Sicily
Sicily[p] is the largest island in the Mediterranean. Along with some smaller islands it is an autonomous region of Italy. The capital city of Sicily is Palermo. The population was about 5,087,000 (over 5 million) in 2004. Sicily is the biggest region in the nation of Italy.
|
Sicilia | |
|---|---|
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
 | |
| Country | Italy |
| Capital | Palermo |
| Government | |
| • President | Renato Schifani |
| Area | |
| • Total | 25,708 km2 (9,926 sq mi) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 5,029,683 |
| • Density | 195.647/km2 (506.722/sq mi) |
| • Official languages | Sicilian |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| GDP/ Nominal | €83 billion (2006) |
| NUTS Region | ITG |
| Website | www.regione.sicilia.it |
Phoenician and Greek people colonized the island in the 8th Century BC and sometimes fought wars there. Carthage controlled most of the island until Ancient Rome conquered it. In later centuries, Saracens (who significantly impacted the Island genetically and culturally) fought against the Byzantine Greeks, and Normans ruled it for a few centuries. A German dynasty and a French one ruled in the 13th century. After the 1282 revolts of Sicilian Vespers, the crown of Aragon and Spain took over the Island. Later, Garibaldi in the Risorgimento conquered it and brought it into the Kingdom of Italy.
Provinces
SicilyProvinces Media
Inno della Regione Siciliana «Madreterra»
Mount Etna rising over suburbs of Catania
The Monti Sicani in western Sicily
View of the Ciane river
Vista del vallone di Caltanissetta.
The Sicilian wall lizard endemic to Sicily and the Aegadian Islands
Sicilian wolf (extinct)
Megaliths of Argimusco, Montalbano Elicona
Notes
- [p] - The word "Sicily" is pronounced as "SISS-uh-lee".