2008 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2008 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
Background
The third smallest state in Europe (after the Holy See and Monaco), San Marino also claims to be the world's oldest republic. According to tradition, it was founded by a Christian stonemason named Marinus in A.D. 301. 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
Area
total: 61.2 sq km land: 61.2 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative
about one third times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Torrente Ausa 55 m highest point: Monte Titano 755 m
Environment - current issues
NA
Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Whaling 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
Land boundaries
total: 39 km border countries: Italy 39 km
Land use
arable land: 16.67% permanent crops: 0% other: 83.33% (2005)
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
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 16.8% (male 2,608/female 2,430) 15-64 years: 66% (male 9,464/female 10,304) 65 years and over: 17.2% (male 2,229/female 2,938) (2008 est.)
Birth rate
9.74 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate
8.37 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Education expenditures
NA
Ethnic groups
Sammarinese, Italian
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
Infant mortality rate
total: 5.44 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.86 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Languages
Italian
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 81.88 years male: 78.43 years female: 85.64 years (2008 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 96% male: 97% female: 95%
Median age
total: 41.2 years male: 40.9 years female: 41.6 years (2008 est.)
Nationality
noun: Sammarinese (singular and plural) adjective: Sammarinese
Net migration rate
10.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Population
29,973 (July 2008 est.)
Population growth rate
1.181% (2008 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.35 children born/woman (2008 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
9 municipalities (castelli, singular - castello); Acquaviva, Borgo Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano, Fiorentino, Montegiardino, San Marino Citta, Serravalle
Capital
name: San Marino geographic coordinates: 43 56 N, 12 25 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
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
Diplomatic representation from the US
the US does not have an embassy in San Marino; the ambassador to Italy is accredited to San Marino
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Paolo RONDELLI chancery: 888 27th Street NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: 202-337-2260
Executive branch
chief of state: Co-chiefs of State Captain Regent Ernesto BENEDETTINI and Captain Regent Assunta MELONI (for the period 1 October-31 March 2009) head of government: Secretary of State for Foreign and Political Affairs Fiorenzo STOLFI (since 27 July 2006) cabinet: Congress of State elected by the Great and General Council for a five-year term elections: co-chiefs of state (captains regent) elected by the Great and General Council for a six-month term; election last held in September 2007 (next to be held in March 2008); secretary of state for foreign and political affairs elected by the Great and General Council for a five-year term; election last held 27 July 2006 (next to be held by 2011) election results: Ernesto BENEDETTINI and Assunta MELONI elected captains regent; percent of legislative vote - NA; Fiorenzo STOLFI 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 (co-chiefs 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 prime ministerial roles
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
3 September AD 301
International organization participation
CE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO
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 popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 9 November 2008 (next to be held by June 2013) election results: percent of vote by party - Pact for San Marino coalition 54.2%: PDCS 31.9%, AP 11.5%, Freedom List 6.3%, San Marino Union of Moderates 4.2%; Reforms and Freedom coalition 45.8%; Party of Socialists and Democrats 32%, United Left 8.6%, Democrats of the Center 4.9%; seats by party - Pact for San Marino coalition 35; PDCS 22, AP 7, the Freedom List 4, San Marino Union of Moderates 2; Reforms and Freedm coalition 25: Party of Socialists and Democrats 18, United Left 5, Democrats of the Center 2
National holiday
Founding of the Republic, 3 September (AD 301)
Political parties and leaders
Communist Refoundation or RC [Ivan FOSHI]; Democrats of the Center; Freedom List; Ideas in Movement or IM [Alessandro ROSSI]; National Alliance or AN [Glauco SANSOVINI]; New Socialist Party [Augusto CASALI]; Party of Socialists and Democrats [Claudio FELICI]; San Marino Christian Democratic Party or PDCS [Pier Marino MENICUCCI]; San Marino Popular Alliance of Democrats or AP [Roberto GIORGETTI]; San Marino Socialist Party or PSS [Alberto CECCHETTI]; Socialists for Reform or SR [Renzo GIARDI]; Union of Moderates; United Left
Political pressure groups and leaders
NA
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture - products
wheat, grapes, corn, olives; cattle, pigs, horses, beef, cheese, hides
Budget
revenues: $709.6 million expenditures: $672.3 million (2004)
Commercial bank prime lending rate
7.58% (31 December 2007)
Currency (code)
euro (EUR)
Currency code
EUR
Debt - external
$NA
Economic aid - recipient
$NA
Economy - overview
The tourist sector contributes over 50% of GDP. In 2006 more than 2.1 million tourists visited San Marino. The key industries are banking, clothing and 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.
Exchange rates
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Exports
$1.291 billion (2004)
Exports - commodities
building stone, lime, wood, chestnuts, wheat, wine, baked goods, hides, ceramics
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$34,100 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
4.6% (2004 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$1.048 billion (2004)
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$850 million (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$2.035 billion (2004)
Imports - commodities
wide variety of consumer manufactures, food
Industrial production growth rate
5.6% (2005 est.)
Industries
tourism, banking, textiles, electronics, ceramics, cement, wine
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
-1.5% (2006)
Labor force
20,470 (2004)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 0.2% industry: 40.1% services: 59.7% (2006 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares
$NA
Population below poverty line
NA%
Stock of domestic credit
$7.513 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of money
$1.326 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money
$4.584 billion (31 December 2007)
Unemployment rate
3.8% (2004)
Communications
Internet country code
.sm
Internet hosts
6,665 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
2 (2000)
Internet users
15,400 (2006)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios
16,000 (1997)
Telephone system
general assessment: adequate connections domestic: automatic telephone system completely integrated into Italian system; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 130 telephones per 100 persons international: country code - 378; connected to Italian international network
Telephones - main lines in use
21,000 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular
17,390 (2006)
Television broadcast stations
1 (San Marino residents also receive broadcasts from Italy) (1997)
Televisions
9,000 (1997)
Transportation
Roadways
total: 292 km paved: 292 km (2006)
Military and Security
Manpower available for military service
males age 16-49: 6,613 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 16-49: 5,345 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually
male: 156 female: 154 (2008 est.)
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of Italy
Military branches
no regular military forces; Voluntary Military Force (Corpi Militari Voluntar) performs ceremonial duties and limited police support functions (2008)
Military expenditures
NA
Military service age and obligation
16-55 for voluntary service in Voluntary Military Force (2006)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
none This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008