

11.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

26,937 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

1.49% (2000 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic

Sex ratio

at birth

1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population

0.94 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.29 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Administrative divisions

9 municipalities (castelli, singular - castello); Acquaviva, Borgo Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano, Fiorentino, Monte Giardino, San Marino, Serravalle

Capital

San Marino

Constitution

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

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

Data code

SM

Diplomatic representation from the US

the US does not have an embassy in San Marino; the US Consul General in Florence (Italy) is accredited to San Marino

Diplomatic representation in the US

San Marino does not have an embassy in the US

honorary consulate(s)

Detroit

honorary consulate(s) general

Washington, DC, and New York

Executive branch

cabinet

Congress of State elected by the Great and General Council for a five-year term

chief of state

cochiefs of state Captain Regent Loris FRANCINI and Captain Regent Alberto CECCHETTI (for the period 1 April 1999-30 September 1999)

election results

Loris FRANCINI and Alberto CECCETTI elected captain regents; percent of legislative vote - NA; Gabriele GATTI reelected secretary of state for foreign and political affairs; percent of legislative vote - NA

elections

cochiefs of state (captain regents) elected by the Great and General Council for a six-month term; election last held NA September 1999 (next to be held NA March 2000); secretary of state for foreign and political affairs elected by the Great and General Council for a five-year term; election last held NA June 1998 (next to be held NA June 2003)

head of government

Secretary of State for Foreign and Political Affairs Gabriele GATTI (since NA July 1986)

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 ten other members, all selected by the Grand and General Council; assisting the captains regent are three secretaries of state - Foreign Affairs, Internal Affairs, and Finance - and several additional secretaries; the secretary of state for Foreign Affairs has assumed many of the prerogatives of a prime minister

Flag description

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue with the national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coat of arms has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) flanked by a wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word LIBERTAS (Liberty)

Government type

republic

Independence

301 (by tradition)

International organization participation

CE, ECE, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO

Judicial branch

Council of Twelve or Consiglio dei XII

Legal system

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

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)

election results

percent of vote by party - PDCS 40.8%, PSS 23.3%, PPDS 18.6%, APDS 9.8%, RC 3.3%, SR 4.2%; seats by party - PDCS 25, PSS 14, PPDS 11, APDS 6, RC 2, SR 2

elections

last held 31 May 1998 (next to be held by NA May 2003)

National holiday

Anniversary of the Foundation of the Republic, 3 September (301)

Political parties and leaders

Communist Refoundation or RC [Giuseppe AMICHI]; Democratic Movement or MD ; San Marino Christian Democratic Party or PDCS [Cesare Antonio GASPERONI, secretary general]; San Marino Popular Democratic Party or APDS ; San Marino Progressive Democratic Party or PPDS ; San Marino Socialist Party or PSS ; Socialists for Reform or SR

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

wheat, grapes, corn, olives; cattle, pigs, horses, beef, cheese, hides

Budget

expenditures

$320 million, including capital expenditures of $26 million (1995 est.)

revenues

$320 million

Currency

1 Italian lira (Lit) = 100 centesimi; note - also mints its own coins

Debt - external

$NA

Economic aid - recipient

$NA

Economy - overview

The tourist sector contributes over 50% of GDP. In 1997 more than 3.3 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 Italy, which supplies much of its food.

Electricity - consumption

NA kWh

Electricity - exports

NA kWh

Electricity - imports

NA kWh

note

electricity supplied by Italy

Electricity - production

NA kWh

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

NA%

hydro

NA%

nuclear

NA%

other

NA%

Exchange rates

euros per US$1 - 0.9867 (January 2000), 0.9386 (1999); Italian lire (Lit) per US$1 - 1,668.7 (January 1998), 1,736.2 (1998), 1,703.1 (1997), 1,542.9 (1996), 1,628.9 (1995)

Exports

trade data are included with the statistics for Italy

Exports - commodities

building stone, lime, wood, chestnuts, wheat, wine, baked goods, hides, ceramics

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $500 million (1997 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $20,000 (1997 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

trade data are included with the statistics for Italy

Imports - commodities

wide variety of consumer manufactures, food

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2% (1997)

Labor force

15,600 (1995)

Labor force - by occupation

services 60%, industry 38%, agriculture 2% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

3.6% (April 1996)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

16,000 (1997)

Telephone system

domestic

automatic telephone system completely integrated into Italian system

international

microwave radio relay and cable connections to Italian network; no satellite earth stations

Telephones - main lines in use

18,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular

3,010 (1998)

Television broadcast stations

1 (San Marino residents also receive broadcasts from Italy) (1997)

Televisions

9,000 (1997)

Airports

none

Highways

paved

NA km

total

220 km

unpaved

NA km

Ports and harbors

none

Railways

0 km; note - there is a 1.5 km cable railway connecting the city of San Marino to Borgo Maggiore

Military branches

Voluntary Military Force, Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$700,000 (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA%

Disputes - international

none

SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE