Christmas Island (2003) | San Marino (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | none (territory of Australia) | 9 municipalities (castelli, singular - castello); Acquaviva, Borgo Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano, Fiorentino, Monte Giardino, San Marino, Serravalle |
Age structure | 0-14 years: NA%
15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.) |
0-14 years:
15.88% (male 2,241; female 2,100) 15-64 years: 67.94% (male 9,048; female 9,525) 65 years and over: 16.18% (male 1,902; female 2,520) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | NA | wheat, grapes, corn, olives; cattle, pigs, horses, beef, cheese, hides |
Airports | 1 (2002) | none |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
- |
Area | total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
61.2 sq km land: 61.2 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC | about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park. | 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. |
Birth rate | NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 10.76 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
revenues:
$400 million expenditures: $400 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
Capital | The Settlement | San Marino |
Climate | tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds | Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers |
Coastline | 80 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | NA | 8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the functions of a constitution |
Country name | conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island |
conventional long form:
Republic of San Marino conventional short form: San Marino local long form: Repubblica di San Marino local short form: San Marino |
Currency | Australian dollar (AUD) | Italian lira (ITL); euro (EUR) |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 7.68 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $NA |
Dependency status | territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of Australia) | the US does not have an embassy in San Marino; the US Consul General in Florence (Italy) is accredited to San Marino |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of Australia) | San Marino does not have an embassy in the US
honorary consulate(s) general: Washington, DC, and New York honorary consulate(s): Detroit |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | $NA |
Economy - overview | Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, slated to begin operation in 2003. | The tourist sector contributes over 50% of GDP. In 1999 more than 3 million tourists visited San Marino. The key industries are banking, wearing apparel, electronics, and ceramics. Main agricultural products are wine and cheeses. The per capita level of output and standard of living are comparable to those of the most prosperous regions of Italy, which supplies much of its food. |
Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh
note: electric power supplied by Italy (1999) |
Electricity - imports | - | NA kWh
note: electricity supplied by Italy |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
fossil fuel:
NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
lowest point:
Torrente Ausa 55 m highest point: Monte Titano 755 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Nuclear Test Ban signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution |
Ethnic groups | Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001) |
Sammarinese, Italian |
Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173(2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998) | euros per US dollar - 1.06594 (January 2001), 1.08540 (2000), 0.93863 (1999); Italian lire per US dollar - 1,736.2 (1998), 1,703.1 (1997), 1,542.9 (1996) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator William Leonard TAYLOR (since 4 February 1999) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
chief of state:
cochiefs of state Captain Regent Luigi LONFERNINI and Captain Regent Fabio BERARDI (for the period 1 April 2001-30 September 2001) 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: cochiefs of state (captain regents) elected by the Great and General Council for a six-month term; election last held NA March 2001 (next to be held NA September 2001); secretary of state for foreign and political affairs elected by the Great and General Council for a five-year term; election last held NA June 1998 (next to be held NA June 2003) election results: Luigi LONFERNINI and Fabio BERARDI elected captain regents; percent of legislative vote - NA; Gabriele GATTI reelected secretary of state for foreign and political affairs; percent of legislative vote - NA note: the popularly elected parliament (Grand and General Council) selects two of its members to serve as the Captains Regent (cochiefs of state) for a six-month period; they preside over meetings of the Grand and General Council and its cabinet (Congress of State) which has ten other members, all selected by the Grand 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 |
Exports | $NA | trade data are included with the statistics for Italy |
Exports - commodities | phosphate | building stone, lime, wood, chestnuts, wheat, wine, baked goods, hides, ceramics |
Exports - partners | Australia, NZ | - |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | calendar year |
Flag description | the flag of Australia is used; note - in early 1986, the Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for an island flag, however, the winning design has never been formally adopted as the official flag of the territory | 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) |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $NA | purchasing power parity - $860 million (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $NA | purchasing power parity - $32,000 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | 8% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 10 30 S, 105 40 E | 43 46 N, 12 25 E |
Geography - note | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean | landlocked; smallest independent state in Europe after the Holy See and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines |
Highways | total: 240 km
paved: 30 km unpaved: 210 km (2000) |
total:
220 km paved: 220 km unpaved: 0 km (2001) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $NA | trade data are included with the statistics for Italy |
Imports - commodities | consumer goods | wide variety of consumer manufactures, food |
Imports - partners | principally Australia | - |
Independence | none (territory of Australia) | 3 September 301 |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 6% (1997 est.) |
Industries | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) | tourism, banking, textiles, electronics, ceramics, cement, wine |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA%
male: NA% female: NA% |
6.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA% | 2.2% (2000) |
International organization participation | none | CE, ECE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court | Council of Twelve or Consiglio dei XII |
Labor force | NA | 18,500 (1999) |
Labor force - by occupation | tourism 400 people, mining 100 people (1995) | services 60%, industry 38%, agriculture 2% (1998 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total:
39 km border countries: Italy 39 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park (1998 est.) |
arable land:
17% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 83% (1993 est.) |
Languages | English (official), Chinese, Malay | Italian |
Legal system | under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law | based on civil law system with Italian law influences; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve one-year terms)
elections: last held NA December 2002 (next to be held NA December 2003) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 |
unicameral Grand 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 31 May 1998 (next likely to be held by NA June 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - PDCS 40.8%, PSS 23.3%, PPDS 18.6%, APDS 9.8%, RC 3.3%, SR 4.2%; seats by party - PDCS 25, PSS 14, PPDS 11, APDS 6, RC 2, SR 2 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years (2003 est.) |
total population:
81.23 years male: 77.68 years female: 85.1 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | NA | definition:
age 10 and over can read and write total population: 96% male: 97% female: 95% (1976 est.) |
Location | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia | Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Europe |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone: 12 NM
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
none (landlocked) |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | - |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia | - |
Military branches | - | Voluntary Military Force, Police Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $700,000 (FY00) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | NA% |
National holiday | NA | Founding of the Republic, 3 September (301) |
Nationality | noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island |
noun:
Sammarinese (singular and plural) adjective: Sammarinese |
Natural hazards | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard | NA |
Natural resources | phosphate, beaches | building stone |
Net migration rate | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 11.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | none | Communist Refoundation or RC [Ivan FOSHI]; Ideas in Movement or IM [Alessandro ROSSI]; San Marino Christian Democratic Party or PDCS [Pier Marino MENICUCCI]; San Marino Popular Alliance of Democrats or APDS [Mario VENTURINI]; San Marino Progressive Democratic Party or PPDS [Claudio FELICI]; San Marino Socialist Party or PSS [Augusto CASALI]; Socialists for Reform or SR [Renzo GIARDI] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | NA |
Population | 433 (July 2003 est.) | 27,336 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | -9% (2003 est.) | 1.45% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Flying Fish Cove | none |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | 16,000 (1997) |
Railways | 24 km to serve phosphate mines | 0 km; note - there is a 1.5 km cable railway connecting the city of San Marino to Borgo Maggiore |
Religions | Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) | Roman Catholic |
Sex ratio | NA (2003 est.) | at birth:
1.09 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: service provided by the Australian network
domestic: only analog mobile telephone service is available international: satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000) |
general assessment:
adequate connections domestic: automatic telephone system completely integrated into Italian system international: connected to Italian international network |
Telephones - main lines in use | NA | 18,000 (1998) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 3,010 (1998) |
Television broadcast stations | NA | 1 (San Marino residents also receive broadcasts from Italy) (1997) |
Terrain | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau | rugged mountains |
Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman (2003 est.) | 1.3 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | 3% (1999) |
Waterways | none | none |