PEOPLE
The population of San Marino is comprised of native Sammarinese and Italian citizens. Crop farming, sheep farming, and the working of stone from the quarries formed the early backbone of San Marino's economy. It has no mineral resources, and today most of the land is cultivated or covered by woods.
According to tradition, San
Marino was founded in AD 301 when a Christian stonemason named
Marinus the Dalmation fled the island of Arbe to escape the anti-Christian
Roman Emperor Diocletian. Marinus hid on the peak of Mount Titano
and founded a small community of people following their Christian
beliefs. It is certain that the area had been inhabited since
prehistoric times, although evidence of existence on Mount Titano
dates back only to the Middle Ages. In memory of the stone cutter,
the land was renamed "Land of San Marino," then called the "Community
of San Marino," and was finally changed to its present-day name,
"Republic of San Marino."
The original government structure
was composed of a self-governed assembly known as the Arengo,
which consisted of the heads of each family. In 1243, the positions
of Captains Regent (Capitani Reggenti) were established to be
the joint heads of state.
The land area of San Marino consisted only of Mount Titano until 1463, at which time the republic entered into an alliance against Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, Lord of Rimini, who was later defeated. As a result, Pope Pius II Piccolomini gave San Marino the towns of Fiorentino, Montegiardino, and Serravalle. Later that year, the town of Faetano joined the republic on its own accord. Since then, the size of San Marino has remained unchanged.
San Marino has been occupied
by foreign militaries twice in its history, both for only short
periods of time. In 1503 Cesare Borgia, known as Valentino, occupied
the republic until his death several months later. In 1739, Cardinal
Alberoni used military force to occupy the country, but civil
disobedience was used to protest this, and clandestine notes sent
to the Pope to obtain justice were answered by the Pope's recognition
of San Marino's rights and restoration of independence.
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Sammarinese.
Population (December 2007): 30,780.
Ethnic groups: Sammarinese, Italian.
Religion: Roman Catholic.
Language: Italian.
Education: Literacy--96%.
Health: Infant mortality rate (2006)--5.63/1,000 live birth rates. Life expectancy (2006)--79.6 years for men and 85.2 years for women.
Work force (December 2007): 22,056.
