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This page is about the region of Italy. For other uses, see Sardinia (disambiguation).
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Sardinia

Sardegna (Italian, Ligurian)
Sardigna (Sardinian, Sassarese)
Saldigna  (Gallurese)
Sardenya  (Catalan)
Autonomous region of Italy
The island of Sardinia as seen from the International Space Station
The flag of Sardinia, showing a Saint George's Cross on a white field, surrounded by four black heads, known as the Moors
Flag
 Coat of arms of Sardinia, showing the same pattern as the flag
Coat of arms
Anthem: "Su patriotu sardu a sos feudatarios" (Sardinian)
(English: "The Sardinian Patriot to the Lords")
Sardinia in Italy.svg Sardinia within Italy
E.U-Sardinia.png Location of Sardinia in Europe (green and dark grey) and Italy (green)
Sardegna, Italy.jpg The island of Sardinia as seen from the International Space Station
Country Italy
Capital Cagliari
Government
 • Type Consiglio Regionale
Area
 • Total 24,090 km2 (9,300 sq mi)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total Decrease 1,628,384
 • Languages
Italian
 • Minority languages
Sardinian
Sassarese
Gallurese
Ligurian (Tabarchino)
Catalan (Algherese)
Demonyms English: Sardinian or Sard
Italian: Sardo (man)
Italian: Sarda (woman)
Sardinian: Sardu (man)
Sardinian: Sarda (woman)
Catalan: Sard (man)
Catalan: Sarda (woman)
Citizenship
 • Italian 97%
Time zone UTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST)
ISO 3166 code IT-88
GDP (nominal) €34.9 billion (2018)
GDP per capita €21,200 (2018)
HDI (2018) 0.858
very high · 16th of 21
NUTS Region ITG

Sardinia (Italian: Sardegna, Sardinian: Sardigna) is a large island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is the second largest island in this sea. Sardinia is an autonomous region of Italy. This means it has special powers to govern itself.

The official name of the region in Italian is Regione Autonoma della Sardegna. The biggest city and capital of Sardinia is Cagliari.

Exploring Sardinia's Geography

Corsica from Sardinia
The Strait of Bonifacio separates Sardinia from Corsica. You can see Corsica from Santa Teresa Gallura.
Cala Goloritzé 3
The beautiful Cala Goloritzé beach in Baunei.
Gusana
A view of Gennargentu, the highest mountain range in Sardinia.
Altimetria Sardegna
This graph shows Sardinia's land types: 13.6% mountains, 18.5% flat, and 67.9% hills.

Sardinia is a big island, covering about 24,100 square kilometers. Only Sicily is larger in the Mediterranean Sea. Sardinia is located between 38° 51' and 41° 18' north latitude and 8° 8' and 9° 50' east longitude. To its west is the Sea of Sardinia. To its east is the Tyrrhenian Sea. Both are parts of the Mediterranean Sea.

Sardegna - Lago Omodeo
Lake Omodeo is the biggest artificial lake in Sardinia and Italy.

The closest lands to Sardinia are Corsica to the north, the Italian Peninsula to the east, Sicily to the southeast, Tunisia to the south, the Balearic Islands to the west, and Provence (France) to the northwest. The Strait of Bonifacio is a narrow waterway north of Sardinia. It separates Sardinia from the French island of Corsica.

Sardinia's coastline is about 1,849 kilometers long. It often has high, rocky cliffs. There are many long, straight beaches and impressive headlands. You can also find wide, deep bays and many smaller islands nearby.

Mountains, Rivers, and Lakes

Sardinia is a very old island geologically. Unlike Sicily and mainland Italy, it does not have many earthquakes. Its rocks are up to 500 million years old. Over a long time, erosion has shaped the island's mountains and plateaus. These areas are usually between 300 and 1,000 meters high.

The highest point is Punta La Marmora, which is 1,834 meters tall. It is part of the Gennargentu mountain range in the center of the island. Other mountain ranges include Monte Limbara in the northeast and the Sulcis Mountains in the southwest. Large flat areas and valleys separate these mountains. The main flat areas are the Campidano in the southwest and the Nurra in the northwest.

Sardinia has a few important rivers. The longest is the Tirso, which is 151 kilometers long. It flows into the Sea of Sardinia. Other rivers are the Coghinas (115 km) and the Flumendosa (127 km).

The island has 54 artificial lakes and dams. These are used to provide water and electricity. The largest are Lake Omodeo and Lake Coghinas. The only natural freshwater lake is Lago di Baratz. Along the coast, there are also many large, shallow, salty lagoons and pools.

Sardinia's Climate

Sardegna precipitazioni
Average rainfall in Sardinia.

The weather in Sardinia changes depending on the area. This is because of the island's size and how high different places are. Generally, Sardinia has a Mediterranean climate. This means it has wet winters and dry summers.

Most of the rain falls in winter and autumn. There can be heavy showers in spring. Snow falls in the higher mountain areas. The average temperature is between 11 and 17 degrees Celsius. Coastal areas have mild winters (9 to 11°C in January) and warm summers (23 to 26°C in July). In the mountains, winters are colder (-2 to 4°C in January) and summers are cooler (16 to 20°C in July).

Summers are usually very dry. However, sometimes there are short but strong thunderstorms. These storms can cause sudden flash floods. The climate is also affected by the nearby Gulf of Genoa and the Atlantic Ocean.

Images for kids

  • Monted'accoddisardegna

    The prehistoric megalithic temple of Monte d'Accoddi.

  • Menhir Monte Corru Tundu Sardinia

    Monte Corru Tundu Menhir in Villa Sant'Antonio (5.75 meters high)

  • Nuraghe Losa

    Nuraghe Losa.

  • Dettaglio testa di un Gigante di Monte Prama - gli occhi

    Head of one of the so-called Giants of Mont'e Prama

  • Colonne a tharros

    The Phoenician and subsequently Roman town of Tharros.

  • Necropoli di Tuvixeddu

    Necropolis of Tuvixeddu, Cagliari

  • Carthage Holdings

    Carthage and its dependencies in 264 BC; A region of Sardinia was a part of Carthage

  • - Fordongianus Thermes+

    Roman thermae of Forum Traiani, in what is now Fordongianus.

  • Vandal coin

    A Vandal-period coin found in Sardinia depicting Godas. Latin legend : REX CVDA.

  • Silanus santa sabina2

    Santa Sabina Byzantine church and nuraghe in Silanus

  • San Gavino Aussenansicht

    The medieval Basilica of San Gavino in Porto Torres

  • Saccargia, interno, ciclo del xiii sec. 02

    12th century frescoes in the Basilica di Saccargia in Codrongianos

  • Proclamazione della Repubblica sassarese - Giuseppe Sciuti, 1880 - Sassari, Palazzo della Provincia

    The proclamation of the Republic of Sassari. The Sassarese republic lasted from 1272 until 1323, when it sided with the new born Kingdom of Sardinia.

  • Eleanor statue Oristano

    Statue of the Juighissa Eleanor of Arborea in Oristano.

  • Bandiera del Regno di Sardegna nel corte funebre dell'Imperatore Carlo V

    Flag of the Kingdom of Sardinia (center) at the funeral of Charles I of Spain

  • Torre della Pelosa

    Spanish era coastal tower in Stintino called Torre della Pelosa

  • 1793 view of Cagliari

    The French siege of Cagliari and Quartu

  • Ingresso a Sassari

    GM. Angioy entry into Sassari.

  • Costumes of Sardinia 1880s 01

    Sardinians wearing traditional ethnic garments, 1880s.

  • Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-468-1415-35, Süditalien, Häuserruinen

    Effect of Allied bombing on Cagliari during the Second World War.

  • Three luxury yachts - Lady Anne, Lady Moura and Pelorus

    Super Yachts anchored at Porto Cervo port, Costa Smeralda

  • US Navy 040114-N-8197M-002 The sun rises behind the submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39). Emory S. Land is the only forward deployed submarine tender in the Western hemisphere

    Santo Stefano's former NATO naval base

  • Università Sassari

    Main Building of the University of Sassari (which started the university courses in 1562)

  • European union erdf map en

    Economic classification of European regions according to Eurostat

  • Esportazioni sardegna 2012-13

    Exports of Sardinia in 2012–13

  • Percentualesettorioccupazionalisardegna

    Percentage distribution of employees in different economic sectors in Sardinia: 8.7% the primary sector (fishing, agriculture, farming), 23.5% the secondary sector (industry, machinery, manufacturing), and 67.8% the tertiary sector (tourism, services, finance)

  • Sheep near lula sardinia

    Sheep grazing around Lula, Nuoro

  • Campidano di Cagliari (01)

    Campidano near Cagliari

  • Sughero TempioPausania

    Peeled trunks of cork oaks in Tempio Pausania

  • Porto Torres - chemical industry

    Petrochemical and Green Chemical industries in Porto Torres

  • Porto Cervo 2

    Yachts in Porto Cervo. Luxury tourism represents an important source of income in Sardinia since the 1960s.

  • SRT SARDINIA RADIO TELESCOPE

    Sardinia Radio Telescope

  • Corsica Express Seconda

    A high-speed ferry in the Gulf of Olbia

  • Cable-stayed bridge of the Monserrato University Campus interchange

    Cable-stayed bridge of the Monserrato University Campus interchange SS 554

  • Bus ARST mercedes benz citaro 2

    A bus of Sardinia public transport authorities (Arst) in Sassari

  • FS ATR 365 003 (Cagliari)

    ATR 365 owned by the Autonomous Region of Sardinia in Cagliari

  • Bonorva - Galleria FS di Campeda (03)

    7 km-long railway tunnel of Campeda

  • FCS 400 auf dem Viadukt bei Belvi-Aritzo

    Tourist railway between Aritzo and Belvì

  • Città Sardegna collage

    Cagliari, Alghero, Sassari, Nuoro, Oristano, Olbia

  • Pozzo sacro di Santa Cristina, la volta a tholos sopra il pozzo. - panoramio

    Santa Cristina holy well of Paulilatino, tholos

  • 26 Portal gòtic de la catedral de Santa Maria (l'Alguer)

    Gothic portal of the Cathedral of Alghero

  • Chiesa di Nostra Signora di Tergu 2009

    Facade of Nostra Signora di Tergu (SS)

  • Borutta - Chiesa di San Pietro di Sorres (14)

    Interior of San Pietro di Sorres, Borutta (SS)

  • Kathedrale Santa Maria Cagliari Krypta

    Crypt of the Cagliari Cathedral

  • Nora 062

    Roman mosaic in Nora

  • San Michele arcangelo del maestro di Castelsardo

    Archangel Michael by the Master of Castelsardo

  • Sardinia Language Map

    Linguistic map of Sardinia

  • No-smoking-sardinian

    A 'no smoking' sign in both Sardinian and Italian

  • Pozzomaggiore cartello

    A bilingual road sign in Italian and Sardinian at Pozzomaggiore

  • Costume di Ovodda

    Costume from Ovodda

  • Selargius - Costume tradizionale (24)

    Launeddas players

  • Formaggi e salumi sardi-2

    Cheeses and sausages in Alghero's city market

  • Pasta e dolci

    A range of different cakes, pastries, meals, dishes and sweets which are common elements of Sardinian cuisine

  • Ichnusa non filtrata

    Beer produced in Sardinia

  • CagliariBrescia2019

    Unipol Domus in Cagliari.

  • Santa Maria Navarrese-regata

    Regatta at Santa Maria Navarrese

  • BruncuSpina

    Skilifts on the Bruncu Spina

  • Wind farm in Sardinia

    A wind farm in Sedini, Sassari

  • La peonia del Gennargentu

    Paeonia mascula

  • Giara-di-gesturi-wildpferde

    Giara horses

  • Asinello bianco sardegna asinara 3593693026 750d1054eb o

    Albino donkeys in Asinara

  • Felis Lybica Sarda 05

    The Sardinian feral cat, long considered a subspecies of the African wildcat, are descended from domesticated cats

  • Sardinian natural parks

    National and regional parks of Sardinia

  • Punta Sebera

    Sulcis Regional Park, the largest Mediterranean evergreen forest in Europe

See also

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