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.
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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
Sicily Media
Inno della Regione Siciliana «Madreterra»
Megaliths of Argimusco, Montalbano Elicona
Ruins of the ancient Phoenician city of Motya
Ruins of the ancient Carthaginian city of Soluntum
Temple of Concordia, Valle dei Templi, an archaeological site in Agrigento. It is one of the most outstanding examples of ancient Greek art and architecture of Magna Graecia.
Villa Romana del Casale, a large and elaborate Roman villa or palace located about 3 km from the town of Piazza Armerina
Image depicting the Byzantine army landing in Sicily commanded by George Maniaces
The Saracen conquest of the Byzantine stronghold Syracuse, Siege of Syracuse (877–878)
Arabesque on a wall in the Cuba Palace in Palermo
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Notes
- [p] - The word "Sicily" is pronounced as "SISS-uh-lee".