Corse

Corsica is the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily, Sardinia and Cyprus). It is located west of Italy, southeast of France, and north of the island of Sardinia.

Corsica is one of the 26 regions of France, although strictly peaking Corsica is called a “collectivite territoriale” (territorial collective) by law. As a territorial collective, it has slightly more far-reaching powers than other French regions, but for the most part its status is quite similar to that of the other regions. Corsica is referred to as a “region” in common speech, and is almost always listed among the other regions of France. Although the island is separated from the continental mainland by the Ligurian Sea, plitically Corsica is considered part of Metropolitan France.

Corsica has 1,000km of coastline and more than 200 beaches, and is very mountainous, with Monte Cinto as the highest peak at 2706m and 20 other summits of more than 2000m.

The island is separated from Sardinia by the Strait of Bonifacio,

The island has a Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. 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 and Cork Oak. The mountains are cooler and wetter, and home to the Corsican montane broadleaf and mixed forest ecoregion, which supports diverse forests of oak, pine and broadleaf deciduous trees, with vegetation more typical of northern Europe on the slopes of the highest peaks.

Much of the coastal lowlands has been cleared for agriculture, grazing and logging which has reduced the mountain forests considerably.

The island has a natural park (Parc Naturel Regional de Corse), which protects thousands of rare animal and plant species. The park was created in 1972 and includes the Golfe de Porto, the Reserve Naturelle de Scandola (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and some of the highest mountains on the island. This park is protected and cannot be reached on foot, but sumptuous sails are available in order to discover unique landscapes. Two endangered subspecies of hoofed mammals, the mouflon (Ovis aries musimon) and Corsican red deer inhabit the island; the Corsican red deer is endemic.

Corsica is the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte, who was born in Ajaccio, into minor Corsican nobility. Corsica was under French control at the time, and Corsican nobles were offered the ability to gain French titles if they could prove their genealogy sufficiently. In an attempt to do so, Napoleon’s parents travelled to court in France, and, like many other Corsican nobles, sent their son to school there.

The capital of the territorial collectivity of Corsica is Ajaccio. The territorial collectivity is divided in two departments: Corse-du-Sud and Haute-Corse. These two departments were created on 15th September, 1975 by splitting the hitherto united department of Corse.
Tourism plays a major role in the Corsican economy. The island’s pleasant climate, beautiful mountains and breathtaking coastlines make it a popular destination among the French and other Western Europeans. However, the island has not had the same level of intensive development as other parts of the Mediterranean and is thus relatively unspoiled. Tourism is particularly concentrated in the area around Porto Vecchio and Bonifacio in the south of the island and Calvi in the northwest.

Further information: