Ariel Shot of Guita Tower
Un Introduzione
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The crest of San Marino (appears on the national flag)
Map of San Marino (World Fact Book)
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The three circles of English as described by Kachru
(AmazingJus) |
What Circle of English is San Marino a part of?San Marino is considered to be a part of the Expanding Circle of English. This means that English is used in this country occasionally in certain contexts, but is not spoken on a daily basis. English is largely utilized in the country for international business, secondary language education, and tourism. (Kachru, 1990)
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Governo
Government
San Marino is a parliamentary republic, meaning the people elect officials to represent them in government. San Marino's parliament is called the Great and General Council. The government has multiple members of the executive branch, two chiefs of state and ten members of the Congress of State. The co-chiefs of state are called the Captain Regents and they preside over the meetings of the Great and General Council. The ten members of the Congress of State are tasked with implementing legislation in different areas of government, including foreign affairs, internal affairs, and the state treasury.
Above and Below: Outside of San Marino Parliament building
(Akinmade, 2016) |
Il Popolo e la Lingua
The People and the LanguageSan Marino, as of 2018, holds a population of 33,779 with its largest urban area, the capital, only inhabiting 4,000 people. The most prevalent and official religion practiced in San Marino is Christianity, specifically Roman Catholic. While there is a growing youth population within the country, 40 percent of the population is between the ages of 25-54, with a median age of 44 years old.
The two distinct ethnic groups in San Marino are Italians and Sammarinese, which are the native people of San Marino. Interestingly, San Marino does not have birth-right citizenship, so in order to gain citizenship in San Marino, an individual must have at least one parent who is already a citizen. To gain citizenship as an immigrant to the country, one must reside there for at least 30 years before applying. The Republic only recognizes Italian as the official language of the country, but 83 percent of the adult native population speak a variety of the Northern Italian dialect called Sammarinese (Lepschy, 2006). Roman Catholic Church in San Marino (Akinmade, 2016)
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Economia
EconomyWith a heavy focus on tourism, banking, and exports, San Marino relies heavily on the outside world to support the country's economy. Tourism is mainly focused on the country's capital, the City of San Marino, that brings in over 2 million tourists per year. More than half of the country's GDP arises from its manufacturing and export of goods such as ceramics, clothing, spirits, wine, and furniture.
Nearly 90 percent of the country's export market and financial sector consolidation is with Italy, San Marino's closest neighbor, which has large control over the small countries economic situation. In 2008, there was a significant decline in export demand from Italy which had an overall negative affect on San Marino's economy. This economic crisis is still ongoing in San Marino and has resulted in increased unemployment rates and a reduction in the GDP. Wine and Spirits from San Marino
Guita Tower: One of the most popular tourist destinations in the City of San Marino
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A SMALL GLIMPSE INTO
THE BEAUTY OF SAN MARINO
A short video from the Tourism Board of San Marino.
Provides visuals of the capital of San Marino, neighboring towns, and other aspects of the country's culture.
(Repubblica San Marino, 2016)