Sardinia , also called as Sardegna in Italian , is the second-largest island of the Mediterranean Sea covering an area of 9,300 square miles. The island has an exceptional position in-between the countries of Italy , Spain, and Tunisia on the southern corner of Corsica. Recently, Sardinia has attained as an autonomous region with special statute under the Constitution of Italy .
At the beginning of 1500 BC, in the Nuragic Age, the island of Sardinia was first known as “Hyknusa” by the Mycenaeans. In the later years, it was called as “Sandalyon” due to its weird shape of a footprint.
Regione Autonoma della Sardegna , under the presidentship of Renato Soru, is an independent district of Italy , with the capital of Cagliari. Sardinia is among the top ten densest state of the country with a population of 1,655,677. Sardinia is divided into 4 separate provinces of:
- Cagliari
- Sassari
- Nuoro
- Oristano
The remaining four provinces have been discovered by the Sardinian regional government, although they are not yet recognized by the Italian government:
- Ogliastra
- Carbonia-Iglesias
- Olbia-Tempio
- Medio Campidano
Originally, Sardinia was inhabited by the Nuraghe and presently occupies the interiors of the Sardinia Island . Due to pressure from colonists, there happens to be genetic irregularities in the region. Sardinia is also one of two regions of Italy who are said to be recognized as the distinct group of popolo . However, people of all parts of the island of Sardinia speak either Italian or Sardinian and are found to be mostly Roman Catholics with few countable numbers of Greek Catholic and Eastern Orthodox sects.
Sardinia is one of the world's most interesting musical and culturally famed destinations. It is the home of the oldest forms of Vocal Polyphony, also known as Canto a Tenores and many big names of music world like Frank Zappa, Ornette Coleman and Peter Gabriel are born here. The unique instrument of the Launeddas is found here too. Also, the traditions of Cantos a Chiterra, a modern times guitar songs, originated in town squares of Sardinia .
The entire ambience of Sardinia is invaluable conglomeration of some of the world's most diverse natural resource. There are thousands of rare species of animals and plants such as the Mediterranean Monk Seal and the boar.
It is easy to travel by trains in Sardinia and it is not surprising to find the narrow gauge track in the Sardinian Island . The train connects Cagliari to Arbatax in the south and Sassari to Palau in the north.
The economy is strong with several inbuilt gold and silver mines and offshore oil rings. Yet, the Sardinian economy concentrates on the tourism industry with other tertiary channels in commerce, services and information technology.
