Corsica, the fourth largest island of the Mediterranean and a French department, is 114 miles long by 52 miles broad, with 300 miles of coast-line. Area, 3378 sq. m.; pop. (1872) 258,507; (1896) 290,168. Corsica is separated from the twin island of Sardinia, double its size, to the south, by the Strait of Bonifacio. It is 54 miles SW. of Leghorn and 98 S. from Genoa. Though now part of France, the island belongs geographically, historically, and linguistically to Italy. The promontory into which the north coast projects runs 23 miles north beyond the general north coast-line, and is 6 to 9 miles broad. The interior is a labyrinth of mountains, in which, however, a principal chain traverses the whole island from north to south, dividing Corsica into two regions, an eastern and a western zone. These regions are each divided by transverse chains into parallel valleys deeply hollowed by watercourses plunging from the high summits. The highest elevations are about the middle: Cinto (8898 feet); Rotondo (8607); Pagli-Orba (8283). On the west side the mountains reach to the coast, but on the east, between mountains and sea, there extend alluvial plains, edged seawards with lagoons and swamps, highly fertile but malarious, so that in summer the occupants have to escape to the mountains. In the time of the Romans these plains were densely peopled, and recently eucalyptus plantations are beginning to overcome the malaria. The west zone is occupied mostly with primary strata, granite, and schistose rock; on the east side the mountains are cretaceous, with serpentine and porphyry. Corsica is watered by numerous streams, none navigable, with cascades glittering in all directions. On the east coast are the Tavignano, 47 miles long, from lake Nino; and the Golo, 52 miles long. On the west the longest is the Taravo, 34 miles long.
With the exception of the malarious coasts in the east the climate is highly salubrious. The soil is very fertile, and over 43 per cent. of the entire area is returned by official statistics as arable land; yet in 1887 over 35,000 tons of flour, and large quantities of wheat and hay, were imported. Corsica presents a succession of climates and vegetation zones. On the lower slopes are olives, oranges, citrons, laurels and vines. Higher, up to 6250 feet, are magnificent chestnut-trees; higher still rise virgin forests of oak, pine, larch, &c. These again are overtopped by pastures. The highest summits are snow-clad for half the year. About one-sixth of Corsica is estimated to be covered with forest, but this includes in many places only confused thickets (macchie) of green oak, arbutus, myrtle, and broom, often serving as the hiding-place of bandits. Campo dell' Oro around Ajaccio and the country north of Bastia are among the most fertile districts of the Mediterranean. The mutton or wild sheep is found; also wild boars, large foxes, and small deer, but no wolves or bears. The venomous ant, innafantato, is peculiar to Corsica, where are also the Malmignata spider and the tarantula. The minerals of Corsica are yet little worked. Copper and silver-lead mines near Calvi are now being worked by an English company. Sulphide of antimony is successfully worked in Cape Corso. There are also iron and manganese ores. Among the valuable stones are red and blue granite, porphyry, jasper, alabaster, and marble; and the Orezza mineral waters have a high medicinal value. Agriculture is backward. In many parts tillage is carried on almost exclusively by Italian labourers ('Lucchesi'). The chief industries are fishing and rearing of cattle. Raw silk is raised to the amount of about 500 cwt. of cocoons annually. The principal ports are Bastia, Ajaccio, and Calvi; an annual average of 2000 ships, with a total tonnage of 480,000 tons, enter, and 1700 clear, with a tonnage of 350,000. The chief imports are corn and other food-stuffs, building materials, coals, metal wares, salt, cattle, cheese, fodder, brandy, pottery, glass wares, and paper; and the chief exports, wine, wood, bark for tanning, olive-oil, chestnuts, and fruits fresh and preserved. There is a railway from Ajaccio to Bastia, with branches to Calvi and Orbo. Corsica is divided into five arrondissements: Ajaccio, Bastia, Calvi, Corte, Sartène. The capital is Ajaccio, but the most important town is Bastia. The language is a corrupt Italian. Though not industrious, the Corsicans are patriotic and brave.
In early times known as Cyrnos, Corsica in the 8th century fell to the Saracens, who in the 11th yielded it to Pisa. Thence it passed to the Genoese. Genoese towers, that defended the bays against Saracen incursions, still add a picturesque trait to the landscape. The Genoese, unable to subdue the Corsicans, who had risen under General Paoli, surrendered Corsica to the French, who conquered it in 1768; since then it has willingly united with France.
See Boswell's Account of Corsica (1768); Ortolî's Contes popul. de l'île de Corse (1885); Paul Borde's En Corse (1887); J. W. Barry, Studies in Corsica (1893); L. H. Caird's History of Corsica (1899); and for 'the Corsican,' BONAPARTE, NAPOLEON. For the Corsican blood-feud, see VENDETTA, and Prosper Merimée's powerful picture of Corsican life, Colomba (1841).