Corsica was formed about 250 million years ago with the uplift of a granite backbone ...The southern coast in the vicinity of Bonifacio is an outcrop of chalk-white limestone, precipitous and sculpted into unusual shapes by the ocean.

Corsica (/ˈkɔːrsɪkə/ KOR-sik-ə; Corsican: [ˈkorsiɡa, ˈkɔrsika]; Italian: Corsica; French: Corse [kɔʁs] ⓘ)[3] is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 18 regions of France. It is the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of the French mainland, west of the Italian Peninsula and immediately north of the Italian island of Sardinia, the nearest land mass. A single chain of mountains makes up two-thirds of the island. As of January 2024, it had a population of 355,528.[1]

The island is a territorial collectivity of France, and is expected to achieve "a form of autonomy" in the near future.[4] The regional capital is Ajaccio. Although the region is divided into two administrative departments, Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud, their respective regional and departmental territorial collectivities were merged on 1 January 2018 to form the single territorial collectivity of Corsica. Corsican autonomy is more extensive than in other regional collectivities of France and the Corsican Assembly is permitted to exercise limited executive powers. Corsica's second-largest town is Bastia, located in the prefecture of Haute-Corse.

Corsica was ruled by the Republic of Genoa from 1284 to 1755, when it seceded to become a self-proclaimed, Italian-speaking Republic. In 1768, Genoa officially ceded it to Louis XV of France as part of a pledge for the debts incurred after enlisting French military help in suppressing the Corsican revolt; as a result, France annexed the island in 1769. The future Emperor of the French, Napoleon Bonaparte, was a native Corsican, born that same year in Ajaccio: his ancestral home, Maison Bonaparte, is now a visitor attraction and museum. Because of Corsica's historical ties to Tuscany, the island has retained many Italian cultural elements, and many Corsican surnames are rooted in the Italian peninsula.

French (Français) is the official and most widely spoken language on the island with Corsican, the native language and an Italo-Dalmatian language, also recognized as one of France's regional languages.

Corsica is the third-least populated region of France after Mayotte and French Guiana.

History
Main article: History of Corsica
Prehistory and antiquity
Main article: Prehistory of Corsica

Carthage and its dependencies in 264 BC

The Romanesque-Pisan style of the Church of Aregno
Corsica has been occupied since the Mesolithic era, otherwise known as the Middle Stone Age. The permanent human presence in Corsica is documented in the Neolithic period from the 6th millennium BC.[5]

After a brief occupation by the Carthaginians, colonization by the ancient Greeks, and an only slightly longer occupation by the Etruscans, it was incorporated by the Roman Republic at the end of the First Punic War and, with Sardinia, in 238 BC became a province of the Roman Republic.[6] The Greeks, who built a colony in Aléria, considered Corsica as one of the most backward regions of the Roman world. The island produced sheep, honey, resin and wax, and exported many slaves.[6] Moreover, it was known for its cheap wines, exported to Rome, and was used as a place of exile, one of the most famous being the Roman philosopher Seneca.[7]

Corsica was integrated into Roman Italy by Emperor Diocletian (r. 284–305). Administratively, the island was divided into pagi, which in the Middle Ages became the pievi, the basic administrative units of the island until 1768.[6]

Middle Ages
Main article: Medieval Corsica
In the fifth century, the western half of the Roman Empire collapsed, and the island was invaded by the Vandals and the Ostrogoths.[6] Briefly recovered by the Byzantine Empire, it soon became part of the Kingdom of the Lombards. This made it a dependency of the March of Tuscany, which used it as an outpost against the Saracens.[8] Pepin the Short, king of the Franks and Charlemagne's father, expelled the Lombards and nominally granted Corsica to Pope Stephen II.[8] In the first quarter of the 11th century, Pisa and Genoa together freed the island from the threat of Arab invasion.[8] After that, the island came under the influence of the Republic of Pisa.[8] Many polychrome churches which adorn the island date from this period. Corsica also experienced a massive immigration from Tuscany, which gave to the island its present toponymy and rendered the language spoken in the northern two-thirds of the island very close to the Tuscan dialect.[8] This led to the traditional division of Corsica into two parts, along the main chain of mountains roughly going from Calvi to Porto-Vecchio: the eastern Banda di dentro, or Cismonte, more populated, developed, and open to the commerce with Italy, and the western Banda di fuori, or Pomonte, almost deserted, wild and remote.[8]

The Barbary pirates frequently attacked Corsica
The crushing defeat experienced by Pisa in 1284 in the Battle of Meloria against Genoa had among its consequences the end of the Pisan rule and the beginning of the Genoese influence in Corsica:[8] this was contested initially by the King of Aragon, who in 1296 had received from the Pope the investiture over Sardinia and Corsica.[9] A popular revolution against this and the feudal lords, led by Sambucuccio d'Alando, got the aid of Genoa. After that, the Cismonte was ruled as a league of comuni and churches, after the Italian experience.[9] The following 150 years were a period of conflict, when the Genoese rule was contested by Aragon, the local lords, the comuni and the Pope: finally, in 1450 Genoa ceded the administration of the island to its main bank, the Bank of Saint George, which brought peace.[10]

In the 16th century, the island entered into the fight between Spain and France for supremacy in Italy.[10] In 1553, a Franco-Ottoman fleet occupied Corsica, but the reaction of Spain and Genoa, led by Andrea Doria, reestablished the Genoese supremacy on the island, confirmed by the Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis.[11] The unlucky protagonist of this episode was Sampiero di Bastelica, who would later come to be considered a hero of the island. Their power reinstated, the Genoese did not allow the Corsican nobility to share in the government of the island and oppressed the inhabitants with a heavy tax burden. On the other hand, they introduced the chestnut tree on a large scale, improving the diet of the population, and built a chain of towers along the coast to defend Corsica from the attacks of the Barbary pirates from North Africa.[12] The period of peace lasted until 1729, when the refusal to pay taxes by a peasant sparked the general insurrection of the island against Genoa.[13]

The island became known for the large number of mercenary soldiers and officers it produced. In 1743, over 4,600 Corsicans, or 4% of the entire population of the island, were serving as soldiers in various armies (predominantly those of Genoa, Venice, and Spain), making it one of the most militarized societies in Europe.[14]

Corsican Republic
Main articles: Corsican Republic and French conquest of Corsica

Pasquale Paoli

A view of Corsica and Martello tower, 1788 painting "A cutter and a man of war off Corsica" by Nicholas Pocock[15]
In 1729, the Corsican Revolution for independence from Genoa began, first led by Luiggi Giafferi and Giacinto Paoli, and later by Paoli's son, Pasquale Paoli. After 26 years of struggle against the Republic of Genoa, including an ephemeral attempt in 1736 to proclaim an independent Kingdom of Corsica under the German adventurer Theodor von Neuhoff, an independent Corsican Republic was proclaimed in 1755 under the leadership of Pasquale Paoli and remained sovereign until 1769 when the island was conquered by France.[16]

Following the outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789, Pasquale Paoli was able to return to Corsica from exile in Britain. In 1794, he invited British forces under Lord Hood to intervene to free Corsica from French rule. Anglo-Corsican forces drove the French from the island and established an Anglo-Corsican Kingdom.[17] Following Spain's entry into the war, the British decided to withdraw from Corsica in 1796.[18]

19th century

Saint-Nicolas church in Feliceto

Corsicans commemorating the anniversary of the birth of Napoleon
Despite being the birthplace of the Emperor, the island was slightly neglected by Napoleon's government.[19] In 1814, near the end of the Napoleonic Wars, Corsica was briefly occupied again by British troops. The Treaty of Bastia gave the British crown sovereignty over the island, but it was later repudiated by Lord Castlereagh who insisted that the island should be returned to a restored French monarchy.

After the restoration, the island was further neglected by the French state. Despite the presence of a middle class in Bastia and Ajaccio, Corsica remained an otherwise primitive place, whose economy consisted mainly of subsistence agriculture, and whose population constituted a pastoral society, dominated by clans and the rules of vendetta. The code of vendetta required Corsicans to seek deadly revenge for offences against their family's honor. Between 1821 and 1852, no fewer than 4,300 murders were perpetrated in Corsica.[20] During the first half of the century, the people of Corsica were still immersed in the Italian cultural world: the bourgeoisie sent children to Pisa to study, official acts were enacted in Italian and most books were printed in Italian.[21] Moreover, many islanders sympathised with the national struggle which was taking place in nearby Italy in those years: several political refugees from the peninsula, like Niccolò Tommaseo, spent years on the island, while some Corsicans, like Count Leonetto Cipriani [fr], [it], took active part in the fights for Italian independence.

Despite all that, during those years the Corsicans began to feel an increasingly strong attachment to France. The reasons for that are manifold: the knowledge of the French language, which thanks to the mandatory primary school started to penetrate among the local youth, the high prestige of French culture, the awareness of being part of a big, powerful state, the possibility of well-paid jobs as civil servants, both in the island, in the mainland and in the colonies, the prospect of serving the French army during the wars for the conquest of the colonial empire, the introduction of steamboats, which reduced the travel time between mainland France and the island drastically, and – last but not least – Napoleon himself, whose existence alone constituted an indissoluble link between France and Corsica. Thanks to all these factors by around 1870 Corsica had landed in the French cultural world.[21]

From the 19th century into the mid-20th century, Corsicans also grew closer to the French nation through participation in the French Empire. Compared to much of Metropolitan France, Corsica was poor and many Corsicans emigrated. While Corsicans emigrated globally, especially to many South American countries, many chose to move within the French Empire which acted as a conduit for emigration and eventual return, as many young Corsican men could find better job opportunities in the far corners of the Empire where many other French hesitated to go. In many parts of the Empire, Corsicans were strongly represented, such as in Saigon where in 1926 12% of Europeans were from Corsica.[22] Across the French Empire, many Corsicans retained a sense of community by establishing organizations where they would meet regularly, keep one another informed of developments in Corsica, and come to one another's aid in times of need.[23]

Modern era

Monument to the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Corsica during World War II in Solaro (plaine orientale)
After the collapse of France to the German Wehrmacht in 1940, Corsica came under the rule of the Vichy French regime, which was collaborating with Nazi Germany.[24] In November 1942 the island was occupied by Italian and German forces following the Anglo-American landings in North Africa. After the Italian armistice in September 1943, Italian and Free French Forces pushed the Germans out of the island, making Corsica the first French Department to be freed.[25]

During the May 1958 crisis, the French military command in Algeria mutinied against the French Fourth Republic and on 24 May occupied the island in an action called Opération Corse that led to the collapse of the government; the second phase of the coup attempt, occupying Paris, was cancelled following the establishment of a transitional government under Charles de Gaulle.[26]

Banner at the Pasquale Paoli University erected by supporters of Corsican independence, calling for the release of Yvan Colonna
Between the late 1950s and the 1970s, proposals to conduct underground nuclear tests in the Argentella mines, the immigration of 18,000 former settlers from Algeria ("Pieds-Noirs") in the eastern plains, and continuing chemical pollution (Fanghi Rossi) from mainland Italy increased tensions between the indigenous inhabitants and the French government. Tensions escalated until an armed police assault on a pieds-noirs-owned wine cellar in Aleria, occupied by Corsican nationalists on 23 August 1975. This marked the beginning of the Corsican conflict, an armed nationalist struggle against the French government. Ever since, Corsican nationalism has been a feature of the island's politics, with calls for greater autonomy and protection for Corsican culture and the Corsican language, or even full independence. Some groups supporting independence, such as the National Liberation Front of Corsica, have carried out a violent campaign that includes bombings and assassinations targeting buildings and officials representing the French government; periodic flare-ups of raids and killings culminated in the assassination of Prefect Claude Érignac in 1998. Lately, the drive towards independence has taken a more electoral approach, where Corsicans elected pro-autonomist, or pro-independence parties overwhelmingly in the past few elections.[27]

In 2018, Corsica had the highest murder rate in France.[28] In March 2022 Corsica saw large protests and riots after Yvan Colonna, the murderer of Claude Érignac, was murdered in prison.[29]

The August 2022 Corsica derecho swept across the island and killed six people, injured dozens of others, and caused significant damage.[30][31][32]

Geography

Detailed map of Corsica and environs
Corsica was formed about 250 million years ago with the uplift of a granite backbone on the western side. About 50 million years ago sedimentary rock was pressed against this granite, forming the schists of the eastern side. It is the most mountainous island in the Mediterranean, a "mountain in the sea".[33]

The island is 183 km (114 mi) long at its longest, 83 km (52 mi) wide at its widest, has 1,000 km (620 mi) of coastline, with more than 200 beaches such as Paraguano. Corsica is very mountainous, with Monte Cinto as the highest peak at 2,706 m (8,878 ft), and around 120 other summits of more than 2,000 m (6,600 ft). Mountains comprise two-thirds of the island, forming a single chain. Forests make up 20% of the island.

Corsican natural park, Parc naturel régional de Corse
It is also the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean, after Sicily, Sardinia and Cyprus.

Corsica has nature reserves covering about 3,500 km2 (1,400 sq mi) of the total surface area of 8,680 km2 (3,350 sq mi), primarily located in its interior is Parc naturel régional de Corse.[34] Corsica contains the GR20, one of Europe's most notable hiking trails.

The island is 90 km (56 mi) from Tuscany in Italy and 170 km (110 mi) from the Côte d'Azur in France. It is separated from Sardinia to the south by the Strait of Bonifacio, which is a minimum of 11 km (6.8 mi) wide.[34]

The Bay of Calvi: Corsica is the most mountainous Mediterranean island.
Major communities
Main articles: Communes of the Haute-Corse department and Communes of the Corse-du-Sud department
In 2005 the population of Corsica was settled in approximately 360 communities.[35]

Port of Bastia in Corsica, Haute-Corse department
Port of Bastia in Corsica, Haute-Corse department

Ajaccio gulf beach of Ricanto in Corsica, Corse-du-Sud department
Ajaccio gulf beach of Ricanto in Corsica, Corse-du-Sud department

A view of Speloncato
A view of Speloncato

Brando in the Haute-Corse department
Brando in the Haute-Corse department
Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification scheme, coastal regions are characterized by a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Csa). Further inland, a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Csb) is more common. At the highest elevation locations, small areas with a subarctic climate (Dsc, Dfc) and the rare Mediterranean climate can be found.

The station of Sari-Solenzara records the highest year-round temperatures in Metropolitan France, with an annual average of 16.41 °C over the 1981–2010 period. The average amount of sunshine received annually was 2,715 hours in the period 2008–2016.

Climate data for Sari-Solenzara, south-eastern part of island
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)13.6
(56.5)14.0
(57.2)15.9
(60.6)18.1
(64.6)22.2
(72.0)26.1
(79.0)29.4
(84.9)29.7
(85.5)26.3
(79.3)22.1
(71.8)17.4
(63.3)14.3
(57.7)20.76
(69.37)
Daily mean °C (°F)9.7
(49.5)9.8
(49.6)11.6
(52.9)13.7
(56.7)17.8
(64.0)21.3
(70.3)24.5
(76.1)24.8
(76.6)21.7
(71.1)18.0
(64.4)13.6
(56.5)10.7
(51.3)16.41
(61.54)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)5.8
(42.4)5.6
(42.1)7.3
(45.1)9.3
(48.7)12.9
(55.2)16.5
(61.7)19.5
(67.1)19.9
(67.8)17.1
(62.8)13.9
(57.0)9.8
(49.6)7.1
(44.8)12.06
(53.71)
Average precipitation mm (inches)71.1
(2.80)58.3
(2.30)61.2
(2.41)79.9
(3.15)45.8
(1.80)25.1
(0.99)12.1
(0.48)28.4
(1.12)88.3
(3.48)125.6
(4.94)94.2
(3.71)103.7
(4.08)793.7
(31.25)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm)6.26.16.57.54.93.01.52.24.87.18.18.766.6
Source: Météo France[36]
Ecology
Corsica
Native name: Corsica
Nickname: L'Île de Beauté
The Isle of Beauty

Topography of Corsica
MapWikimedia | © OpenStreetMap
Geography
LocationMediterranean Sea
Coordinates42°N 9°E
Area8,680 km2 (3,350 sq mi)
Length184 km (114.3 mi)
Width83 km (51.6 mi)
Coastline1,000 km (600 mi)
Highest elevation2,706 m (8878 ft)
Highest pointMonte Cinto
Administration
France
RégionCorsica
Largest settlementAjaccio (pop. 63,723)
Demographics
Population349,465 (January 2022)
Pop. density37/km2 (96/sq mi)
Zones by altitude
The island is divided into four major ecological zones, by altitude.[37] Below 600 metres (2,000 ft) is the coastal zone's mild Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and cool, rainy winters. The area's natural vegetation is sparse Mediterranean forest, scrubland, and shrubs. The coastal lowlands are part of the Tyrrhenian-Adriatic sclerophyllous and mixed forests ecoregion, in which forests and woodlands of evergreen sclerophyll oaks predominate, chiefly holm oak (Quercus ilex) and cork oak (Quercus suber). Much of the coastal lowlands have been cleared for agriculture, grazing and logging; these activities have reduced the forest area considerably.

Between 600 and 1,800 m (2,000 and 5,900 ft) is a temperate montane zone. The mountains are cooler and wetter, and home to the Corsican montane broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion. This region supports diverse forests of oak, pine, and broadleaf deciduous trees, with vegetation more typical of northern Europe. The population lives predominantly below 900 m (3,000 ft), with only shepherds and hikers from 600 to 900 m (2,000 to 3,000 ft).

The subalpine zone, located between 1,750 and 2,100 m (5,740 and 6,890 ft) is characterized by the presence of small trees and shrubs, especially ferns, and heaths.

The elevation above 1,800 to 2,700 m (5,900 to 8,900 ft) is the high alpine zone. Vegetation is sparse, with high winds and frequent cloud cover. This zone is uninhabited.

There is considerable birdlife in Corsica. One famous example is the bearded vulture, or Lammergeier, which (along with the iconic griffon vulture) serve as environmental "janitors" by scavenging the remains of deceased animals, thus limiting the proliferation of infectious microbes and diseases. Other avian species to be seen include the barn owl, blue rock thrush, common crane, Corsican nuthatch, golden eagle, greater flamingo, osprey, peregrine falcon, red kite, and starry bittern. In some cases, Corsica is an isolated portion of a species' distribution; in other cases, it is the furthest point in a species' range. For example, a subspecies of hooded crow (Corvus cornix cornix) occurs in Corsica, but not anywhere further south.[38]

Corsica has abundant reptile and amphibians, one protected species being the sensitive Hermann's tortoise, which are found at A Cupulatta at Vero and Moltifao Regional Natural Park. Corsican brook and fire salamanders, leaf-toed gecko, and yellow and green grass snakes are also common. The European pond turtle can be seen, especially in the waters of Fango Estuary, southern Calvi, Biguglia Lagoon and Pietracorbara.

Parc Naturel Régional de Corse

Forest Scene at Ailo in Corsica. An 1870s painting by Károly Markó the Younger.
The island has a natural park (Parc Naturel Régional de Corse, Parcu di Corsica), which protects rare animal and plant species. The park was created in 1972 and includes the Golfe de Porto, the Scandola Nature Reserve (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and some of the highest mountains on the island. Scandola cannot be reached on foot, but people can gain access by boat from the village of Galéria and Porto (Ota). Two endangered subspecies of hoofed mammals, the European mouflon (Ovis aries musimon) and Corsican red deer (Cervus elaphus corsicanus) inhabit the park. The Corsican red deer was re-introduced after it was extinct due to overhunting. This Corsican subspecies was the same that survived on Sardinia, so it is endemic. There are other species endemic to Corsica especially in the upper mountain ranges, i.e. Corsican nuthatch, Corsican fire salamander and Corsican brook salamander and many plant subspecies.

Extinct animals
Corsica, like all the other Mediterranean islands, was home to endemic mammals during the Late Pleistocene, most or all of these are shared with Sardinia (as Sardinia was joined to Corsica for much of the Pleistocene). After the arrival of humans during Mesolithic around 8000 BC, these began to disappear. Some of the smaller mammals managed to survive until at least the early Iron Age, but are now all extinct.

Extinct mammals formerly native to Corsica include the Sardinian dhole, the mustelid Enhydrictis galictoides, the deer Praemegaceros cazioti, the Corsican giant shrew, Tyrrhenian mole, Sardinian pika, Tyrrhenian vole, and the Tyrrhenian field rat.

Demographics
As of the January 2024 estimate, Corsica has a population of 355,528 inhabitants.[1]

Historical population of Corsica
YearPop.±% p.a.
1740120,379—
1770130,236+0.26%
1786148,172+0.81%
1806177,582+0.91%
1821180,348+0.10%
1831197,967+0.94%
1836207,889+0.93%
1841221,463+1.27%
1846230,271+0.77%
1851236,251+0.51%
1856240,183+0.35%
1861252,889+1.02%
1866259,861+0.55%
1872258,507−0.09%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1876262,701+0.36%
1881272,639+0.72%
1936221,990−0.38%
1954175,818−1.27%
1962180,862+0.36%
1968205,268+2.13%
1975225,562+1.36%
1982240,178+0.90%
1990250,371+0.52%
1999260,196+0.43%
2010309,693+1.62%
2015327,283+1.11%
2021347,597+1.01%
2024355,528+0.75%

Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. Updates on reimplementing the Graph extension, which will be known as the Chart extension, can be found on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
Note: Censuses from 1886 to 1975 were falsified by the municipalities of Corsica to hide the population decline and maintain the level of financial benefits received from the French state. Figures from 1936 to 1975 in this table are the redressed figures calculated by INSEE to correct the overestimated population of the censuses at the time.
Source: 1740–1786 censuses,[39] 1806–1881 censuses,[40] INSEE's censuses (1982–2021, as well as redressed figures 1936–1975),[41] and INSEE estimate (2024).[1]
Immigration
At the 2019 census, 55.7% of the inhabitants of Corsica were people born on the island, 29.9% were from Continental France, 0.3% were natives of Overseas France, and 14.1% were born in foreign countries.[42]

The majority of the foreign immigrants in Corsica come from the Maghreb (particularly Moroccans, who made up 29.0% of all immigrants in Corsica at the 2019 census) and from Southern Europe (particularly Portuguese and Italians, 23.9% and 12.5% of immigrants on the island respectively).[43]

Place of birth of residents of Corsica
(at the 1982, 1990, 1999, 2008, 2013, and 2019 censuses)
CensusBorn in CorsicaBorn in
Continental FranceBorn in
Overseas FranceBorn in foreign
countries with French
citizenship at birth1Immigrants2
201955.7%29.9%0.3%4.2%9.9%
from the Maghreb3from Southern Europe4from the rest of the world
3.9%3.8%2.2%
201355.8%28.9%0.3%4.8%10.2%
from the Maghreb3from Southern Europe4from the rest of the world
4.4%3.9%1.9%
200857.9%27.3%0.3%5.2%9.3%
from the Maghreb3from Southern Europe4from the rest of the world
4.4%3.4%1.5%
199959.5%24.8%0.3%5.5%10.0%
from the Maghreb3from Southern Europe4from the rest of the world
5.3%3.3%1.4%
199062.0%21.3%0.2%6.0%10.5%
198261.6%20.4%0.2%6.0%11.8%
1Essentially Pieds-Noirs who resettled in Corsica after the independence of Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria, many of whom had Corsican ancestry.
2An immigrant is by French definition a person born in a foreign country and who did not have French citizenship at birth. Note that an immigrant may have acquired French citizenship since moving to France, but is still listed as an immigrant in French statistics. On the other hand, persons born in France with foreign citizenship (the children of immigrants) are not listed as immigrants.
3Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria
4Portugal, Italy, Spain
Source: INSEE[44][43][42][45][46][47]
Languages
Main articles: Corsican language and Ligurian (Romance language)

Chart of the dialects of the Corsican language, which also extends into northern Sardinia
French (Français) is the official and most widely spoken language on the island. Italian was the official language of Corsica until 9 May 1859,[48] when it was replaced by French. Corsican (Corsu), a minority language that is closely related to medieval Tuscan (Toscano), has a better prospect of survival than most other French regional languages: Corsican is the second most widely spoken language after French. However, since the annexation of the island by France in the 18th century, Corsican has been under heavy pressure from French, and today it is estimated that only 10% of Corsica's population speak the language natively, with only 50% having some sort of proficiency in it.[49]

The Corsican language is divided into two main varieties: Cismuntanu and Ultramuntanu, spoken respectively northeast and southwest of the Girolata–Porto Vecchio line. This division was due to the massive immigration from Tuscany which took place in Corsica during the lower Middle Ages: as a result, the Cismuntanu became very similar to the Tuscan dialects, being part of the Italo-Dalmatian language group, while the Ultramuntanu maintained its original characteristics which make it much more similar to a Southern Romance language, such as Sardinian (Sardu).[50][51] Therefore, due to the differences between the main dialectal varieties, many linguists classify Corsican as an Italo-Dalmatian language,[52] while others consider it a Southern Romance one.[53]

Fewer and fewer people speak a Ligurian dialect, known as bunifazzinu,[54] in what has long been a language island, Bonifacio, and in Ajaccio, the aghjaccinu dialect. In Cargèse, a village established by Greek immigrants in the 17th century, Greek (Ελληνικά) was the traditional language.[55]

Among foreign languages, the most spoken ones were English (39%) and Italian (34%) as reported by an official survey by the regional government.[56]

Cuisine
Main article: Cuisine of Corsica
From the mountains to the plains and sea, many ingredients play a role. Game such as wild boar (Cingale, Singhjari) is popular. There also is seafood and river fish, such as trout. Delicacies, such as figatellu (also named as ficateddu), made with liver, coppa, ham (prizuttu), lonzu, are made from Corsican pork (porcu nustrale).Characteristic among the cheeses is brocciu (similar to ricotta), which is used as a fresh ingredient in many dishes, from first courses (sturzapreti) to cakes (fiadone). Other cheeses, like casgiu merzu ("rotten cheese", the Corsican counterpart of the Sardinian casu martzu), and casgiu veghju, are made from goat or sheep milk. Chestnuts are the main ingredient in the making of pulenta castagnina and cakes (falculelle). A variety of alcohol also exists, ranging from aquavita (brandy), red and white Corsican wines (Vinu Corsu), muscat wine (plain or sparkling), to the famous "Cap Corse" apéritif produced by Mattei. The herbs which are part of Maquis (Corsican: machja), and the chestnuts and acorns of the Corsican forests are eaten by local animals, resulting in a noticeable flavour in the food there.

Art
Corsica has produced a number of known artists:

Alizée (singer/dancer)
Martha Angelici (opera singer)
A Filetta (polyphonic chant group)
Canta U Populu Corsu (band)
Laetitia Casta (model/actress)
Baptiste Giabiconi (model/singer)
Julien de Casabianca (cineast)
Jérôme Ferrari (writer)
Patrick Fiori (singer)
Petru Guelfucci (singer)
José Luccioni (opera singer)
Gaston Micheletti (opera singer)
I Muvrini (band)
Jenifer (singer)
François Lanzi (painter)
Ange Leccia (visual art)
Henri Padovani (musician; original guitarist for The Police)
Thierry de Peretti (cineast)
Marie-Claude Pietragalla (dancer)
Jean-Paul Poletti (singer)
Robin Renucci (comedian)
Tino Rossi (singer)
César Vezzani (opera singer)
Sport
Most Corsican football clubs are currently littered through the top 5 tiers of French football. AC Ajaccio and SC Bastia play in Ligue 2 in 2024–25, although both have played in Ligue 1 in the last decade. FC Bastia-Borgo currently competes in the Championnat National and Gazélec Ajaccio currently competes in the Championnat National 3. ÉF Bastia previously competed in Regional 1, but in 2021 merged with fellow Corsican team Association de la Jeunesse de Biguglia, to form Football Jeunesse Étoile Biguglia.

Tour de Corse is a rally held since 1956, which was a round of the World Rally Championship from 1973 to 2008 and later the Intercontinental Rally Challenge and European Rally Championship. The Tour de Corse returned as a World Rally Championship round in 2015.

Administration

Map of Corsica
Before 1975, Corsica was a département of the French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. In 1975 two new départements, Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud, were created by splitting the hitherto united departement of Corsica.

On 2 March 1982, a law was passed that gave Corsica the status of territorial collectivity (collectivité territoriale), abolishing the Corsican Regional Council. Unlike the regional councils, the Corsican Assembly has executive powers over the island.

In 1992, three institutions were formed in the territorial collectivity of Corsica:

The Executive Council of Corsica, which handles the type of executive functions held in other French regions by the presidents of the Regional Councils. It ensures the stability and consistency needed to manage the affairs of the territory
The Corsican Assembly, a deliberative, unicameral legislative body with greater powers than the regional councils on the mainland
The Economic, Social and Cultural Council of Corsica, an advisory body
A local referendum held in 2003, aimed at abolishing the two départements to leave a territorial collectivity with extended powers, was voted down by a narrow margin. However, the issue of Corsican autonomy and greater powers for the Corsican Assembly continues to hold sway over Corsican politics.

Economy

Corsica's coastline is a major driver for tourism – coastline by the town of Propriano
The gross domestic product (GDP) of the region was 10 billion euros in 2021.[57]

In 1584 the Republic of Genoa governor ordered all farmers and landowners to plant four trees yearly; a chestnut, olive, ficus, and mulberry tree. Many communities owe their origin and former richness to the ensuing chestnut woods.[58] Chestnut bread keeps fresh for as long as two weeks.[59]

Corsica's main exports are granite and marble, tannic acid, cork, cheese, wine, citrus fruit, olive oil and cigarettes.[60]

The Corsican mafia has a considerable influence on the local economy.[61]

Transport
Airports
Corsica has four international airports:

Ajaccio Napoleon Bonaparte Airport
Bastia – Poretta Airport
Calvi – Sainte-Catherine Airport
Figari–Sud Corse Airport (near Bonifacio and Porto Vecchio in the south)
All airports are served by regional French airline Air Corsica, as well as Air France which mainly offers connections to Paris-Orly. Budget carriers, such as EasyJet and Ryanair, offer seasonal connections to different cities in Europe.

Railway
The island has 232 kilometres (144 miles) of metre gauge railway. The main line runs between Bastia and Ajaccio via Ponte Leccia, and there is a branch line from Ponte Leccia to Calvi. The name of the rail network is Chemins de fer de la Corse (CFC). For a list of stations, see Railway stations in Corsica.

There was also the Eastern Coast Railway [fr] along the Tyrrhenian seacoast; that line was heavily damaged during World War II, and subsequently closed for good.[62]

Seaports

Port of Ajaccio

Looking north across the Strait of Bonifacio from the northern tip of Sardinia; the southern coast of Corsica is barely visible through the haze of distance.
Corsica is well connected to the European mainland (Italy and France) by various car ferry lines. The island's busiest seaport is Bastia, which saw more than 2.5 million passengers in 2012.[63] The second busiest seaport is Ajaccio, followed by L'Île-Rousse and Calvi. Propriano and Porto Vecchio in the south also have smaller ferry docks and are seasonally served from France (Marseille), while Bonifacio's harbour is only frequented by smaller car ferries from the neighbouring island of Sardinia.

The ferry companies serving Corsica are Corsica Ferries – Sardinia Ferries (from Savona, Livorno and Piombino in Italy; Toulon and Nice in France), SNCM (from Marseille, Toulon and Nice in France), CMN – La Méridionale (from Marseille in France) and Moby Lines (from Livorno and Genoa in Italy).[64][65][66][67]

Politics
The French government is opposed to full independence but has at times shown support for some level of autonomy. There is support on the island for proposals for greater autonomy, but polls show that a large majority of Corsicans are opposed to full independence.[68][69]

In 1972, the Italian company Montedison dumped toxic waste off the Corsican coast, creating what looked like red mud in waters around the island with the poisoning of the sea, the most visible effects being cetaceans found dead on the shores. At that time the Corsican people felt that the French government did not support them. To stop the poisoning, one ship carrying toxic waste from Italy was bombed.[70]

Corsican nationalists have used means such as the removal of French names (often also Italian) on road signs.
Some Nationalist groups that claim to support Corsican independence, such as the National Liberation Front of Corsica, have carried out a violent campaign since the 1970s that includes bombings and assassinations, usually targeting buildings and officials representing the French government or Corsicans themselves for political reasons.[71]

In 2000, Prime Minister Lionel Jospin agreed to grant increased autonomy to Corsica. The proposed autonomy for Corsica would have included greater protection for the Corsican language (Corsu), the island's traditional language, whose practice and teaching, like other regional or minority languages in France, had been discouraged in the past. According to the UNESCO classification, the Corsican language is currently in danger of becoming extinct.[72] However, plans for increased autonomy were opposed by the Gaullist opposition in the French National Assembly, who feared that they would lead to calls for autonomy from other régions (such as Brittany, Alsace, or Provence), eventually threatening France's unity as a country.[73]

The Corsican autonomy referendum on 6 July 2003, a narrow majority of Corsican voters opposed a proposal by the government of Jean-Pierre Raffarin and then-Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy that would have abolished the two départements of the island and granted greater autonomy to the territorial collectivity of Corsica.[74]

On 13 December 2015, the regionalist coalition Pè a Corsica (English: For Corsica), supported by both Femu a Corsica and Corsica Libera and led by Gilles Siméoni, won the territorial elections with a percentage of 36.9%.[75][76]

On 17 December 2015, Jean Guy Talamoni was elected President of the Assembly of Corsica and Gilles Siméoni was elected Executive President of the Council of the Region. In addition, legislation granting Corsica a greater degree of autonomy was passed[vague].[77]

On 16 March 2022, the interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, told regional newspaper Corse Matin before a two-day visit: "We are ready to go as far as autonomy – there you go, the word has been said."[78] The comment came after two weeks of rioting in which 100 people were injured and public buildings and police were attacked with homemade explosive devices.

See also
Portals:
flag France
icon Islands
Corsican immigration to Puerto Rico
Corsican immigration to Venezuela
Corsican language
Corsican mafia
Corsican nationalism
Corsican Workers' Trade Union
"Dio vi salvi Regina" — the unofficial Corsican anthem
GR 20
Italian irredentism in Corsica
List of bodies of water of Corsica
List of castles in Corsica
List of Corsican people
University of Corsica Pascal Paoli

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corsica

Bonifacio (/ˌboʊniˈfɑːtʃoʊ/ BOH-nee-FAH-choh,[3] Italian: [boniˈfaːtʃo], French: [bɔnifasjo]; Corsican: Bunifaziu [buniˈfatsju], Bonifaziu [bɔniˈfatsju], or Bonifaciu [bɔniˈfatʃu]; Bonifacino: Bunifazziu; Gallurese: Bunifaciu) is a commune in the southern tip of the island of Corsica, in the French department of Corse-du-Sud.

Bonifacio is the setting of Guy de Maupassant's short story "A Vendetta".

Geography

Guns in the fortress of Bonifacio.
Bonifacio is located directly on the Mediterranean Sea, separated from Sardinia by the Strait of Bonifacio. It is a city placed on the best and only major harbour of the southern coast and also is a commune covering a somewhat larger region including the offshore Isles Lavezzi, giving it the distinction of being the southernmost commune in Metropolitan France. It lies closer to the capital cities of 20 other countries in Europe and Africa than its own, Paris. The commune is bordered on the northwest by the canton of Figari and has a short border on the northeast with the canton of Porto-Vecchio. The combined border runs approximately from the Golfe de Ventilegne on the west to the mouth of the Golfu di Sant'Amanza on the east. The coastline circumscribed by the two points is about 75 kilometres (47 mi). Highway N198 runs north along the east coast and N196 along the west.[4]

The islands are part of the French portion, 794.6-square-kilometre (196,300-acre), of the international Bouches de Bonifacio ("Strait of Bonifacio") marine park,[5] a nature reserve, signed into legal existence by France and Italy in 1993 for the protection of the strait against passage of ships bearing dangerous chemicals, and implemented in France by a ministerial decree of 1999 detailing the land to be included in the réserve naturelle de Bouches de Bonifacio for the preservation of wild birds, other fauna and flora, fish and nature in general.[6]

The southern coast in the vicinity of Bonifacio is an outcrop of chalk-white limestone, precipitous and sculpted into unusual shapes by the ocean. Slightly further inland the limestone adjoins the granite of which the two islands, Sardinia and Corsica, are formed. The port of Bonifacio is placed on the Bay of Bonifacio, a drowned ravine of a fjord-like appearance separated from the ocean by a finger-like promontory 1,500 meters (4,900 ft) long and 200 meters (660 ft) wide. In prehistoric post-glacial times when sea levels were low and the islands were connected, the ravine was part of a valley leading to upland Corsica. The maximum draught supported by the harbour is 3.5 meters (11 ft), more than ample for ancient ships and modern small vessels.

The city of Bonifacio is split into two sections. The vieille ville (old town), or la Haute Ville (the Upper city), on the site of a citadel, is located on the promontory overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The citadel was built in the 9th century with the foundation of the city. The Citadel has been reconstructed and renovated many times since its construction and most recently was an administrative center for the French Foreign Legion. Today it is more of a museum. Historically most of the inhabitants have resided in the Haute ville under the immediate protection of the citadel. The harbour facilities and residential areas below, la marine, line the narrow shelf of the inlet and extend for some distance up the valley, giving the settlement a linear appearance and creating a third residential section limited by St. Julien on the east.

The city and its fortifications also extend for some distance along the cliff-tops, which are at about 70 meters (230 ft) elevation. The cliffs have been undercut by the ocean so that the buildings, which have been placed on the very lip of the precipice, appear to overhang it. The appearance from the sea is of a white city gleaming in the sun and suspended over the rough waters below.

History
See also: History of Corsica

The citadel at Bonifacio.

The citadel
Prehistoric period
Bonifacio has two prehistoric sites of some importance: the ancient cave shelter of Araguina-Sennola near the village of Capello on Route N96 just north of the city and a chambered tomb of Vasculacciu further north near Figari. The first is the site of the notable Lady of Bonifacio, a female burial carbon-dated to about 6570 BC, which is either late Mesolithic or Early Neolithic, and the second belongs to the Megalithic Culture and is dated to the Middle Neolithic. The alignment of the two and the extensive use of chert from Monte Arci in Sardinia shows that the Bay of Bonifacio was a route to inland Corsica from the earliest times.

Roman period
The only record of southernmost Corsica in Roman times comes from the geographer Ptolemy. He reports[7] the coordinates of Marianum Promontory and town, which, plotted on a map, turn out to be the farthest south of Corsica. After listing the peoples of the east coast he states that the Subasani (ancient Greek Soubasanoi) were "more to the south."

The people do not appear subsequently and the town and promontory have not been identified, nor do any Roman roads point to it. The only official road, the Via Corsica, ran between the Roman castra of Mariana and Aleria on the east coast and further south to Pallas, according to the Antonine Itinerary.[8] Ptolemy places Pallas unequivocally on the east coast north of Marianum. Although unrecorded tracks and paths to the far south are possible, it is unlikely they would have carried any significant Roman traffic.

Maritime traffic through the strait however was significant and it could hardly have neglected the fine harbour at Bonifacio. The most popular choice for Marianum Promontory therefore is Cape Pertusato, southernmost point of Corsica island, about 9 kilometers (6 mi) east of the harbor, with Bonifacio itself as Marianum town.[9] A second possibility would be the first century AD Roman ruins adjoining Piantarella Beach near the village of Ciappili and next to the grounds of Sperone golf course, a recreational suburb to the west of Bonifacio, but those ruins appear to represent a Roman villa and the beach though eminently suitable for recreation is of little value as a port. More likely the villa belonged to a citizen of Bonifacio as Marianum.

Tuscan period
Corsica was taken from the Roman Empire in 469 by Genseric, king of the Vandals, and recovered by the Eastern Empire in 534. The Lombards having taken it again in 725, Charlemagne cleared them out by 774 and handed the island over to the Papacy, which had been the most powerful complainant of the island's devastation by Germanic peoples. Starting in 806 the Moors of Spain began to contend for the island and held it for a short time but in 828 the Papacy assigned its defense to the margrave of Tuscany, a powerful state of the Holy Roman Empire nominally under the Kingdom of Italy.[10]

The city in evidence today was founded as a fortress by and subsequently named after Boniface II of Tuscany in 828. He had led a naval expedition to suppress the Saracens of North Africa and returned to build an unassailable fortress and naval base from which the domains of Tuscany could be defended at the outermost frontier. Most of the citadel postdates the 9th century or is of uncertain date but Il Torrione, a round tower, was certainly part of the original citadel.

Climate
Bonifacio has a Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification Csa). The average annual temperature in Bonifacio is 16.8 °C (62.2 °F). The average annual rainfall is 582.2 mm (22.92 in) with November as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.8 °C (76.6 °F), and lowest in February, at around 10.5 °C (50.9 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded in Bonifacio was 39.7 °C (103.5 °F) on 23 July 2009; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −4.2 °C (24.4 °F) on 23 January 1963.

Climate data for Bonifacio, Corse-du-Sud (Cape Pertusato) 1991–2020 averages, extremes 1917–present)
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Record high °C (°F)22.8
(73.0)23.4
(74.1)26.0
(78.8)26.4
(79.5)33.4
(92.1)35.4
(95.7)39.7
(103.5)39.1
(102.4)33.7
(92.7)30.6
(87.1)26.4
(79.5)21.2
(70.2)39.7
(103.5)
Mean maximum °C (°F)16.0
(60.8)16.7
(62.1)18.6
(65.5)22.0
(71.6)26.1
(79.0)30.4
(86.7)33.7
(92.7)33.5
(92.3)29.2
(84.6)25.9
(78.6)21.8
(71.2)17.8
(64.0)34.6
(94.3)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)13.0
(55.4)12.9
(55.2)14.5
(58.1)16.9
(62.4)20.4
(68.7)24.2
(75.6)27.0
(80.6)28.0
(82.4)24.9
(76.8)21.3
(70.3)17.1
(62.8)14.1
(57.4)19.5
(67.1)
Daily mean °C (°F)10.7
(51.3)10.5
(50.9)12.0
(53.6)14.1
(57.4)17.5
(63.5)21.2
(70.2)24.0
(75.2)24.8
(76.6)21.9
(71.4)18.7
(65.7)14.7
(58.5)11.8
(53.2)16.8
(62.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)8.4
(47.1)8.0
(46.4)9.4
(48.9)11.2
(52.2)14.5
(58.1)18.1
(64.6)20.9
(69.6)21.7
(71.1)18.9
(66.0)16.1
(61.0)12.3
(54.1)9.5
(49.1)14.1
(57.4)
Mean minimum °C (°F)3.6
(38.5)3.6
(38.5)4.4
(39.9)7.2
(45.0)10.7
(51.3)14.5
(58.1)18.0
(64.4)18.7
(65.7)14.6
(58.3)11.3
(52.3)7.2
(45.0)4.4
(39.9)1.8
(35.2)
Record low °C (°F)−4.2
(24.4)−3.4
(25.9)−2.0
(28.4)2.0
(35.6)6.2
(43.2)5.0
(41.0)9.8
(49.6)10.0
(50.0)8.6
(47.5)1.4
(34.5)1.2
(34.2)−1.0
(30.2)−4.2
(24.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches)60.6
(2.39)48.7
(1.92)51.9
(2.04)54.2
(2.13)39.9
(1.57)18.1
(0.71)7.1
(0.28)12.5
(0.49)55.5
(2.19)74.5
(2.93)89.2
(3.51)70.0
(2.76)582.2
(22.92)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)7.86.76.66.74.62.40.81.65.37.39.98.868.5
Source: Météo France[11] Infoclimat [12]
Comparison of local Meteorological data with other cities in France[13]
TownSunshine

(hours/yr)Rain

(mm/yr)Snow

(days/yr)Storm

(days/yr)Fog

(days/yr)
National average1,973770142240
BonifacioN/A541.91.823.818.5
Paris1,661637121810
Nice2,7247671291
Strasbourg1,693665292956
Brest1,6051,21171275
Population
Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
18003,181—
18063,105−0.40%
18212,479−1.49%
18312,944+1.73%
18363,031+0.58%
18413,017−0.09%
18463,271+1.63%
18513,383+0.68%
18563,100−1.73%
18613,453+2.18%
18663,594+0.80%
18723,616+0.10%
18763,375−1.71%
18813,116−1.58%
18863,357+1.50%
18913,703+1.98%
18963,858+0.82%
19014,188+1.66%
YearPop.±% p.a.
19063,797−1.94%
19113,660−0.73%
19212,816−2.59%
19262,688−0.93%
19313,331+4.38%
19363,628+1.72%
19462,048−5.56%
19542,157+0.65%
19622,418+1.44%
19682,431+0.09%
19752,693+1.47%
19822,736+0.23%
19902,683−0.24%
19992,658−0.10%
20072,852+0.88%
20122,950+0.68%
20173,118+1.11%
20203,204+0.91%
Source: EHESS[14] and INSEE (1968-2017)[15]
Sights
The town's charm and proximity to idyllic beaches makes it a popular tourist destination in the summer, predominantly for residents of mainland France.

Bonifacio above the sea. The King of Aragon's Staircase is on the left of the cliff.

Il Torrione
Two Genoese towers are in the neighbourhood:

Torra di Sant'Amanza
Torra di Sponsaglia
Église Saint-Dominique de Bonifacio
Église Sainte-Marie-Majeure de Bonifacio
Beaches and recreation
La Tonnara Beach
Transportation
The town is served by Figari airport (car or taxi required), and ferry service to Sardinia is available multiple times daily.

Personalities
The following persons of note were born in Bonifacio:

Tommaso Maria Zigliara (1833–1893), Roman Catholic cardinal, theologian, and philosopher.
The film star Marie-José Nat.
See also
Communes of the Corse-du-Sud department
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonifacio,_Corse-du-Sud

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