Country name
conventional long form: Republic of San Marino
conventional short form: San Marino
local long form: Repubblica di San Marino
local short form: San Marino

Data code SM

Government type republic

National capital San Marino

Administrative divisions 9 municipalities (castelli, singular - castello); Acquaviva, Borgo Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano, Fiorentino, Monte Giardino, San Marino, Serravalle

Independence 301 AD (by tradition)

National holiday Anniversary of the Foundation of the Republic, 3 September

Constitution 8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the functions of a constitution

Legal system based on civil law system with Italian law influences; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
chief of state: co-chiefs of state Captain Regent Loris FRANCINI and Captain Regent Alberto CECCHETTI (for the period 1 April-30 September 1998)
head of government: Secretary of State for Foreign and Political Affairs Gabriele GATTI (since NA July 1986)
cabinet: Congress of State elected by the Great and General Council for a five-year term
elections: co-chiefs of state (captain regents) elected by the Great and General Council for a six-month term; election last held NA March 1998 (next to be held NA September 1998); secretary of state for foreign and political affairs elected by the Great and General Council for a five-year term; election last held NA 1993 (next to be held NA June 1998)
election results: Loris FRANCINI and Alberto CECCHETTI elected captain regents; percent of legislative vote - NA; Gabriele GATTI elected secretary of state for foreign and political affairs; percent of legislative vote - NA
note: the popularly elected parliament (Great and General Council) selects two of its members to serve as the Captains Regent (Co-Chiefs of State) for a six-month period; they preside over meetings of the Great and General Council and its cabinet (Congress of State) which has ten other members, all selected by the Great and General Council; assisting the Captains Regent are three Secretaries of State - Foreign Affairs, Internal Affairs, and Finance - and several additional secretaries; the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs has assumed many of the prerogatives of a prime minister

Legislative branch unicameral Great and General Council or Consiglio Grande e Generale (60 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 30 May 1993 (next to be held by 31 May 1998)
election results: percent of vote by party - PDCS 41.4%, PSS 23.7%, PDP 18.6%, AP 7.7%, MD 5.3%, RC 3.3%; seats by party - PDCS 26, PSS 14, PDP 11, AP 4, MD 3, RC 2

Judicial branch Council of Twelve or Consiglio dei XII

Political parties and leaders Christian Democratic Party or PDCS [Cesare GASPERONI, secretary general]; Democratic Progressive Party or PDP (formerly San Marino Communist Party or PSS) [Stefano MACINA, secretary general]; San Marino Socialist Party or PSS [Maurizio RATTINI, secretary general]; Democratic Movement or MD [Emilio DELLA BALDA]; Popular Alliance or AP [Antonella MULARONI]; Communist Refoundation or RC [Giuseppe AMICHI]

International organization participation CE, ECE, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US San Marino does not have an embassy in the US
honorary consulate(s) general: Washington, DC, and New York
honorary consulate(s): Detroit

Diplomatic representation from the US the US does not have an embassy in San Marino; the US Consul General in Florence (Italy) is accredited to San Marino

Flag description two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue with the national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coat of arms has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) flanked by a wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word LIBERTAS (Liberty)

NOTE: The information regarding San Marino on this page is re-published from the 1998 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of San Marino Government 1998 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about San Marino Government 1998 should be addressed to the CIA.