Corse-du-Sud (French pronunciation: [kɔʁs dy syd] ⓘ; Corsican: Corsica suttana [ˈkorsiga zutˈtana], Pumonte [puˈmɔntɛ][a] or Pumonti [puˈmɔnti]; English: Southern Corsica) is an administrative department of France, consisting of the southern part of the island of Corsica. The corresponding departmental territorial collectivity merged with that of Haute-Corse on 1 January 2018, forming the single territorial collectivity of Corsica, with territorial elections coinciding with the dissolution of the separate council.[3] Although its administrative powers were ceded to the new territorial collectivity, it remains an administrative department in its own right. In 2023, it had a population of 158,507.[4]
History
The department was formed on 1 January 1976, when the single department of Corsica was divided into Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud. Its boundaries corresponded to the former department of Liamone, which existed from 1793 to 1811.
On 6 February 1998, Corse-du-Sud's prefect Claude Érignac was assassinated in Ajaccio. The Corsican nationalist Yvan Colonna was eventually convicted of the crime.
On 6 July 2003 a referendum rejected increased autonomy by a small majority, with 50.98 percent voting against and 49.02 percent for. This was a major setback for the French Minister of the Interior, Nicolas Sarkozy, who had hoped to use Corsica as the first step in his decentralization programme.
On 1 January 2018, Corse-du-Sud's administrative powers were partly ceded to the new territorial collectivity of Corsica.[3]
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.
Principal towns
The most populous commune is Ajaccio, the prefecture. As of 2023, the 5 most populous communes are:[5]
| Commune | Population (2023) |
|---|---|
| Ajaccio | 76,320 |
| Porto-Vecchio | 11,198 |
| Bastelicaccia | 4,411 |
| Propriano | 3,996 |
| Grosseto-Prugna | 3,900 |
Demographics
The people living in Corse-du-Sud are called Suttanacci.
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According to an INSEE study, in the period 2021-2022 9.1% of the population were immigrants and 13.8% were descendants of immigrants (at least one parent).[6]
Politics
The current prefect of Corse-du-Sud (and also prefect of the collectivity of Corsica) is Amaury de Saint-Quentin, who took office on 7 March 2022.[1]
Current National Assembly representatives
| Constituency | Member[7] | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corse-du-Sud's 1st constituency | Laurent Marcangeli | Horizons | |
| Corse-du-Sud's 2nd constituency | Paul-André Colombani | Party of the Corsican Nation | |
Tourism
The former department enjoys the mild and hot climate of Mediterranean Islands, and therefore attracts a lot of tourists. Its perhaps largest tourist attraction 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.
Stone bridge near Ota
Notes
- ↑ Also Italian: [puˈmonte].
See also
References
- 1 2 "Corse : prise de fonctions du préfet Amaury de Saint-Quentin qui assure vouloir "rétablir le dialogue"". France 3. 7 March 2022.
- ↑ "Populations de référence 2023" (in French). National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 18 December 2025.
- 1 2 Morgane Rubetti (1 December 2017). "Corse : cinq questions pour comprendre les élections territoriales". Le Figaro. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
- 1 2 Population municipale entre 1968 et 2023, INSEE
- ↑ Populations de référence 2023: 2A Corse-du-Sud, INSEE
- ↑ L'essentiel sur... les immigrés et les étrangers, INSEE
- ↑ Nationale, Assemblée. "Assemblée nationale ~ Les députés, le vote de la loi, le Parlement français". Assemblée nationale.
External links
- (in French) Prefecture website
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