San Marino is one of the smallest republics in the world. And it is located in Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The alternative name of the small republic is in Italian: La Serenissima Republica di San Morino (The Most Serene Republic of San Marino). San Marino is a mountainous microstate totally landlocked by Italy.
The country was named after its founder, Marinus, who found the republic in 301C.E. The small republic is approximately 24 square miles in land size, and is completely land-locked by Italy.
Capital: San Marino
Population: 31,448 (2013)World Bank
Currency: Euro
Official language: Italian
Government: Unitary Parliamentary Directional Republic
Captains Regent: Massimo Andrea Ugolini, Gian Nicola Berti
Random Facts About San Marino
Here are 10 other random facts about San Marino that you will love to read
SEE ALSO: 10 Amazing Facts About Norway You Need To Know
1. CITIZENSHIP IMPOSSIBLE
There is a free flow of people in and out of the San Marino. Still, becoming a citizen of the country is extremely difficult. The main factors that gives a person automatic citizenship are:
- Both parents are Sammarinese
- Being born in the republic
Anything outside these, getting citizenship status is herculean. Getting is through naturalization is an absolute rarity.
2. HUMAN TRAFFIC LIGHTS
Going out of San Marino through the Porta S. Francesco gate presents one with a picturesque spectacle. One would see nicely dressed officials serving as human traffic lights. Right by the gate is a busy road. And their job is to stop all the traffic if somebody wants to cross the street.
3. VALUABLE COINS
San Marino coins are a collector’s delight. Unfortunately, the coins have all been sold out! It is now impossible to find San Marino coins now, even in San Marino! However, every coin collector worth his onion can sniff out shops specialized in numismatic shops.
4. PARTICULAR ABOUT STAMPS
San Marino uses the Euro as currency because it landlocked by Italy. But that does not mean that you can send your postcards using Italian stamps. Sammarinese have their own stamps, and only those are accepted on letters within the country and/or leaving the country.
SEE ALSO: 10 Amazing Facts About Samoa You Need To Know
5. LEAST BUSY GUARDS
Curiously, there are guards outside the government building. The guards’ uniforms are funny-coloured. And they do very little else other than standing still. Then they tap one foot on the ground each time someone leaves the building. And of course, they are usually regularly photographed.
6. WORLD RECORDS
San Marino may be a small country, but it holds a number of records. Here are just two of them:
- The world’s oldest constitutional republic
- The world’s oldest constitution…in effect since the 1600s
The tiny European country also boasts of the following:
- Bring a fiscal paradise
- Bank transparency that is now on “white list” the world over
7. TOPMOST INCOME EARNER
Tourism being a top income earner, souvenir shops are a legion. And a shop owner could pull out all his wares or turn everything upside down just to show you if you so much as express a slight interest in their merchandise. However, bargaining in any of the shops is not appreciated or even expect.
8. COOL GOVERNMENT
The main governing body of San Marino is the Great and General Council, a system of government that has been in operation since 1243. The council has sixty members, and they are elected every five years under a proportional representation system.
The sixty-member council, in turn, elects two captains regents every six month for a six-month term. The captains regents (chosen from opposing parties for the purpose of balance) serve as head of state.
9. STRICTLY NON-ALIGNED
San Marino, though small, does not have any worries of offending other nations either by omission or commission. This is because of their being officially neutral and not taking sides with one nation against the other. Two, San Marino does not maintain an army.
SEE ALSO: 10 Funny Facts About Rwanda You’ll Love See
10. LOW MARRIAGE; EVEN LESS DIVORCE
It appears that Sammarinese are shy away from the marriage institution. How else would one describe a nation where marriage is as low as eight per one thousand?! But there is one thing in their favour though. Divorce rate is negligible too.
This stuff will really help you