San Marino has a population of around 34,000, making it one of the least populated countries in Europe. The Sammarinese are ethnically and culturally Italian -- they speak Italian, eat Italian food, and follow Italian football. What sets them apart is a fierce pride in their independence, which has endured since AD 301.
The country is Roman Catholic, and the church plays an important role in community life. Sammarinese society is close-knit and traditional. Everyone seems to know everyone else, which is inevitable in a country this small.
Visitors will find the locals friendly and accustomed to tourists, particularly in the historic center. San Marino receives over three million visitors a year -- roughly 100 tourists for every resident -- so the people have learned to take the crowds in stride. In the smaller municipalities outside the capital, life is quieter and more typically Italian.
One quirky fact: San Marino has more registered vehicles than people, which says something about the Sammarinese relationship with their cars and the country's role as a tax-favorable place to register them.