Sardinia

Sardinia, also called Sardegna in Italian, is a big island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is the second largest island there, just after Sicily. Sardinia belongs to Italy and has special rules that let it make some of its own decisions. The biggest city is Cagliari, but another important city is Sassari. Over 1.5 million people live there today.

The island is very beautiful with many different kinds of land, like mountains, forests, and long sandy beaches. Because of this, many people say Sardinia feels like a whole small world on its own. Long ago, a group of people called the Nuragic civilization lived there, and you can still see some of their old buildings.

Sardinia also has special languages that not many people speak anymore. These include the Sardinian language and a version of Catalan called Algherese. There are also other language mixes like Sassarese and Gallurese, which are a bit like the language spoken in nearby Corsica. The island works to protect these languages so they do not disappear.

Etymology

The name Sardinia comes from very old roots that existed before the Latin language. It started with a pre-Roman word *s(a)rd-, which later changed to sardus in Roman times. The earliest known use of this name appears on the Nora Stone, where it was written as ŠRDN, or *Šardana. This shows that the name was already used when Phoenician traders first arrived on the island.

Some stories say that Sardinia might have been named after a legendary woman named Sardṓ, who was born in Sardis, an ancient city in the Kingdom of Lydia. Others think the name might be linked to a group of people called the Sherden, who were part of the Sea Peoples. The name also connects to an ancient Sardinian hero-god named Sardus Pater, meaning "Sardinian Father." In old times, Sardinia was also known by other names such as Ichnusa, Sandaliotis, and Argyrophleps.

History

Main article: History of Sardinia

See also: History of mining in Sardinia

Sardinia has been home to people since the end of the Paleolithic era, about 20,000 to 10,000 years ago. The island's most famous ancient culture is the Nuragic people, who lived there from around 1800 BC until around 238 BC or even later in some areas.

After a time when the island was ruled together by the Nuraghic people and the Phoenicians, parts of it were taken over by Carthage in the late 6th century BC, and then by Rome in 238 BC. Rome ruled Sardinia for 700 years.

In the early Middle Ages, the island was ruled by the Vandals and then the Byzantines. During this time, the island developed its own way of governing itself through four small kingdoms called Judicates. Later, the Spanish Crown of Aragon took control in 1324 and ruled until 1713.

eventually passed to the House of Savoy in 1718, who ruled it until Italy was unified in 1861. Today, Sardinia is part of Italy as the Autonomous Region of Sardinia.

Prehistory

See also: Pre-Nuragic Sardinia

Sardinia is one of Europe's oldest lands. People lived there in waves from very early times.

Evidence from Corbeddu Cave suggests humans may have been on the island as early as 20,000 years ago, though some think it was closer to 10,000 years ago.

The Neolithic period began around 6000 BC when farmers from Europe arrived, bringing tools and pottery. Later cultures built large stone tombs and towers.

Nuragic civilization

Main article: Nuragic civilization

From about 1500 BC, people built large stone towers called nuraghe to protect their villages. These structures grew more complex over time.

The Nuraghic people controlled important resources like copper and traded with many other cultures.

Ancient history

See also: Sardinia and Corsica

Around the 9th century BC, the Phoenicians began visiting Sardinia for trade and safe harbors. Later, the Carthaginians took control of parts of the island.

In 238 BC, the Romans took over Sardinia and Corsica, making them a province. Roman rule lasted for nearly 700 years, bringing Latin language and culture, though local traditions remained strong in some areas.

Vandal conquest

See also: Vandal Sardinia

The Vandals, a Germanic tribe, took over Sardinia in 456 and ruled for 78 years. They were later defeated by the Byzantine general Belisarius, returning the island to Byzantine control.

Byzantine era and the rise of the Judicates

See also: Byzantine Sardinia and Sardinian medieval kingdoms

After the Vandals, Sardinia was ruled by the Byzantine Empire for about 300 years, except for a brief invasion by the Ostrogoths. The island was divided into regions governed by judges.

Over time, communication with Byzantium became difficult, and local rulers, known as Judges, emerged as independent leaders. Sardinia was divided into four small kingdoms or Judicates: Cagliari, Arborea, Gallura, and Torres or Logudoro.

Aragonese period

In 1324, with the help of the Kingdom of Arborea, the Crown of Aragon began taking control of Sardinia. They introduced new laws and a parliament, though with limited powers.

The Judicate of Arborea resisted for many years but was eventually defeated in 1409. Aragon continued to rule Sardinia, bringing in the feudal system and Spanish influences.

Spanish period

For about 400 years, from 1323 to 1708, Sardinia was ruled by Spain. During this time, many Spanish customs and traditions became part of Sardinian life.

There were also difficult times, including severe famines where many people suffered and died.

Savoyard period

In 1708, after the War of the Spanish Succession, Sardinia came under the control of the House of Savoy. They introduced the Italian language and began a process of integrating Sardinia more closely with the Italian mainland.

In 1793, Sardinians successfully defended against a French attack. Later periods saw changes in land ownership and social unrest.

Kingdom of Italy

When Italy was unified in 1861, Sardinia became part of the new Kingdom of Italy. Many forests were cut down for building railways on the mainland, and taxes increased heavily.

During World War I, Sardinian soldiers served bravely. In the Fascist era, new towns and industries were developed, including coal mining.

Post-Second World War period

After World War II, Sardinia became part of the Italian Republic with special autonomy. Malaria was eliminated, and tourism began to grow.

In the 1960s, efforts were made to industrialize the island, but the 1973 oil crisis caused job losses. Military bases were also established, leading to some local protests.

Today, Sardinia is developing as a region focused on tourism and modern technology.

Geography

Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily. It covers an area of 24,100 km² (9,305 sq mi). The island is located west of the Italian Peninsula, north of Tunisia, and south of the French island of Corsica.

The coastline of Sardinia stretches for 1,849 km (1,149 mi) and features rocky cliffs, wide bays, and many smaller islands. The island's highest point is Punta La Marmora, reaching 1,834 m (6,017 ft) in the Gennargentu Ranges. Sardinia has few major rivers, with the Tirso being the longest at 151 km (94 mi). The island also has many artificial lakes and dams, such as Lake Omodeo and Lake Coghinas, which help provide water and electricity.

The climate in Sardinia varies, with mild winters and warm summers along the coast, and colder winters and cooler summers in the mountains. Rainfall is most common in autumn and winter, while summers are usually dry but can sometimes have brief, heavy thunderstorms. The Mistral wind often blows from the northwest, especially in winter and spring.

Environment

Sardinia has a lot of forests, covering half of the island. This makes it the Italian region with the most forest areas. The island often has forest fires in the summer. Rules help protect the coast and natural areas from building.

Sardinia is home to many special plants and animals found nowhere else. It has unique salamanders, lizards, and birds like the griffon vulture and the greater flamingo. The island also has tortoises and sea turtles. Some animals from long ago, like a small mammoth and special mice, are no longer alive today. Today, Sardinia has many protected areas, including three national parks and many regional parks and reserves.

Education

Sardinia has very high education levels. In the year 2001, almost everyone under 65 could read and write. Most people go to school and many finish their studies.

The island has two big schools for higher learning called universities: the University of Sassari and the University of Cagliari. Many students attend these schools each year.

Cagliari, a city in Sardinia, also has special learning places like the Pontifical Faculty of Theology of Sardinia and the Istituto Europeo di Design.

Economy

Sardinia, an island region of Italy, has a strong economy, especially in the areas around Cagliari and Sassari. In 2014, its total economy was worth about €33,356 million, with each person earning around €19,900—a bit more than the average in Europe.

However, running businesses on Sardinia can be tricky because goods and electricity cost more to bring to the island. Even so, Sardinia makes its own electricity and even sends some to Corsica and mainland Italy. New projects are helping lower energy costs, like special gas systems that started working in 2018. Today, Sardinia uses a mix of energy sources, including wind, solar, and water power.

The island is also known for its sheep—there are almost four million, making Sardinia one of the places with the most sheep in the world! Farming is important too, with crops like wheat, olives, and tomatoes. Sardinia makes a lot of cork from its oak trees and is a big producer of cheese, especially a type called pecorino romano.

Industry plays a role too, with factories making chemicals, metals, and even airplane parts. Tourism is a huge part of Sardinia’s economy, with many visitors coming to enjoy its beaches and beautiful small towns. The island is also good at technology, with early advances in internet services and startups.

Communications

See also: Sardinia Radio Telescope

Sardinia is a leader in Italy for internet use and speed. It has the fastest broadband connections in the country and the highest percentage of users using 4G LTE technology. Big companies like ZTE and Huawei have labs and development centers on the island.

Sardinia was also the first region in Europe to switch completely to digital television. Since November 1, 2008, all TV channels have been broadcast in digital format only.

Transport

Airports

Sardinia has three big airports (Alghero-Fertilia/Riviera del Corallo Airport, Olbia-Costa Smeralda Airport and Cagliari-Elmas Airport). These airports connect Sardinia with big cities in Italy and many places in Europe, like the United Kingdom, France, Spain and Germany. There are also two smaller airports (Oristano-Fenosu Airport and Tortolì-Arbatax Airport). Sardinia has special ticket prices for its people traveling to Rome and Milan. Many budget airlines fly to the island.

Seaports

Big ferry companies connect Sardinian ports like Porto Torres, Olbia, Golfo Aranci, Arbatax, Santa Teresa Gallura and Cagliari with cities in Italy such as Civitavecchia, Genoa, Livorno, Naples, Palermo, Trapani and Piombino. They also go to places in France like Marseille, Toulon, Bonifacio, Propriano and Ajaccio, and to Barcelona in Spain. Porto Torres is the biggest port on the island. There are about 40 places along the coast where boats can stop for tourists.

Roads

Sardinia doesn’t have big highways, but it has many good roads called superstrade that connect the main towns, airports and ports. The main road is the SS131 “Carlo Felice”, going from south to north. There are buses that go to every town, but smaller places might need a car. The main cities like Cagliari, Iglesias, Oristano, Alghero, Sassari, Nuoro, Carbonia and Olbia have city buses.

Railways

Sardinia has two train companies. Trenitalia runs modern trains between big towns and ports. ARST runs slower trains on smaller tracks, including special old trains called the Trenino Verde that go through beautiful, wild places on the island.

Demographics

See also: Sardinian people, Corsican people, Italian people, Catalan people, and List of Sardinians

As of 2026, Sardinia has a population of 1,554,490 people. About half are male and half are female. Young people make up 12% of the population, while older people make up 28.1%.

Sardinia is not very crowded, with only 65 people living in each square kilometer. This is less than a third of the crowd level in the rest of Italy. In the past, most people lived a little away from the coast because the coast was not safe and the land closer to the water was wet. Now, many people live near the coast because of tourism, and the middle of the island has only a few people.

Sardinia has fewer babies being born each year than any other part of Italy. The number of people getting older is growing fast. Many small villages have fewer people now, and some might become almost empty places.

However, the number of people in Sardinia has stayed about the same because many people from other places, like the Italian mainland, Romania, Africa, and Asia, have moved there.

Life expectancy

People in Sardinia usually live a little over 82 years. Women live about 85 years, and men live about 79.7 years. Sardinia has many people who live over 100 years, more than almost any other place in the world. It was the first place found to have many people living very long lives.

Immigration

As of 2025, most people living in Sardinia were born in Italy (1,481,875 people, or 95.6%). Some people were born in Romania (10,683 people, or 0.7%).

Main cities and Functional Urban Areas

The biggest cities in Sardinia are Cagliari and Sassari. The area around Cagliari has 431,302 people, which is about a quarter of everyone living on the island. There are two main areas where lots of people live: Cagliari, with 477,000 people, and Sassari, with 222,000 people.

Government and politics

Main articles: Politics of Sardinia and List of political parties in Sardinia

See also: Regional Council of Sardinia and List of presidents of Sardinia

Sardinia is one of the five Italian autonomous regions, which means it has some special rules that let it make its own decisions in certain areas. The region has its own laws and a special group of leaders to help run things.

The regional administration has three main parts:

• the Regional Council (makes the laws)
• the Regional Junta (runs the day-to-day work)
• the President (leads the government)

Since 2025, Sardinia is divided into two big cities and six smaller areas.

In April 2021, new plans were made to change how Sardinia is organized. These plans were approved by leaders in Sardinia, but the Italian government said they were not allowed at first. However, in March 2022, a special court said the plans were okay. By April 2023, more details were added, and the changes will be fully finished by 2025.

Sardinia has many military bases. In fact, about 60% of all military bases in Italy are on this island, even though it is small and has fewer people than other parts of Italy. These bases are used for training and testing by Italy, NATO, and Israeli forces. Some of these places are also used to test new weapons and space tools. In the past, there were even nuclear submarines based there until 2008.

Some people worry about the health effects from these activities.

Culture

Sardinia is special because its laws recognize its people as a distinct group. This is similar to another region in Italy called Veneto, but Sardinia's laws are protected by the country's constitution.

Architecture

Sardinia has many ancient buildings, like tombs called domus de janas, giant graves, and stone circles. The most famous ancient structures are the nuraghes, large Bronze Age buildings still standing today. The island also has remains from the Phoenicians and Punics, who lived there long ago.

The Romans built cities and infrastructure, leaving ruins like palaces and amphitheaters. In the early Christian and Byzantine times, many religious buildings were constructed. During the Judicates period, Romanesque architecture became popular, with many churches built, like the basilica of San Gavino. Castles were also built to protect the land.

In the 14th century, the Aragonese built Gothic churches in Cagliari. Renaissance architecture is seen in buildings like the cathedral of San Nicola in Sassari. Baroque architecture flourished later, with many churches and cathedrals redesigned. In the 19th century, neoclassical styles appeared, and in the 20th century, rationalist architecture developed, especially in new towns like Fertilia and Arborea.

Art

Ancient Sardinians created statues of the Mother Goddess and engraved pottery. The Nuragic people made bronze statuettes and stone figures. The Romans brought mosaics and decorated villas with sculptures and paintings.

In the Middle Ages, churches were decorated with carvings, frescoes, and marble altars. In the 19th and 20th centuries, Sardinian artists like Giuseppe Biasi and Francesco Ciusa celebrated the island's traditional way of life. Other notable artists include Costantino Nivola and Pinuccio Sciola.

World Heritage Sites

The nuraghes, ancient stone buildings, are found all over Sardinia. Su Nuraxi di Barumini is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. In July 2025, the domus de janas tombs were also added to the UNESCO list.

Languages

Italian is the main language spoken today, but Sardinia has its own language, Sardinian (sardu). Sardinian is different from Italian and is recognized as one of Italy's historical languages. It has two main forms: Campidanese, spoken in the south, and Logudorese, spoken in the north.

Other languages spoken in Sardinia include Sassarese, Gallurese, and Algherese (a Catalan dialect). Due to historical changes, Sardinian has been influenced by Catalan, Spanish, and Italian. Recently, languages like Romanian, Arabic, Wolof, and Chinese are also heard in some areas.

Literature

The first literary work in Sardinian was written in the 15th century. In the 16th century, Antonio Lo Frasso wrote a famous poem. In the 19th century, writers like Giovanni Spano and Giuseppe Manno explored Sardinian history. Grazia Deledda, a Nobel Prize winner, and other writers like Emilio Lussu and Giuseppe Dessì told stories of Sardinian life.

Traditional clothes

Sardinia has colorful traditional clothes that show people's identity. Each town has its own style, but the basic design is the same across the island.

Music

Sardinia is known for cantu a tenore, an old style of singing that UNESCO protects. Famous musicians like Frank Zappa and Peter Gabriel have recorded this music. Another unique instrument is the launeddas, made from three reed canes. Traditional guitar songs, called cantu a chiterra, are also popular. Young people in Sardinia are keeping these music traditions alive.

Cuisine

Sardinian food includes meat, dairy, grains, and vegetables. Popular dishes are porcheddu (roasted suckling pig) and wild boar stew. Bread is very important, with types like pane carasau, a thin, crispy flatbread. Cheeses like pecorino sardo and casu martzu are famous. Sardinia also makes many wines and has its own beer, Birra Ichnusa, which is very popular.

Sports

Football

Cagliari has a team called Cagliari Calcio, started in 1920, that plays in the top Italian league. They won the Italian Championship in the 1969–70 Serie A season, making them the first team from Southern Italy to do so. Their home games are at the Unipol Domus.

Other teams on the island include Olbia Calcio from Olbia and Torres Calcio from Sassari. While these teams usually play in lower leagues, Torres' women's team, Torres Femminile, has won the national championship seven times.

The Sardinian national football team is part of CONIFA, a group for teams not in FIFA.

Basketball

Sassari is home to Dinamo Basket Sassari, the only professional basketball team from Sardinia, playing in the top Italian league. Founded in 1960, they have won big prizes, including the Coppa Italia, the Supercoppa, and the Italian basketball championship.

Motor racing

The Mores motor racing circuit in the Province of Sassari is Sardinia's only race track approved for cars and motorcycles.

Cagliari held a street race in 2002 and 2003. Since 2004, Sardinia has hosted the Rally d'Italia Sardegna, a major rally race.

Water sports

Sardinia is famous for scuba diving and snorkeling, especially around Alghero and Cala Gonone. Many diving centers offer equipment and tours.

The island has top sailing schools, like the Centro Velico Caprera and the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda. It also hosts big sailing races.

Porto Pollo near Palau is a popular spot for windsurfers and kitesurfers.

Cagliari holds many international sailing events.

Winter sports

There are four ski areas on the Gennargentu Range, with ski schools and rentals.

Traditional sports

S'Istrumpa, or Sardinian Wrestling, is a traditional sport recognized by sports groups. Sardinia also has many horse riders and a long history with darts.