The San Marino Office for Economic Planning and the Centre for Data Processing and Statistics have published two important monitoring studies on household consumption patterns and life style from 1999 to 2002. It found that the education level of the head of the household was high: 15.32% holding a university degree or diploma and 40.51% has a high school diploma. The main consumption patterns of households (1999 figures) are:
- 59.2% spent their time reading (35.1% bought and 37.3% read one to five books / year);
- 88.9% of households read newspapers and 90.2% read periodicals;
- 91% regularly watched TV – this figure dropped in 2002 to 79.4%; and
- 75% went to the disco or cinema more than once a month.
The share of households with technological equipment rose between 1999 and 2002.
- PC owners increased from 51.2% in 1999 to 76% in 2002;
- Houses with Internet connections rose from 31.1% in 1999 to 58.2% in 2002; and
- Satellite TV connections also increased from 36.2% in 1999 to 58% in 2002.
A survey made by the Data Processing Centre and Statistics in 2004 shows that expenditures outside the Republic for education and leisure / entertainment are equal to 61.48% and 58.19% respectively. The increase in technological equipment in San Marino households reflects the introduction of new products on the market. Although the number of PCs, Internet subscriptions and satellite dishes remained unchanged in 2004, in comparison with 2003 data, the number of households with a DVD reader (+8.3%), a digital photo camera (+3.1%) and a plasma flat TV (+2.2%) recorded a slight increase. The survey also reveals that most families purchase from 1 to 5 books per year. Books are mainly bought and read by women aged between 30 and 50, while newspapers are mainly read by men aged between 40 and 50. Periodicals are read mainly by women between 30 and 50. The number of families reading periodicals (73.7%) is higher than the number of families reading newspapers (71%). In the households, the same number of males and females up to 25 years of age watch television (93.8%), out of which 54% from 1 to 6 hours. If we consider people from 20 to 24, females prevail, while from 40 to 70, a higher number of males watch television. The same trend was observed for radio listeners (76.9% of households). Internet use (64.4% of households) remains stable compared to 2003: the survey revealed that males from 30 to 34 and from 40 to 49 prevail, while the percentage of younger people remains low (despite a slight increase).
In 1995, young people aged 15-24 were interviewed in a survey undertaken by the Sant’Andrea Social Centre in Serravalle. The main results are:
- 30% of young people participate in cultural activities related to information technology, foreign languages, theatre, cinema, literature, music, cuisine;
- 31.5% regularly went to discos or attended music groups; 3.5% spent part of their leisure time in political and trade union activities; 9% were involved in volunteer and social assistance activities; 16% belonged to parish and religious groups; 6% participated in environmental and ecological activities;
- 60% watched TV two-three hours per day, 20% almost one hour and the remaining 20% 4 or more hours (mainly girls); and
- 50% had a PC at home, but only 20% had a good or fairly good knowledge of the Internet.
An Observatory on Population Trends was established in 2004 by the Ministry of Health, Social Security and Equal Opportunities, with support from the Cassa di Risparmio Foundation. In September 2005, the results of a survey on San Marino adult population literacy were published. About 400 people from 16 to 75 were interviewed by DOXA to assess literacy levels on the basis of their behaviour. The aim was to establish any regression to illiteracy, examining loss of competences and skills due to lack of use. The interviews revealed high literacy levels, similar to those recorded in the most industrialised countries. Another focal point was the use of electronic means for the elaboration and transmission of information: computer has become a common tool in most San Marino families. Extremely interesting are the data on the elderly (66-75 years of age), who, despite their reduced opportunities to receive formal education, are very active.
The Tables below provide an overview of the rate of participation in cultural activities and institutions heavily subsidised by the State. These figures should, however, be read with caution. We are not able, for example, to distinguish between residents and non-residents. There are no attendance figures for participation in temporary exhibitions of contemporary art because access is free of charge.
Table 3: Theatre Attendance 1999-2007
| Year | No. of performances per year | Subscriptions | Total | Tickets Sold | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | F | ||||
| 1999/2000 | 12 | 221 | 254 | 475 | 1 848 |
| 2000/2001 | 11 | 308 | 423 | 731 | 2 644 |
| 2001/2002 | 11 | 264 | 336 | 600 | 2 099 |
| 2002/2003 | 15 | 222 | 159 | 381 | 3 403 |
| 2003/2004 | 13 | 131 | 104 | 235 | 2 573 |
| 2004/2005 | 8 | 157 | 132 | 289 | 1 675 |
| 2005/2006 | 11 | 136 | 118 | 254 | 2 506 |
| 2006/2007 | 12 | 78 | 133 | 211 | 1 587 |
| 2007/2008 | 12 | 60 | 113 | 173 | 1 355 |
Note: R = San Marino Resident; F = Foreigner
Table 4: Concert Attendance 1999-2007*
| Year | No. of performances per year | Subscriptions | Total | Tickets Sold | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | F | ||||
| 1999/2000 | 4 | – | – | – | 284 |
| 2000/2001 | 8 | 48 | 13 | 61 | 652 |
| 2001/2002 | 8 | 19 | 8 | 27 | 505 |
| 2002/2003 | 5 | 26 | 15 | 41 | 709 |
| 2003/2004 | 7 | 12 | 4 | 16 | 283 |
| 2004/2005 |
5 in season 4 out of season |
– – |
– – |
– – |
426 free entrance |
| 2005/2006 |
– 6 out of season |
– – |
– – |
– – |
– free entrance |
| 2006/2007 |
5 in season 4 out of season |
– – |
– – |
– – |
1 207 free entrance |
| 2007/2008 |
5 in season 3 out of season |
– – |
– – |
– – |
1 384 free entrance |
* Data refer only to the concerts performed by the San Marino Musical Institute, distinguished according to whether they were performed during the concert season or not, without any distinction between tickets sold to residents or foreigners.
Table 5: Cinema Attendance 1999-2007
| Year | Cinema tickets sold |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 76 863 |
| 2000 | 64 921 |
| 2001 | 67 877 |
| 2002 | 65 960 |
| 2003 | 52 436 |
| 2004 | 60 676 |
| 2005 | 41 625 |
| 2006 | 33 116 |
| 2007 | 33 891 |
Table 6: Number of visitors to State Museums* 1999-2007
| Year | Tickets issued | Paying visitors |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 256 161 | – |
| 2000 | 257 939 | 335 937 |
| 2001 | 250 308 | 351 476 |
| 2002 | 229 336 | 322 855 |
| 2003 | 180 076 | 237 488 |
| 2004 | 172 320 | 233 621 |
| 2005 | 161 572 | 221 369 |
| 2006 | 177 971 | 245 463 |
| 2007 | 181 447 | 251 281 |
* These figures do not include San Marino visitors, who have free access to State Museums. 2002 figures also include free entrances granted on request to bodies or similar entities upon authorisation by the Ministries or the Museums Directorate. The number of tickets issued is always smaller than that of effective paying visitors, since it includes single tickets and tickets granting entrance to two museums.
Table 7: Number of visitors at the Museum of the Emigrant* 1999-2007
| Year | Visitors |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 1 040 |
| 2000 | 2 253 |
| 2001 | 2 220 |
| 2002 | 892 |
| 2003 | 327 |
| 2004 | 497 |
| 2005 | 535 |
| 2006 | 780 |
| 2007 | 621 |
* No ticket is necessary to visit the Museum. Visitors are only asked to sign a guest book, which has been used to calculate the total number. As not all visitors have signed the book and in some cases a single signature refers to a family, a group of students or other groups this data can only be an indication of the number of visitors. No distinction can be made between residents and non residents.
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