Sardinia

Mountainous island and special autonomous region of Italy, about 240 km/150 mi southwest of the Orbetello promontory in Tuscany; area 24,090 sq km/9,301 sq mi; population (2001 est) 1,599,500. It is the second-largest Mediterranean island and comprises the provinces of Cagliari, Nuoro, Oristano, and Sassari; its capital is Cagliari. Cork, fruit, grain, tobacco, minerals (lead, zinc, manganese), and petrochemicals are exported. Features include the Costa Smeralda (Emerald Coast) tourist area in the northeast, and thousands of nuraghi, fortified Bronze Age dwellings unique to the island. After centuries of foreign rule, Sardinia became linked with Piedmont in 1720, and this dual kingdom became the basis of a united Italy in 1861.

History
Sardinia was occupied by the Carthaginians between 500 and 480 BC. Rome took possession of the island in 238 BC and formed it into a province, to which Corsica was added in 227 BC but separated again in AD 67. Sardinia was one of the chief sources of the Roman Empire's corn supply; it also produced silver and salt.

After suffering the repeated ravages of Goths and Vandals, Sardinia passed into the possession of the Eastern Roman Empire (the Byzantines). In later times it was harassed by the Saracens. In the 11th century it became a kingdom, although in 1190 it had to recognize the supremacy of Pisa, which was then contested by Genoa. The Spanish kingdom of Aragòn held the island from 1323 to 1326. Ruled by a Spanish viceroy from 1478 to 1713, it then passed to Austria through the Peace of Utrecht, and finally to the duke of Savoy in 1718, who took the title King of Sardinia. His descendant, Victor Emmanuel II, became king of Italy in 1861.