Corsica

(Corse)

   Located in the Mediterranean Sea, Corsica is considered a territorial collectivity, or region, of France. Separated from Sardinia by the Strait of Bonifacio, the island's principal towns are Ajaccio, Bastia, Sartene, Corte, Calvi, L'Île-Rousse, Porto-Vecchio, and Bonifacio. Corsica is divided into two departments (Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud) and covers an area of 8,780 square kilometers. The interior is mountainous, with the highest peak at Mont Cinto (2,710 m). The west coast is indented and rocky, and the east is filled with swamps and lagoons. The largest rivers are the Golo and the Tavignano. Farming and manufacturing are the main economic activities, with grapes, olives, vegetables, citrus fruit, and wheat being cultivated. Goats and sheep are raised, and the forests, which have been depleted, produce chestnuts and cork. The island is known for its heavy undergrowth, the maquis, which provides natural hiding places. other industries of the island are quarrying of marble and granite, winemaking, mining, and tourism. Corsica has an ancient history, with settlements going back to the Neolithic period. In antiquity, the Phoenicians, Greeks, and Etruscans successively occupied the island, and in 259 b.c. Corsica was conquered by the Romans. After the fifth century a.d., Corsica was ruled by the Vandals, Byzantines, Lombards, and the Moors. In the late 11th century, it became subject to the papacy, which divided it between Pisa and Genoa. Corsica remained under Genoese rule until the 18th century, when it was ceded to France (1768). The following year, napoléon i was born at the island's capital, Ajaccio. During the Napoleonic Wars, Corsica was held by the British. During World War II, it was occupied by the Germans and Italians, but the Allies liberated it in 1943. In 1958, Corsica was controlled by elements of the rebellious OAS (see Algeria). In the 1970s, a movement developed to achieve greater autonomy for the island, with radical groups resorting to terrorism in an effort to gain independence. In 1982, as part of a decentralizing program, the French government created the Corsican Regional Assembly. Comprising 50 members, it controls local financial, educational, and cultural affairs. These powers were increased in 1992. Corsica has a dry and sunny climate, similar to provence. The population is around 250,000.