San Marino

Location

• Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy
• landlocked; an enclave of (completely surrounded by) Italy; smallest independent state in Europe after the Holy See and Monaco; dominated by the Apennine Mountains

Population

Notable Population Centers

City	Population	Note
San Marino	4,500	Capital

Size

• 24 square miles
• 61 square kilometers
• about one-third the size of Washington, D.C.

History

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.  San Marino is negotiating an Association Agreement that is expected to allow participation in the EU’s internal market and cooperation in other policy areas by late 2024. Social and political trends in the republic track closely with those of its larger neighbor, Italy.

Climate

Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers

Terrain

rugged mountains

Languages

Italianmajor-language sample(s): L'Almanacco dei fatti del mondo, l'indispensabile fonte per le informazioni di base. (Italian)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions

Roman Catholic

Government

parliamentary republic

• Constitution: 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 1974amendment process: 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
• Political Parties and Leaders: n/a
• Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
• Legal System: civil law system with Italian civil law influences
• Executive Branch: chief of state: co-chiefs of state Captains Regent Denise BRONZETTI and Italo RIGHI (for the period 1 April 2025 - 30 September 2025)head of government: Secretary of State for Foreign and Political Affairs Luca BECCARI (since 8 January 2020)cabinet: Congress of State elected by the Grand and General Councilelection/appointment process: co-chiefs of state (captains regent) indirectly elected by the Grand and General Council for a single 6-month term; Secretary of State for Foreign and Political Affairs indirectly elected by the Grand and General Council for a single 5-year termmost recent election date: co-chiefs of state: 1 April 2025secretary of state: 28 December 2019election results: 2025: Denise BRONZETTI (Reformist Alliance) and Italo RIGHI (Christian Democrat) elected captains regent: percent of Grand and General Council vote - NA2024: Francesca CIVERCHIA (PDCS) and Dalibor RICCARDI (Free San Marino) elected captains regent; percent of Grand and General Council vote - NA2019: Luca BECCARI (PDCS) elected Secretary of State for Foreign and Political Affairs; percent of Grand and General Council vote - NAexpected date of next election: co-chiefs of state: September 2025note: the captains regent preside over meetings of the Grand and General Council and its cabinet (Congress of State), which has seven other members who are selected by the Grand and General Council; assisting the captains regent are seven secretaries of state; the secretary of state for Foreign Affairs has some prime ministerial roles
• Judicial Branch: highest court(s): Council of Twelve or Consiglio dei XII (consists of 12 members)judge 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 judgesnote: the College of Guarantors for the Constitutionality and General Norms functions as San Marino's constitutional court
• Legislative Branch: legislature name: Great and General Council (Consiglio grande e generale)legislative structure: unicameralnumber of seats: 60 (all directly elected)electoral system: proportional representationscope of elections: full renewalterm in office: 5 yearsmost recent election date: 6/9/2024parties elected and seats per party: Christian Democratic Party of San Marino (PDCS) (22); Free (Libera) – Socialist Party (PS) (10); Future Republic (RF) (8); Party of Socialists and Democrats (PSD) (8); Tomorrow - Motus Liberi (5); Reformist Alliance (AR) (4); R.E.T.E. Citizens' Movement (3)percentage of women in chamber: 35%expected date of next election: June 2029

Demographic Profile

n/a

Economy

• high-income, non-EU European economy; surrounded by Italy, which is the dominant importer and exporter; open border to EU and a euro user; strong financial sector; high foreign investments; low taxation; increasingly high and risky debt
• Budget: revenues: $841.03 million (2023 est.)expenditures: $816.886 million (2023 est.)note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
• Credit Rating: n/a
• Natural Resources: building stone
• Industries: tourism, banking, textiles, electronics, ceramics, cement, wine
• Agricultural Products: wheat, grapes, corn, olives; cattle, pigs, horses, beef, cheese, hides
• Land Use: agricultural land: 38.3% (2022 est.)arable land: 33.1% (2022 est.)permanent crops: 5.3% (2022 est.)permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)forest: 16.7% (2022 est.)other: 45% (2022 est.)
• Labor Force by Occupation: n/a
• Imports
• Imported Commodities: garments, cars, electricity, animal food, footwear (2023)note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
• Import Partners: Germany 24%, Italy 13%, Netherlands 9%, Spain 9%, Poland 8% (2023)note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
• Exports
• Exported Commodities: washing and bottling machines, other foods, packaged medicine, woodworking machines, aircraft (2023)note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
• Export Partners: Germany 12%, Austria 10%, USA 9%, Romania 8%, Brazil 7% (2023)note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports