Corsica

Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 18 regions of France. It is the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean, lying southeast of the French mainland, west of the Italian Peninsula, and north of the island of Sardinia. The island has a single mountain chain that covers two-thirds of its land. As of January 2026, Corsica is home to 365,636 people.

Corsica is a special part of France. Its capital city is Ajaccio, where the famous leader Napoleon Bonaparte was born in 1769. Corsica has a rich history, having been ruled by the Republic of Genoa before becoming part of France. The island keeps many Italian cultural traditions, and both French and the local Corsican language are spoken there.

In recent years, Corsica has seen movements seeking more independence from France. After some tensions, truces were reached in 2014 and 2016. Today, Corsica remains a beautiful and culturally unique part of France.

History

Main article: History of Corsica

Corsica has been home to people since very ancient times, starting in the Middle Stone Age. By the time of the Neolithic period, around 6000 BC, people lived there permanently.

Carthage and its dependencies in 264 BC

Over the centuries, many different groups lived on or ruled the island. The Carthaginians, ancient Greeks, Etruscans, and Romans all came and went. The Romans made Corsica a province in 238 BC. The island was known for its sheep, honey, resin, wax, cheap wines, and even slaves.

In later times, Corsica was part of the Roman Empire, then the Byzantine Empire, and later the Kingdom of the Lombards. It came under the control of Pisa and Genoa, and many churches from this time still stand today.

In the 1700s, Corsicans began fighting for their independence from Genoa. After many years of struggle, they created the Corsican Republic in 1755, but it was conquered by France in 1769.

The Romanesque-Pisan style of the Church of Aregno

During the 19th century, Corsica slowly became more connected to France. People there started to feel more French, partly because of schools, culture, and the chance to work in far-off places.

In World War II, Corsica was first ruled by a government that worked with Germany, then occupied by Italian and German forces. Later, Italian and French forces pushed the Germans out, making Corsica the first French area to be freed.

In more recent times, some people on Corsica have wanted to be independent from France. There have been many efforts to make peace, but the situation remains complex even today.

Geography

Corsica is a beautiful island in the Mediterranean Sea. It formed long ago when granite rose up on its western side. Mountains cover much of the island, and it is often called a "mountain in the sea."

Corsica is 183 kilometers long and 83 kilometers wide. It has many beaches and forests. The highest peak is Monte Cinto, which is 2,706 meters tall. Corsica is the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean, after Sicily, Sardinia, and Cyprus. Nature reserves cover much of the island, including Parc naturel régional de Corse. It also has the famous GR20 hiking trail.

Detailed map of Corsica and environs

Corsica is close to Tuscany in Italy and the Côte d'Azur in France. It is separated from Sardinia by the Strait of Bonifacio.

Main articles: Communes of the Haute-Corse department and Communes of the Corse-du-Sud department

Climate

Corsica has different types of weather depending on where you are on the island. Near the coast, the weather is warm and dry, especially in the summer. Further inland, it stays warm but can have cooler summers. In the very high places, the weather can get cold.

One place on Corsica, called Sari-Solenzara, has some of the warmest temperatures in all of France. It gets a lot of sunshine throughout the year.

Ecology

Corsica has four ecological zones based on height above sea level. The coastal zone, below 600 metres, has a mild climate with hot, dry summers and cool, rainy winters. It has forests, scrubland, and shrubs, though much of this area has been used for farming and logging.

Higher up, between 600 and 1,800 metres, the climate is cooler and wetter. This area supports forests of oak, pine, and other trees. Above 1,800 metres, the landscape is sparse and windy, with few plants and no people.

The island is home to many bird species, such as the bearded vulture and the golden eagle. There are also reptiles and amphibians, including the Hermann's tortoise and the European pond turtle. The Parc Naturel Régional de Corse protects rare animals and plants, including the European mouflon and the Corsican red deer, which was brought back after it was lost.

Demographics

As of January 2026, Corsica is home to about 365,636 people.

Immigration

In 2019, most people living on Corsica, an island in the Mediterranean Sea, were born there. About half of the island's inhabitants were born on Corsica itself, while about 30% came from Continental France. A very small number, less than 1%, were from Overseas France, and about 14% were born in other countries.

Many people who live on Corsica but were not born there come from places like the Maghreb, especially Moroccans. Others come from Southern Europe, mainly from Portugal and Italy.

Place of birth of residents of Corsica
(at the 1982, 1990, 1999, 2008, 2013, and 2019 censuses)
Census	Born in Corsica	Born in Continental France	Born in Overseas France	Born in foreign countries with French citizenship at birth¹	Immigrants²
2019	55.7%	29.9%	0.3%	4.2%	9.9%
					from the Maghreb³	from Southern Europe⁴	from the rest of the world
					3.9%	3.8%	2.2%
2013	55.8%	28.9%	0.3%	4.8%	10.2%
					from the Maghreb³	from Southern Europe⁴	from the rest of the world
					4.4%	3.9%	1.9%
2008	57.9%	27.3%	0.3%	5.2%	9.3%
					from the Maghreb³	from Southern Europe⁴	from the rest of the world
					4.4%	3.4%	1.5%
1999	59.5%	24.8%	0.3%	5.5%	10.0%
					from the Maghreb³	from Southern Europe⁴	from the rest of the world
					5.3%	3.3%	1.4%
1990	62.0%	21.3%	0.2%	6.0%	10.5%
1982	61.6%	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

Languages

French is the main language spoken on the island. Before 1859, Italian was the official language, but it changed to French. Corsican, a special language related to old Tuscan, is still used by some people. Today, only about 10% of people on the island speak Corsican as their first language, and about 50% know some of it.

Some people think connecting more with Italian could help Corsican grow. Others think using French might slow down Corsican's development.

Corsican has two main types: one spoken in the northeast and another in the southwest of the island. These differences came from people moving to Corsica long ago. One type of Corsican sounds a lot like Tuscan, while the other keeps older sounds, similar to Sardinian.

A few people still speak Ligurian, an old language, in places like Bonifacio and Ajaccio. In a village called Cargèse, started by Greek people, Greek used to be the traditional language.

Many people also know English and Italian.

Cuisine

Main article: Cuisine of Corsica

Corsica's food uses many ingredients from the mountains, plains, and sea. Popular foods include game like wild boar, seafood, and river fish such as trout. Special dishes are made from Corsican pork, like ham and other cured meats. One well-known cheese is brocciu, similar to ricotta, used in many recipes. Other cheeses are made from goat or sheep milk. Chestnuts are a key ingredient in dishes and cakes. Corsica also has many types of alcohol, including brandy, red and white wines, and muscat wine. Herbs from the local landscape add unique flavors to the island's foods.

Art

Corsica has many talented artists. Well-known names include singers like Alizée, Laetitia Casta, and Patrick Fiori. There are also opera singers such as Martha Angelici and José Luccioni. Musicians and bands like A Filetta, I Muvrini, and Jenifer come from the island. The island has also produced painters, actors, and writers.

Sport

Corsica has many football clubs that play in French leagues. For example, AC Ajaccio plays in Regional 2, and SC Bastia plays in Ligue 2. Some teams have played in the top league, Ligue 1, in the past.

The Tour de Corse is a famous car race that began in 1956. It was part of the World Rally Championship from 1973 to 2008. The race joined other rally competitions before returning to the World Rally Championship in 2015.

Administration

Corsica used to be part of a larger French region called Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. In 1975, it was split into two new areas, called Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud.

In 1982, Corsica got special powers and became a territorial collectivity. This means it has its own assembly that can make important decisions.

In 1992, three main groups were created to help run Corsica:

The Executive Council of Corsica, which makes important decisions.
The Corsican Assembly, which creates laws and decisions for the island.
The Economic, Social and Cultural Council of Corsica, which offers advice.

A vote in 2003 about changing how Corsica is governed did not work, but people still discuss giving Corsica more control.

Economy

Corsica's economy made 10 billion euros in 2021.

Long ago, in 1584, a leader from the Republic of Genoa asked everyone to plant four special trees each year: a chestnut tree, an olive tree, a ficus tree, and a mulberry tree. This created many chestnut forests, and the bread from these trees can stay fresh for two weeks.

Today, Corsica sells things like granite, marble, tannic acid, cork, cheese, wine, citrus fruit, olive oil, and cigarettes.

Transport

Airports

Corsica has four international airports: Ajaccio Napoleon Bonaparte Airport, Bastia – Poretta Airport, Calvi – Sainte-Catherine Airport, and Figari–Sud Corse Airport. These airports are served by Air Corsica and Air France, which fly mainly to Paris-Orly. Budget airlines like EasyJet and Ryanair also have seasonal flights to European cities.

Railway

The island has 232 kilometres (144 miles) of metre gauge railway. The main line runs between Bastia and Ajaccio through Ponte Leccia, with a branch line to Calvi. This rail network is called Chemins de fer de la Corse. There was once a railway along the eastern coast, but it was damaged in the past and is now closed.

Seaports

Corsica is well connected to Europe by car ferries. The busiest seaport is Bastia, followed by Ajaccio, L'Île-Rousse, and Calvi. Smaller ports like Propriano and Porto Vecchio have seasonal ferry services from France. Bonifacio's harbour has ferries to the nearby island of Sardinia. Ferry companies include Corsica Ferries - Sardinia Ferries, SNCM, CMN – La Méridionale, and Moby Lines.