Published on March 17, 2010

Country Report

San Marino

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

Location: Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy

Geographic coordinates: 43 46 N, 12 25 E

Area:
total: 61 sq km
land: 61 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: about one third 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% (2005)

Irrigated land: NA

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Whaling
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: 30,167 (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.9% (male 2,635/female 2,452)
15-64 years: 66.2% (male 9,538/female 10,429)
65 years and over: 16.9% (male 2,188/female 2,925) (2009 est.)

Median age:
total: 41.5 years
male: 41.1 years
female: 41.9 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.15% (2009 est.)

Birth rate: 9.68 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Death rate: 8.55 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Net migration rate: 10.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Urbanization:
urban population: 94% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 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 (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.22 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.81 years
male: 77.39 years
female: 84.52 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.36 children born/woman (2009 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%

Education expenditures: NA

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: republic

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

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 (AD 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: Co-chiefs of State Captain Regent Francesco MUSSONI and Captain Regent Stefano PALMIERI (for the period 1 October 2009-31 March 2010)
head of government: Secretary of State for Foreign and Political Affairs Antonella MULARONI (since 3 December 2008)
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 2009 (next to be held in March 2010); secretary of state for foreign and political affairs elected by the Great and General Council for a five-year term; election last held 9 November 2008 (next to be held by 2013)
election results: Francesco MUSSONI and Stefano PALMIERI elected captains regent; percent of legislative vote - NA; Antonella MULARONI 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

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 Freedom coalition 25: Party of Socialists and Democrats 18, United Left 5, Democrats of the Center 2

Judicial branch: Council of Twelve or Consiglio dei XII

Political parties and leaders: Christian Democrats or PDCS [Pasquale VALENTINI]; Communist Refoundation or RC [Ivan FOSHI]; Democrats of the Center or DdC [Giovanni LONGERNINI]; Freedom List (including NPS and We Sammarinesi or NS [Gabriele GATTEI]; New Socialist Party or NPS [Augusto CASALI]; Party of Socialists and Democrats or PDS [Paride ANDREOLI]; Popular Alliance or AP [Carlo FRANCIOSI]; Union of Moderates (including National Alliance or ANS [Glcuco SANSOVINI] and San Marino Populars or pop [Romeo MORRI and Angela VENTURINI]; United Left of SU [Alessandro ROSSI]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: CE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, OSCE, Schengen Convention (de facto m), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO

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

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in San Marino; the ambassador to Italy is accredited to San Marino

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)

Economy

Economy - overview: San Marino's economy relies heavily on its tourism and banking industries, as well as on the manufacture and export of ceramics, clothing, fabrics, furniture, paints, spirits, tiles, and wine. 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. San Marino boasts the world's longest life expectancy for men with 81 years. The economy benefits from foreign investment due to its relatively low corporate taxes and low taxes on interest earnings. San Marino has recently faced increased international pressure to improve cooperation with foreign tax authorities and transparency within its own banking sector, which generates about one-fifth of the country's tax revenues. Italy's implementation in October 2009 of a tax amnesty to repatriate untaxed funds held abroad has resulted in financial outflows from San Marino to Italy worth more than $4.5 billion. Such outflows, combined with a money-laundering scandal at San Marino's largest financial institution and the recent global economic downturn, have contributed to a deep recession and growing budget deficit. The San Marino government has adopted measures to counter the downturn, including subsidized credit to businesses. San Marino also continues to work towards harmonizing its fiscal laws with EU members and international standards. In September 2009, the OECD removed San Marino from its list of tax havens that have yet to fully implement global tax standards.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.662 billion (2007)

GDP (official exchange rate): $1.048 billion (2004)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.3% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP): $41,900 (2007)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.1%
industry: 46.5%
services: 53.4% (2007)

Labor force: 22,660 (2008)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 0.1%
industry: 37.7%
services: 62.2% (2008 est.)

Unemployment rate: 3.1% (2008)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Budget:
revenues: $690.6 million
expenditures: $652.9 million (2006)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): -3.5% (2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate: NA% (31 December 2008)

Stock of money: $NA (31 December 2008)

Stock of quasi money: $NA (31 December 2008)

Stock of domestic credit: $NA (31 December 2008)

Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA

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

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

Industrial production growth rate: 3.1% (2007)

Exports: $4.628 billion (2007)

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

Imports: $3.744 billion (2007)

Imports - commodities: wide variety of consumer manufactures, food

Debt - external: $NA

Exchange rates: euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7338 (2009), 0.6734 (2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005)

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 21,300 (2008)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 17,700 (2008)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate connections
domestic: automatic telephone system completely integrated into Italian system; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity 130 telephones per 100 persons
international: country code - 378; connected to Italian international network (2008)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2008)

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

Internet country code: .sm

Internet hosts: 6,734 (2009)

Internet users: 17,000 (2008)

Transportation

Roadways:
total: 292 km
paved: 292 km (2006)

Military

Military branches: no regular military forces; Voluntary Military Force (Corpi Militari Voluntar) performs ceremonial duties and limited police support functions (2008)

Military service age and obligation: 16-55 for voluntary service in Voluntary Military Force (2006)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 6,613 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 5,343
females age 16-49: 6,048 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 161
female: 160 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures: NA

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Italy

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none