San Marino is one of the smallest republics in the world. It is located in a small enclave in northern Italy , south of the city of Rimini . San Marino is also believed to be the oldest republic in the world with a history of independence dating back to 301 AD.

Located in the central Apennines , east of Florence , San Marino has a terrain dominated by the three-peaked Mount Titano (2,425 ft). The country is watered by several streams including the Ausa, Marano and San Marino . San Marino is the third smallest independent state in Europe , after the Vatican City and Monaco .

The people of San Marino are mostly of Sammarinese or Italian origin.

Located on the lower slopes of Mount Titano , the medieval center of San Marino city has been perfectly preserved, and has to be explored on foot as cars are banned here. The three peaks of the mountain are capped with fortified towers, linked by a system of walls and pathways that are accessible from the city below. The city itself is enclosed by three walls which comprise of gateways, towers and ramparts. Inside the walls are narrow winding streets, Churches and medieval houses, and the places worth visiting are, the Government Palace, the Basilica, the State Museum and Art Gallery, St. Francis Church, the Cappucin Friars Church of St. Quirino and the Exhibition of San Marino Handicrafts.The surrounding villages also hold many attractions besides the natural beauty of the pine woods, springs, streams, lakes and fishing reserves. The Italian beaches on the Adriatic Coast can also be easily reached from here.

San Marino is an interesting place, not just for the tourists but also for the investors, big and small.

The population of San Marino is comprised of native Sammarinese and Italian citizens. Crop farming, sheep farming, and the working of stone from the quarries formed the early backbone of San Marino 's economy. It has no mineral resources, and today most of the land is cultivated or covered by woods.

According to tradition, San Marino was founded in AD 301 when a Christian stonemason named Marinus the Dalmation fled the island of Arbe to escape the anti-Christian Roman Emperor Diocletian. Marinus hid on the peak of Mount Titano and founded a small community of people following their Christian beliefs. It is certain that the area had been inhabited since prehistoric times, although evidence of existence on Mount Titano dates back only to the Middle Ages. In memory of the stone cutter, the land was renamed "Land of San Marino ," then called the "Community of San Marino," and was finally changed to its present-day name, " Republic of San Marino ."