Corsica

I

Introduction

Corsica (French, Corse), island, a territorial collectivity of France, in the Mediterranean Sea. Located about 160 km (99 mi) off the south-east coast of France, it is the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean. The Strait of Bonifacio separates Corsica from the Italian island of Sardinia to the south. The island is divided into two departments, Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud, and has an area of 8,680 sq km (3,351 sq mi).

II

Physical Geography

The interior is mountainous, with Mount Cinto (2,710 m/8,891 ft) the highest peak. Much of the land is covered in forest and scrub. The coast is mostly rocky and indented in the west; in the east the fertile alluvial coastal plain of Aleria is dotted with lagoons and swamps. From the mountains descend numerous short, torrential streams. The largest rivers are the Golo and the Tavignano. Corsica also features the Calanches, a formation of granite pinnacles that have eroded into curious forms resembling fabulous creatures, as well as stalactite caves and the Parc de la Corse regional nature park. The Calanches, as well as the Scandola Nature Reserve and the peninsulas of Porto and Girolata, were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

III

Population

The population of Corsica is 249,737 (1990), and the island has a lower than average population density of 31 people per sq km (80 per sq mi). The principal Corsican towns are Ajaccio (1999 52,880), the capital and largest town; Bastia (1999, 37,884); Porto-Vecchio (1999, 10,326); Corte (1999, 6,329); Calvi (1999, 5,177); and Biguglia (1999, 5,018); Propriano (1999, 3,166) is a popular bathing and health resort.

Although politically a part of France, Corsica has had close ties with Italy. As in Sicily and other parts of Italy, Corsica was long noted for the practice of the vendetta, a blood feud between families or clans. Blood feuds are no longer common, but they have not been stopped in the less accessible parts of the island.

While French is the official language of Corsica, the Corsican language (part of the Southern sub-group of Romance languages) is also widely spoken. A university was established in Corte by the Corsican statesman Pasquale Paoli in 1765. The university was closed following the French conquest of the island in 1769 but reopened in the 1980s. Perhaps the island’s most famous residents were the Bonaparte family, who lived in Ajaccio during the 18th century. The city was the birthplace of Napoleon I and his brothers Jérôme, Louis, and Lucien; their former childhood home has been converted into a museum.

IV

Economy

Farming and manufacturing exist on a limited scale. Grapes, wheat, olives, vegetables, and citrus fruit are cultivated; goats and sheep are raised; and cheese is produced. The forests, which have been greatly depleted, still supply chestnuts, timber, and cork. Other industries of the island are fishing, wine-making, mining of antimony and asbestos, quarrying of granite and marble, and the preparation of tannic acid. Corsica is popular with tourists, who can enjoy a wide range of activities from skiing to scuba-diving.