San Marino, the smallest independent state of Europe and a republic (Monaco, though smaller, is a protectorate of France), lies among the eastern spurs of the Apennines, 9 miles SW. of Rimini on the Adriatic. It has an area of 33 sq. m., and comprises a town of the same name (pop. 1600) and some villages. The town is built on a mountain crag, and is accessible only by one road; the streets are steep and narrow. Agriculture and cattle-breeding are the principal occupations. In the 13th century the little community of San Marino cast in its lot with the house of Urbino; but on the annexation of this duchy to the Papal States in 1631 its independence was recognised by the pope, and it has been maintained down to the present day. Its constitution is that of a republic; but it acknowledges the king of Italy as its friend and protector. The real governing body is the Grand Council of sixty life-members, self-elected, of whom one-third are nobles. From this number are selected the Council of Twelve, who superintend agriculture, and, with the assistance of two foreign lawyers, form the supreme court of the state. The executive is committed to two captains-regent, who are chosen, the one from the nobles, the other from the bourgeoisie. They each hold office for six months. The militia of the republic numbers 950 men. Total pop. (1886) 7840; (1896) 8500.
See Macmillan's Magazine for Jan. 1891, and works by Delfico (2 vols. Milan, 1804), Bruc (Paris, 1876), Jonas (Vienna, 1878), and Cazeneuve (Paris, 1887).