San Marino: Background & Geography

Introduction San Marino
Background:
 The third smallest state in Europe (after the Holy See and Monaco) also claims to be the world's oldest republic. According to tradition, it was founded by a Christian stonemason named Marinus in 301 A.D. 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 San Marino
Location:
 Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy
Geographic coordinates:
 43 46 N, 12 25 E
Map references:
 Europe
Area:
 total: 61.2 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 61.2 sq km
Area - comparative:
 about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
 total: 39 km
border countries: Italy 39 km
Coastline:
 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims - as described in UNCLOS 1982 (see Notes and Definitions):
 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% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
 NA sq km
Natural hazards:
 NA
Environment - current issues:
 NA
Environment - international agreements:
 party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution
Geography - note:
 landlocked; smallest independent state in Europe after the Holy See and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines

See Also: