Geography, cities, climate and genetics of the Sardinian island

Geography of Sardinia

Sardinia (Italian: Sardegna; Sardinian: Sardigna or Sardinna) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily). The area of Sardinia is 9,300 sq. miles. The island lies between Italy, Spain, and Tunisia, south of Corsica; under the Italian Constitution it is one of the autonomous regions with special statute.

At the beginning of the nuragic age circa 1500 BC the island was first called Hyknusa (Latinized Ichnusa) by the Mycenaeans probably meaning island (nusa) of the Hyksos, the people who had just been expelled by Ahmose I of Egypt circa 1540 BC. Sandalyon was its second name, probably due to its shape, recalling a footprint. Last and present name has been Sardinia, for the Shardana (whose invasion on Egypt was defeated by Ramesses III circa 1180 BC).

Sardinia has an area of 24,090 km² and a population of 1.65 million. The regional capital is Cagliari. The region is divided into eight provinces: Cagliari, Sassari, Nuoro, Oristano, Olbia - Tempio, Ogliastra, Carbonia-Iglesias and Medio Campidano. The latter four provinces have been created by the local government and are not recognized by the Italian government. Sardinia can be considered part of the Mezzogiorno region of the nation. The main religion of Sardinia, alike the rest of Italy and southwest Europe, is Roman Catholicism. However, there are small Greek Catholic and Eastern Orthodox sects established in Sardinia for over 900 years.

Sardinia is one of two Italian regions whose inhabitants have been recognized as a "popolo" (i.e. a distinct people) by a local Statute (which is not a Constitutional Law). The other region is Veneto.

Cities

There are few large cities in Sardinia. In the south, the capital of the island Cagliari is the first metropolitan area (including Quartu Sant'Elena and Assemini), while Sassari is the regional pole in the north. Other sub-regional cities are, Alghero, Olbia and Tempio Pausania in the north, Nuoro and Oristano in the centre, Carbonia and Iglesias in the south. Other relevant towns are Porto Torres, Ozieri, Macomer, Bosa, Lanusei, Tortolì, Sanluri and Villacidro.

Climate

The climate is mainly Mediterranean, with a warm spring and fall, hot summer, and mild winter.

Genetics

The original nuraghe inhabitants of Sardinia, who are now concentrated in the interior of the island due to pressure from colonists, are a genetic anomaly in the region. They belong to Y-chromosome haplogroup I, which otherwise has high frequency only in Scandinavia and the Croatia-Bosnia area. Furthermore, the I haplogroup of the indigenous Sardinians is of the I1b1b subtype, which is unique to the island. The I1b1b haplogroup also has a low distribution in and around the Pyrenees, indicating some migration of Sardinians to that area. The Sardinian subtype is more closely related to the Croatian-Bosnian subtype than to the Scandinavian subtype. Sardinia also has a relatively high distribution of Y-chromosome haplogroup G, which results from people that migrated to Sardinia from Anatolia. Y-chromosome haplogroup G also has a relatively high concentration in and around the Pyrenees, again indicating migration of Sardinians to that area.

Go back to the Orosei Gulf web page or visit the other thematic web pages about Sardinia:

History of Sardinia

Sardinian language

Geography of Sardinia