Corse-du-Sud
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This article may be expanded with text translated from the corresponding article in the French Wikipedia. (January 2009) Click [show] on the right for instructions.
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| Corse-du-Sud | |||
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| — Department — | |||
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| Coordinates: 41°51′N 9°2′E / 41.85°N 9.033°ECoordinates: 41°51′N 9°2′E / 41.85°N 9.033°E | |||
| Country | France | ||
| Region | Corse | ||
| Prefecture | Ajaccio | ||
| Subprefectures | Sartène | ||
| Government | |||
| • President of the General Council | Jean-Jacques Panunzi (UMP) | ||
| Area1 | |||
| • Total | 4,014 km2 (1,549.8 sq mi) | ||
| Population (1999) | |||
| • Total | 118,593 | ||
| • Rank | 99th | ||
| • Density | 29.5/km2 (76.5/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
| Department number | 2A | ||
| Arrondissements | 2 | ||
| Cantons | 22 | ||
| Communes | 124 | ||
| ^1 French Land Register data, which exclude estuaries, and lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km2 | |||
Corse-du-Sud (French pronunciation: [kɔʁs.dy.syd]; Corsican: Corsica suttana) (English: South Corsica) is a French département composed of the southern part of the island of Corsica.
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[edit] History
The department was formed on 15 September 1975, when the Corse department was divided into Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud. Its boundaries correspond to the former department of Liamone, which existed from 1793 to 1811.
The department hit the head-lines at the end of the twentieth century with the assassination at Ajaccio of the prefect Claude Érignac on 6 February 1998.
[edit] Geography
The department is surrounded on three sides by the Mediterranean Sea and on the north by the department of Haute-Corse.
The entire island of Corsica is mountainous with many beautiful beaches.
[edit] Demographics
The inhabitants of all of Corsica are called Corsicans.
[edit] Culture and Politics
Corsicans are a fiercely independent people. However, a 6 July 2003 referendum on increased autonomy was voted down by a very thin majority: 50.98 percent against to 49.02 percent for. This was a major setback for French Minister of the Interior Nicolas Sarkozy, who had hoped to use Corsica as the first step in his decentralization policies.
[edit] General Council
The President of the General Council is Jean-Jacques Panunzi, who has held the office since 2006.
| Party | seats | |
|---|---|---|
| • | Union for a Popular Movement | 11 |
| Miscellaneous Left | 4 | |
| • | Miscellaneous Right | 4 |
| Left Radical Party | 2 | |
| Party of the Corsican Nation | 1 | |
[edit] Tourism
South Corsica enjoys the mild and hot climate of Mediterranean Islands, and therefore attracts a lot of tourists. Its gem is the city of Bonifacio, part of which is built upon a huge cliff. But inside mountains are beautiful as well, especially the Aiguilles de Bavella, some naked, needle-like rocks.
[edit] See also
- Cantons of the Corse-du-Sud department
- Communes of the Corse-du-Sud department
- Arrondissements of the Corse-du-Sud department
[edit] External links
- (French) General Council website
- (English) Corse-du-Sud at the Open Directory Project
- (French) University of Corsica website
