39 Corsica Facts: A Strategically Significant Island!

The waters of the Mediterranean Sea are dotted with islands, large and small.

Among these islands is Corsica. Corsica is an island located on the coast of northwestern Italy.

The island of Corsica is rifling with lush green vegetation all across the island. The island itself has several mountainous regions. These mountains contain forests that spread across the land. The island is sprawling with underbrush, or maquis, that is composed of aromatic shrubs.

These, combined with the holm oak and cork oak produce a wonderful fragrance. This fragrance is then carried out all the way to the sea. This has led to the island of Corsica being called the Scented Isle!

The History Of Corsica

The mountainous Mediterranean island that is Corsica lies in the Mediterranean Sea. Here are some facts about history's fourth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, the history of Corsica written in war.

Evidence of the human occupation of Corsica has been presented, dating back to at least the third millennium BCE. Among the Ancient Greeks, Herodotus knew of the Phoenician settlement during the sixth century BCE.

However, humans were on the Corsican island long before this and left behind menhirs, or standing stones, carved with staring faces, which can still be seen at Filitosa.

Following the Ancient Greeks, the Ancient Romans would then settle in the region after the Punic Wars. The Roman Empire saw the island of Corsica join the nearby island of Sardinia in creating a province.

The Tuscan dialects that are spoken in the region are a reflection of the Sardinian influence, as well as the roots that Romans placed in the language.

During the time in human history known as the Middle Ages, the people of Corsica suffered from attacks from different groups, and their people were killed in large numbers or taken as slaves. It took some drastic and brutal defensive actions in order to deter attackers.

Thus began the Genoese period of rule over Corsica. Tensions began rising against the Republic of Genoa.

The French kingdom, ruled by the King of France, Henry II, supported the landing of French troops on the island. The French soldiers would be critical, and these French soldiers would prove victorious as France beat the Republic of Genoa. However, because of the Cateau-Cambresis treaty, Corsica was handed back to the Genoese.

Corsican nationalists began resenting Genoese rule and this was the time that the Corsican people, under Pasquale Paoli, began unraveling foreign rule. Pasquale Paoli made good on his promise. He was elected as the general of the nation.

During this time, the people enjoyed Corsican independence for a period of 14 years. Pasquale Paoli was an essential part of the history of Corsica as he was the one who founded a republic constitution. The Corsican Republic was subsequently created.

The fact that Genoa sold Corsica at the time forced the hand of Pasquale Paoli. He decided to go on the offensive.

In order to preserve what he had fought to build, Corsica attacked France. The war did not end favorably for Pasquale, as he was forced to flee to England and live there in exile. King Louis XV won the Corsican War.

As the French took the island, the department that would be known as the Corse du Sud would see one of the greatest generals in the history of the world born. Napoleon Bonaparte was born in Ajaccio on August 15, 1769. His parents were dedicated followers of Pasquale Paoli and they passed on these values to the young Napoleon.

Napoleon spent a small part of his life following these ideals, the idea of an independent Corsica. Eventually, he moved to Paris to complete his military education.

As a boy born in Corsica, students he schooled with in Paris looked down upon him. Perhaps it was this very fact that turned the view of Napoleon. He began to support the idea of rallying Corsica to France.

Napoleon Bonaparte would go on to become perhaps the most famous historical figure not only from Corsica but all of France. His family on Corsica was of minor nobility and lived relatively well on the island.

Maison Bonaparte, the place where he was born, has since become a museum, so tourists can visit the house in which Napoleon spent the early part of his life.

The Economy Of Corsica

Let's take a look at the Corsican economy!

Corsica falls under the French government. The mountainous island ranks 25th in terms of the GDP of the different regions of France. This makes the island one of the poorest regions in all of France.

The most prominent sector of the economy of this French island is the tourism sector. Tourism is focused on the areas near Porto Vecchio. Tourists come to the island in order to enjoy the beautiful waters of the Mediterranean Sea along with other stunning landscapes and creatures.

Another prominent attraction is the natural park, Golfe De Porto. This natural park is home to different rare animal and plant species that are seen on the island.

The Scented Isle is one of the most popular tourist destinations in all of France! People love to visit the island of Corsica for holidays. If you are planning to visit the island, make sure to check out the mountain forests, as well as the tallest mountain peak on the island, Monte Cinto.

While a lot of different regions in different parts of the world use agriculture as a large booster of the GDP, agriculture in Corsica does not contribute very much. The coastal lowlands are swept clear in order to use for agriculture, but the sector itself does not contribute much to the economy.

The Culture Of Corsica

It is now time to take a look at the culture of this beautiful island in the Mediterranean Sea.

The streets of Corsica are full of music, art, and various cultural festivals. These are organized by volunteers, which ensures that the organizers are people who have a real passion for what they are working toward.

It is not uncommon to see that people from the different villages of the island organize festivals that celebrate the local crafts and produce. Additionally, religious and historical festivals are a common sight to see.

Music and art are not the only features of interest. The architecture seen across Corsican history continues to be one of the most fascinating aspects. Over 60 Genoese towers, as well as different churches, are dotted all across the island.

One of the most important pieces of the culture here is held in the idea that Corsica remained a part of foreign rule, and so must find independence. As for politics, Corsica is governed by the government of France.

Because it is a territorial collectivity, the island enjoys a slightly greater degree of autonomy. This territorial collectivity is important to the idea of a free Corsica.

Being a territorial collectivity is not enough and independent groups have pushed for the idea of a separate state for a long time. This status of territorial collectivity came in 1991, as it was changed from being one of the regions of metropolitan France.

The people of Corsica have a very varied cuisine. The coastal regions of the island thrive off of saltwater fish and other types of seafood. Some of the signature local delicacies include veal, lamb, wild boar, and different cured meats caught on the island.

The Demographics Of Corsica

The island of Corsica has a population of about 350,000 people, as of January 2022. Only 55.7% of the inhabitants of the island were born there, 0.3% were natives of the overseas territories of France, 29.8% from Continental France, and the remaining 14.2% were born in foreign countries.

The majority of the immigrants that live on the island come from Morocco.

The official language of the island is, of course, French. Apart from the official language, most Corsican speak one or two languages and many are bilingual or multilingual.

The dominant religion in the region is Roman Catholic. However, similar to the French mainland, most people are not regular attendees of the church. Only 8% attend church regularly according to local statistics.

Not only are there beautiful sights to see, but tourists can also enjoy the lovely weather Corsica experiences. Corsica enjoys much warmer weather than France, as it is situated on the coast of the Mediterranean. The summers are particularly hot, while the rainy winters are mildly cold.