Sardinia
Satellite imagery captured on the 27th of April 2003 by NASA's Aqua MODIS instrument reveals the distinct shape of Sardinia, an island situated 200 km west of the Italian Peninsula and 16.45 km south of Corsica. This landmass dates back to the Palaeozoic Era, making it one of the most geologically ancient bodies in Europe. Unlike Sicily or mainland Italy, the island is not prone to earthquakes due to its specific rock composition. The Cambrian-Lower Ordovician succession reaches a thickness between 1500 and 3000 meters. Granite, schist, trachyte, basalt, sandstone, and dolomite limestone form the highlands that average between 600 and 800 meters above sea level. Punta La Marmora stands as the highest peak at 1,829 meters within the Gennargentu Ranges. The island covers an area of 24,090 square kilometers, ranking second only to Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea. Rainfall patterns vary significantly across the region, with the driest areas receiving less than 500 mm annually near Capo Carbonara. Conversely, the top of the Gennargentu mountain receives almost 1,500 mm per year. In autumn 2009, Siniscola recorded over 100 mm of rain in a single day. Cyclone Cleopatra struck the island in 2013, dumping 100 mm of rainfall within ninety minutes.
From about 1500 BC onwards, villages emerged around round tower-fortresses known locally as nuraghe. Today, some 7,000 of these structures dot the Sardinian landscape. These towers were often reinforced with battlements and enlarged over time into extremely complex monuments like Nuraghe Santu Antine or Su Nuraxi. Tribal boundaries were guarded by smaller lookout nuraghes erected on strategic hills. The scale and complexity of these buildings attest to the wealth accumulated by the Nuragic Sardinians. They controlled the extraction of copper and lead, pivotal raw materials for manufacturing during that era. Votive bronze statuettes found across the island reflect this sophistication. Statues of Mont'e Prama stand as monumental collective tombs alongside sacred wells. Evidence of trade extends as far as Cyprus, Crete, Mainland Greece, Spain, and Italy. The Beaker culture appeared in the early Chalcolithic period, predominantly settling on the west coast. The Ozieri culture flourished in the mid-Neolithic period, spreading hypogeum tombs known as domus de Janas. Arzachena culture builders constructed circular tombs in Gallura. Remains from Corbeddu Cave suggest human presence around 20,000 years ago during the Last Glacial Maximum.
The Romans annexed Corsica and Sardinia from Carthage in 238 BC, establishing a province that lasted 694 years. Roman rule brought Latin as the dominant spoken language, though mountainous regions called Barbaria remained contested. The East Germanic tribe of the Vandals conquered the island in 456, ruling until 534 when Eastern Roman troops led by Cyril retook it. Byzantine administration divided the island into districts called mereíai governed by judges residing in Caralis. Pope Gregory I wrote to Hospito, defining him Dux Barbaricinorum, noting his people ignored the true God while worshipping wood and stone. By the 10th century, four autonomous states emerged: Cagliari, Arborea, Gallura, and Torres. The Judicate of Arborea maintained its parliament called Corona de Logu for centuries. Eleanor of Arborea amended the legal code known as Carta de Logu, establishing rights for women to refuse marriage and own property. In 1324, Aragonese Crown Prince Alfonso occupied Pisan territories, naming them the Kingdom of Sardinia and Corsica. The kingdom remained under Aragonese control until 1718. Peter IV of Aragon granted a parliament in 1353 consisting of military commanders, clergy, and nobility. The Battle of Sanluri in 1409 saw about 20,000 Sardinian knights defeated despite outnumbering the enemy.
During the Fascist period, swamps were reclaimed and agrarian communities founded like Mussolinia, now called Arborea. Carbonia became the main center of coal mining activity established in 1938, attracting thousands of workers. Grazia Deledda won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1926. German troops left the island on the 8th of September 1943 following an agreement between General Antonio Basso and Karl Hans Lungerhausen. Malaria was successfully eliminated by 1951 through efforts by ERLAAS and the Rockefeller Foundation. The 1973 oil crisis terminated employment for thousands of petrochemical workers, aggravating emigration trends from the 1950s and 1960s. Around 60% of all Italian and NATO military installations are located on Sardinia today. In 1983, a prominent activist of the Sardinian Action Party was elected president of the regional parliament. Between 1987 and 1988, 224 bombing attacks were reported across the region. Silvio Berlusconi moved the planned 35th G8 summit from La Maddalena to L'Aquila in April 2009 without consulting local authorities. The island's languages including Sardinian, Sassarese, Gallurese, Algherese, and Tabarchino received formal recognition in 1999. Tourism has become one of the fastest-growing sectors since the mid-20th century.
Sardinia exhibits high levels of endemism regarding flora and fauna due to continual isolation from mainland Europe. Terrestrial vertebrates include endemic amphibians like the Sardinian brook salamander and brown cave salamander. Lizards specific to the archipelago include Bedriaga's rock lizard and Tyrrhenian wall lizard. During the Late Pleistocene, extinct species included a dwarf mammoth named Mammuthus lamarmorai and a jackal-sized canine called Cynotherium sardus. The Sardinian pika persisted until around 3000, 2000 years ago before disappearing completely. Some deer species suggested to have survived until approximately 7,600 years ago. The island lacks common European species such as the viper, wolf, bear, and marmot. Hundreds of lagoons host wading birds like the greater flamingo. Eleonora's falcon derives its name from Eleonor of Arborea, an expert in falconry. Three dog breeds peculiar to Sardinia are the Sardinian Shepherd Dog, Dogo Sardesco, and Levriero Sardo. The Sardinian Anglo-Arab horse breed has been selectively bred for over one hundred years. Nearly four million sheep graze on the island, creating a density of 135 sheep per square kilometer.
The 2014 nominal gross domestic product reached €33,356 million with a per capita income of €19,900. Electricity costs are twice that of continental Italian regions and triple the EU average. In 2009, the submarine power cable Sapei linked Fiume Santo Power Station to converter stations in Latina. Sardinia produces about 80% of all Italian cork through 130 companies in the Gallura region. Every year, 200,000 quintals of cork are carved, with 40% exported as end products. Agriculture accounts for 8.7% of employment while industry represents 23.5%. Tourism and services dominate the tertiary sector at 67.8%. Unemployment rose from 8.6% in late 2008 to 14.6% by 2012 before dropping to 11.2% in 2018. Three main banks operate from Sassari including Banco di Sardegna and Banca di Sassari. Portoscuso became Italy's first free trade zone in February 2013. CRS4 developed the second European website in 1991 and webmail in 1995. Telecommunication companies like Tiscali emerged in 1998. The island hosts Decimomannu Air Base and Salto di Quirra, Europe's largest scientific military base. Over 35,000 hectares are used for experimental weapons testing where 80% of Italian explosives are deployed.
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Common questions
What is the geological age of Sardinia?
Sardinia dates back to the Palaeozoic Era, making it one of the most geologically ancient bodies in Europe. The Cambrian-Lower Ordovician succession reaches a thickness between 1500 and 3000 meters.
When did the Romans annex Corsica and Sardinia from Carthage?
The Romans annexed Corsica and Sardinia from Carthage in 238 BC, establishing a province that lasted 694 years. Roman rule brought Latin as the dominant spoken language throughout this period.
Who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1926 from Sardinia?
Grazia Deledda won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1926. She remains a prominent literary figure associated with the island's cultural history.
Which extinct species lived on Sardinia during the Late Pleistocene?
Extinct species included a dwarf mammoth named Mammuthus lamarmorai and a jackal-sized canine called Cynotherium sardus. The Sardinian pika persisted until around 3000 or 2000 years ago before disappearing completely.
What is the highest peak in Sardinia and its elevation?
Punta La Marmora stands as the highest peak at 1,829 meters within the Gennargentu Ranges. This mountain is part of the highlands that average between 600 and 800 meters above sea level.