San Marino

The oldest surviving republic in the world, which stayed independent by being too small and too high to be worth taking. Tradition holds that a stonemason named Marinus, fleeing persecution, founded a community on Monte Titano in 301, and the republic has governed itself continuously since, with a constitution in the form of statutes from 1600 that is among the oldest still in force. It is governed by two captains regent serving jointly for six months, an arrangement designed to prevent anyone accumulating power and unchanged since the thirteenth century. Napoleon offered to enlarge it and was declined, on the grounds that the republic wished to remain small enough to be ignored. Garibaldi took refuge there in 1849, which is why Italy has guaranteed its independence since. San Marino sheltered around a hundred thousand refugees during the Second World War, several times its own population, and was bombed anyway. It has never joined the European Union but uses the euro and mints its own coins, which collectors seek out. Postage stamps were long a significant export. It has no debt and a small standing militia. The country has about 34 thousand people on sixty-one square kilometres, entirely surrounded by Italy. Italian is the official language. Its three towers on Monte Titano appear on the flag and the coat of arms. The historic centre is a World Heritage site. It has never had a monarch. Its two co-heads of state are elected by parliament and may not serve consecutive terms. The republic has no airport and no railway.

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