San Marino
2 of the 7 encyclopedias on this shelf carry an entry for San Marino. Both are reproduced below, so you can see where they agree and where they differ.
Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)
san ma-re'no, the smallest republic in the world. It lies entirely within Italian territory on a spur of the Apennines, overlooking the Adriatic Sea. Area, thirty-eight square miles; population, 11,002. The inhabitants are engaged chiefly in raising cattle, pressing wine, and quarrying stone. The capital, a city of the same name, has a population of about 2,000 people. It is situated on a crag which is surrounded by a strongly fortified wall. The principal manufacture is silk. The government of the tiny republic is administered by a council of sixty members elected from the ranks of noble citizens and peasants. For so small a commonwealth, the government buildings are surprisingly massive and costly. Italy has been fertile in republics. In the turmoil of the Middle Ages there arose a host of free municipalities, turbulent, quarrelsome, but, on the whole, self-governing. Some of these became very rich and powerful-Venice and Genoa in particular. The most of them gradually lost their liberties, and either became despotisms, like Florence, or were merged in some greater power. Venice and Genoa survived until the end of the eighteenth century. One of this medieval cluster still exists-the independent republic of San Marino. This little town of 8,000 people is an odd medieval petrifaction in the midst of our nineteenth century. Perched amid the Apennines, it has kept its freedom through all the changes which have swept over the peninsula. It was not overthrown in the past, because nobody particularly cared to attack it. It is preserved now partly because of the respect which modern and liberal Italy has for free institutions, and partly because the Italians are rather proud of its antiquity. They regard it as an interesting freak. It is bound to Italy by a treaty of friendship made in 1872.--H. P. Judson, Europe in the Nineteenth Century.
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
the smallest republic in Europe, and one of its most ancient States; is inclosed by the provinces of Forli and Pesaro and Urbino, of the kingdom of Italy; situated 9 miles S. W. of Rimini. The legislature of the republic is a senate of 60 members, elected one-third every three years from the nobles, citizens, and peasants. Two presidents are chosen by by the senate every six months, called captains regent. Two secretaries of state and two legal functionaries are the other government officials. This little republic occupies a great, rocky, mountainous site, about 2,420 feet high, precipitous on all sides, with intervening dense forests and valleys of fertile land. The town is built round a hermitage, founded in 441, and is accessible by but one road. It is surrounded by great walls and has three forts. The wealthier citizens reside in the suburb of Borgo: The manufacture of silk is the chief industry of the town. Many of the buildings are stately and remarkably massive in structure, including the governor's palace, and six churches, one of which contains the tomb and statue of St. Marino. There are several schools, museuments theatreim a mense cisterns provide the public with water. The inhabitants are principally engaged in agriculture. The military number 950 men. From the 10th to the 13th centuries the inhabitants succeeded in maintaining their independence, which was recognized by the Church in 1291, and confirmed by the Pope in 1631. The treaty with Italy of 1907 was revised in 1914. In 1915 the republic declared war on Austria. Area of the republic, 38 square miles; pop. (1919) 11,944.