I.

Introduction

Corsica (French Corse), island in the Mediterranean Sea, a territorial collectivity of France. The Strait of Bonifacio separates Corsica from the Italian island of Sardinia to the south. The principal Corsican towns are Ajaccio, Bastia, Sartène, Corte, Calvi, Bonifacio, L'Île-Rousse, and Porto-Vecchio. The island is divided into two departments, Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud.

Corsica covers an area of 8,680 sq km (3,350 sq mi). The interior is mountainous, reaching its highest peak at Mount Cinto (2,710 m/8,891 ft). The coast is mostly rocky and indented in the west; in the east the coastal plain of Aleria is dotted with lagoons and swamps. From the mountains descend numerous short, torrential streams. The island's largest rivers are the Golo and the Tavignano.