San Marino, officially known as the Republic of San Mario, is a small state located on the Italian Peninsula. In fact, it is the third smallest country in Europe, preceded only by the Vatican and Monaco. Although landlocked by Italy, it is an independent state that takes up a mere 61 square kilometers. Its capital is the City of San Marino. It has a rugged terrain, due to its location near to the Apennine Mountains, There is no natural level ground; it is composed completely of hilly terrain. The highest point is the summit of Monte Titano, which is 2,457 feet above sea level. The climate of San Marino is Mediterranean, with continental influences. It has warm summers and cool winters. The population of San Marino, last recoded in 2010, is …show more content…

It offers students a variety of educational programs, including science and liberal arts. The culture of San Marino is very unique. The people refer to themselves as Sammarinese. The official language is Italian. The country has a rich musical tradition closely linked to that of Italy, but is still independent of it. The main sport San Marino is soccer, but basketball and volleyball are also popular. The cuisine of San Marino is very similar to Italian cuisine. One of its more popular dishes is nidi di rodine (a baked pasta dish with smoked ham, beef, cheese and a tomato sauce). Its most popular dessert is the Torta Tre Monti, or Cake of Three Mountains. It is a wafer layered cake covered in chocolate depicting the Three Towers of San Marino. The main tourist attractions in San Marino are The Three Towers of San Marino, the Cathedral of San Marino, the Palazzo Pubblico, the Piazza della Libertà, the Statua della Libertà, and the Museo di Stato di San Marino. San Marino is a predominantly Catholic state, but Catholicism isn’t the official religion. The Sammarinese flag consists of two equal horizontal bands of white (on top) and light blue with the national coat of arms superimposed in the center. The coat of arms has a shield with three towers on three peaks flanked by a wreath. Underneath is a crown and above there is a scroll that reads “LIBERTAS”. Libertas means liberty in