Main Content
Europe
::
San Marino
Print
Page last updated on December 18, 2019
The World Factbook
Country/Location Flag Modal
Europe ::
San Marino
Print
Flag Description
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue with the national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the main colors derive from the shield of the coat of arms, which features three white towers on three peaks on a blue field; the towers represent three castles built on San Marino's highest feature, Mount Titano: Guaita, Cesta, and Montale; the coat of arms is flanked by a wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word LIBERTAS (Liberty); the white and blue colors are also said to stand for peace and liberty respectively
The World Factbook
Country/Location Locator Map Modal
Europe ::
San Marino
Print
The World Factbook
Country/Location Photo Gallery Modal
Europe ::
San Marino
1 /
1
Caption
With an area of just 61 sq km (23.5 sq mi), San Marino is the third-smallest country in Europe, behind Monaco and the Holy See. Located in the northern part of the Italian Peninsula, near the Adriatic Sea, this tiny nation is surrounded by Italy.This satellite picture of San Marino shows a combination of vegetation (bright green); and buildings, pavement, and bare rock (blue-gray to white). Purplish-gray polygons are probably fallow agricultural land. Overhead, fluffy white clouds cast their charcoal-colored shadows over the land surface. The Apennine Mountains give the region a rough terrain, and the limestone Monte Titano dominates the area, with a fort perched on each of the mountain's three summits. According to legend, San Marino is the world's oldest surviving republic, dating back to 301. The original city sits atop Monte Titano. Today, however, development has spread throughout the republic, evidenced by the many areas of blue-gray and the meandering roads. Tourism has brought prosperity to this small republic, but historically, its rugged terrain and lack of wealth may have helped it escape the unwanted attention of potential invaders. Image courtesy of NASA.
Dimensions
File Size
Download
Usage
Factbook photos - obtained from a variety of sources - are in the public domain
and are copyright free.
Agency Copyright Notice
Agency Copyright Notice
-
Introduction :: San Marino
-
Geographically 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 the EU, although it is not a member; social and political trends in the republic track closely with those of its larger neighbor, Italy. -
Geography :: San Marino
-
Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy
43 46 N, 12 25 E
Europe
about one-third the size of Washington, DCArea comparison map:
The World Factbook Field Image ModalEurope :: San Marino Print
Image Descriptionabout one-third the size of Washington, DC
total: 37 kmborder countries (1): Italy 37 km
0 km (landlocked)
none (landlocked)
Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers
rugged mountains
lowest point: Torrente Ausa 55 mhighest point: Monte Titano 739 m
building stone
agricultural land: 16.7% (2011 est.)arable land: 16.7% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 0% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 0% (2011 est.)forest: 0% (2011 est.)other: 83.3% (2011 est.)
0 sq km (2012)
occasional earthquakes
air pollution; urbanization decreasing rural farmlands; water shortage
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: Air Pollution
landlocked; an enclave of (completely surrounded by) Italy; smallest independent state in Europe after the Holy See and Monaco; dominated by the Apennine Mountains -
People and Society :: San Marino
-
33,779 (July 2018 est.)country comparison to the world: 215
noun: Sammarinese (singular and plural)adjective: Sammarinese
Sammarinese, Italian
Italian
Roman Catholic
0-14 years: 15.04% (male 2,687 /female 2,392)15-24 years: 11.59% (male 2,046 /female 1,869)25-54 years: 40.23% (male 6,391 /female 7,198)55-64 years: 13.35% (male 2,215 /female 2,294)65 years and over: 19.8% (male 3,006 /female 3,681) (2018 est.)population pyramid:
The World Factbook Field Image ModalEurope :: San Marino Print
Image DescriptionThis is the population pyramid for San Marino. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends.
For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.
total: 44.7 years (2018 est.)male: 43.5 yearsfemale: 45.7 yearscountry comparison to the world: 10
0.7% (2018 est.)country comparison to the world: 143
8.6 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)country comparison to the world: 214
8.8 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)country comparison to the world: 70
7.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)country comparison to the world: 14
urban population: 97.4% of total population (2019)rate of urbanization: 0.67% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
4,000 SAN MARINO (2018)
at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female0-14 years: 1.12 male(s)/female15-24 years: 1.09 male(s)/female25-54 years: 0.89 male(s)/female55-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2018 est.)
total: 4.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)male: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 4.1 deaths/1,000 live birthscountry comparison to the world: 185
total population: 83.4 years (2018 est.)male: 80.8 yearsfemale: 86.2 yearscountry comparison to the world: 5
1.51 children born/woman (2018 est.)country comparison to the world: 195
6.4% (2016)
6.15 physicians/1,000 population (2014)
3.8 beds/1,000 population (2012)
NA
NA
NA
3% of GDP (2017)country comparison to the world: 139
total: 15 yearsmale: 15 yearsfemale: 16 years (2012)
-
Government :: San Marino
-
conventional long form: Republic of San Marinoconventional short form: San Marinolocal long form: Repubblica di San Marinolocal short form: San Marinoetymology: named after Saint MARINUS, who in A.D. 301 founded the monastic settlement around which the city and later the state of San Marino coalesced
parliamentary republic
name: San Marino (city)geographic coordinates: 43 56 N, 12 25 Etime 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 Octoberetymology: named after Saint MARINUS, who in A.D. 301 founded a monastic settlement around which the city and later the state of San Marino coalesced
9 municipalities (castelli, singular - castello); Acquaviva, Borgo Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano, Fiorentino, Montegiardino, San Marino Citta, Serravalle
3 September 301 (traditional founding date)
Founding of the Republic (or Feast of Saint Marinus), 3 September (A.D. 301)
history:
San Marino’s principal legislative instruments consist of old customs (antiche consuetudini), the Statutory Laws of San Marino (Leges Statutae Sancti Marini), old statutes (antichi statute) from the1600s, Brief Notes on the Constitutional Order and Institutional Organs of the Republic of San Marino (Brevi Cenni sull’Ordinamento Costituzionale e gli Organi Istituzionali della Repubblica di San Marino) and successive legislation, chief among them is the Declaration of the Rights of Citizens and Fundamental Principles of the San Marino Legal Order (Dichiarazione dei Diritti dei Cittadini e dei Principi Fondamentali dell’Ordinamento Sammarinese), approved 8 July 1974; Declaration last amended 2019
amendments: proposed by the Great and General Council; passage requires two-thirds majority Council vote; Council passage by absolute majority vote also requires passage in a referendum; Declaration of Civil Rights amended several times, last in 2019 (2019)
civil law system with Italian civil law influences
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
citizenship by birth: nocitizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of San Marinodual citizenship recognized: noresidency requirement for naturalization: 30 years
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: co-chiefs of state Captain Regent Luca BOSCHI and Captain Regent Mariella MULARONI (for the period 1 October 2019 - 31 March 2020)head of government: Secretary of State for Foreign and Political Affairs Nicola RENZI (since 27 December 2016)cabinet: Congress of State elected by the Grand and General Councilelections/appointments: co-chiefs of state (captains regent) indirectly elected by the Grand and General Council for a single 6-month term; election last held in September 2019 (next to be held in March 2020); secretary of state for foreign and political affairs indirectly elected by the Grand and General Council for a single 5-year term; election last held on 4 December 2016 (next to be held by November 2021)election results: Luca BOSCHI (Civic 10) and Mariella MULARONI (Christian Democrat) elected captains regent; percent of Grand and General Council vote - NA; Pasquale VALENTINI (PDCS) elected secretary of state for foreign and political affairs; percent of Grand and General Council vote - NAnote: the captains regent preside over meetings of the Grand and General Council and its cabinet (Congress of State), which has 7 other members who are selected by the Grand and General Council; assisting the captains regent are 7 secretaries of state; the secretary of state for Foreign Affairs has some prime ministerial roles
description: unicameral Grand and General Council or Consiglio Grande e Generale (60 seats; members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 5-year terms)elections: last held on 20 November 2016 with a runoff held on 4 December 2016 (next to be held by November 2021)election results: percent of vote by coalition/party in the first round - San Marino First 41.7% (PDCS 24.5%, PS 7.7%, PSD 7.2%, other 2.3%), Adesso.sm 31.4% (SSD 12.1%, RF 9.6%, Civic 10 9.3%, other 0.5%), Democracy in Action 23.2% (RETE Movement 18.3%, Democratic Movement-San Marino Together 4.5%, other 0.4%), other 3.7%; percent of vote by coalition/party in the second round - Adesso.sm 57.9%, San Marino First 42.1%; seats by coalition/party - Adesso.sm 35 (SSD 14, RF 11, Civic 10 10), San Marino First 16 (PDCS 10, PS 3, PSD 3), Democracy in Action 9 (RETE Movement 8, Democratic Movement-San Marino Together 1); composition - men 46, women 14, percent of women 23.3%note - because no coalition won a majority in the first round, a runoff was held between the two coalitions that had received the greatest percent of the vote, San Marino First and Adesso.sm; Adesso.sm won the runoff, and the seats were reallocated
highest courts: Council of Twelve or Consiglio dei XII (consists of 12 members); note - the College of Guarantors for the Constitutionality and General Norms functions as San Marino's constitutional courtjudge selection and term of office: judges elected by the Grand and General Council from among its own to serve 5-year termssubordinate courts: first instance and first appeal criminal, administrative, and civil courts; Court for the Trust and Trustee Relations; justices of the peace or conciliatory judges
Adesso.sm (includes Future Republic or RF [Mario VENTURINI], Civic 10 [Matteo CIACCI])
Democracy in Action (includes The RETE Movement)
New Socialist Party [Augusto CASALI]
Party of Socialists and Democrats or PSD [Paride ANDREOLI]
Popular Alliance or AP [Gabriele GATTI]
San Marino First (includes Sammarinese Christian Democratic Party or PDCS [Marco GATTI)
Socialist Party or PS [Alessandro BEVITORI]
Union for the Republic or UPR [Marco PODESCHI]
United Left or SU [Gaston PASOLINI]
We Sammarese or NS [Marco ARZILLI]
CE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), OPCW, OSCE, Schengen Convention (de facto member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WHO, WIPO
Ambassador Damiano BELEFFI (since 21 July 2017)chancery: 327 E 50th Street, New York, NY 10022
Embassy address:
1711 North Street, NW (2nd Floor)
Washington, DC 22036
telephone: [1] (212) 751-1234
[1] (202) 223-24l8
[1] (202) 751-1436FAX: [1] (212) 751-1436
the United States does not have an Embassy in San Marino; the US Ambassador to Italy is accredited to San Marino, and the US Consulate general in Florence maintains day-to-day ties
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue with the national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the main colors derive from the shield of the coat of arms, which features three white towers on three peaks on a blue field; the towers represent three castles built on San Marino's highest feature, Mount Titano: Guaita, Cesta, and Montale; the coat of arms is flanked by a wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word LIBERTAS (Liberty); the white and blue colors are also said to stand for peace and liberty respectively
three peaks each displaying a tower; national colors: white, blue
name: "Inno Nazionale della Repubblica" (National Anthem of the Republic)lyrics/music: no lyrics/Federico CONSOLOnote: adopted 1894; the music for the lyric-less anthem is based on a 10th century chorale piece
-
Economy :: San Marino
-
San Marino's economy relies heavily on tourism, banking, and the manufacture and export of ceramics, clothing, fabrics, furniture, paints, spirits, tiles, and wine. The manufacturing and financial sectors account for more than half of San Marino's GDP. The per capita level of output and standard of living are comparable to those of the most prosperous regions of Italy.
San Marino's economy contracted considerably in the years since 2008, largely due to weakened demand from Italy - which accounts for nearly 90% of its export market - and financial sector consolidation. Difficulties in the banking sector, the global economic downturn, and the sizable decline in tax revenues all contributed to negative real GDP growth. The government adopted measures to counter the downturn, including subsidized credit to businesses and is seeking to shift its growth model away from a reliance on bank and tax secrecy. San Marino does not issue public debt securities; when necessary, it finances deficits by drawing down central bank deposits.
The economy benefits from foreign investment due to its relatively low corporate taxes and low taxes on interest earnings. The income tax rate is also very low, about one-third the average EU level. San Marino continues to work towards harmonizing its fiscal laws with EU and international standards. In September 2009, the OECD removed San Marino from its list of tax havens that have yet to fully adopt global tax standards, and in 2010 San Marino signed Tax Information Exchange Agreements with most major countries. In 2013, the San Marino Government signed a Double Taxation Agreement with Italy, but a referendum on EU membership failed to reach the quorum needed to bring it to a vote.
$2.064 billion (2017 est.)$2.026 billion (2016 est.)$1.983 billion (2015 est.)note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 195
$1.643 billion (2017 est.)
$59,000 (2017 est.)$59,600 (2016 est.)$58,300 (2015 est.)note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 20
household consumption: NA (2011 est.)government consumption: NA (2011 est.)investment in fixed capital: NA (2011 est.)investment in inventories: NA (2011 est.)exports of goods and services: 176.6% (2011)imports of goods and services: -153.3% (2011)
agriculture: 0.1% (2009)industry: 39.2% (2009)services: 60.7% (2009)
wheat, grapes, corn, olives; cattle, pigs, horses, beef, cheese, hides
tourism, banking, textiles, electronics, ceramics, cement, wine
-1.1% (2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 178
21,960 (September 2013 est.)country comparison to the world: 211
agriculture: 0.2%industry: 33.5%services: 66.3% (September 2013 est.)
NA
revenues: 667.7 million (2011 est.)expenditures: 715.3 million (2011 est.)
40.6% (of GDP) (2011 est.)country comparison to the world: 36
-2.9% (of GDP) (2011 est.)country comparison to the world: 129
calendar year
$1.326 billion (31 December 2007)country comparison to the world: 147
$4.584 billion (31 December 2007)country comparison to the world: 113
$8.822 billion (30 September 2010)$8.008 billion (31 December 2009)country comparison to the world: 112
building stone, lime, wood, chestnuts, wheat, wine, baked goods, hides, ceramics
wide variety of consumer manufactures, food, energy
NA
euros (EUR) per US dollar -0.885 (2017 est.)0.903 (2016 est.)0.9214 (2015 est.)0.885 (2014 est.)0.7634 (2013 est.) -
Energy :: San Marino
-
electrification - total population: 100% (2016)
-
Communications :: San Marino
-
total subscriptions: 15,800subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 47 (2017 est.)country comparison to the world: 188
total subscriptions: 38,000subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 113 (2017 est.)country comparison to the world: 205
general assessment: automatic telephone system completely integrated into Italian system (2018)domestic: fixed-line 47 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity 113 telephones per 100 persons (2018)international: country code - 378; connected to Italian international network
state-owned public broadcaster operates 1 TV station and 3 radio stations; receives radio and TV broadcasts from Italy (2019)
.sm
total: 12,500subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 37 (2017 est.)country comparison to the world: 166
-
Military and Security :: San Marino
-
No regular military forces; Voluntary Military Corps (Corpi Militari), which includes a Uniformed Militia (performs ceremonial duties and limited police support functions) and Guard of the Great and General Council (defends the Captains Regent and the Great and General Council, participates in official ceremonies, cooperates with the maintenance of public order on special occasions, and performs guard duties during parliamentary sittings). The Police Corps includes the Gendarmerie, which is responsible for maintaining public order, protecting citizens and their property, and providing assistance during disasters. (2019)
18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription; government has the authority to call up all San Marino citizens from 16-60 years of age to service in the military (2012)
defense is the responsibility of Italy
-
Transportation :: San Marino
-
T7 (2016)
-
Transnational Issues :: San Marino
-
none