MySQL Type for Storing a Year: Smallint or Varchar or Date?

Question

I will be storing a year in a MySQL table: Is it better to store this as a smallint or varchar? I figure that since it\'s not a full date, that the date format shouldn\'t

Answer 1

I would use the YEAR(4) column type... but only if the years expected are within the range 1901 and 2155... otherwise, see Gambrinus's answer.