Haute-Corse

Infobox_Department_of_France
department=Haute-Corse|number=2B
region=Corsica
prefecture=Bastia
subprefectures=Calvi
Corte
population=141,603|pop_date=1999|pop_rank=93rd|density=30
area=4666|area_scale=9
arrond=3|cantons=30|communes=236
president=Paul Giacobbi|pres_party=PRG
img_coa=blason20.png

Haute-Corse ( _co. Corsica suprana) (English: Upper Corsica) is a French department. It constitutes the northern part of the island of Corsica.

History

The department was formed on September 15, 1975, when the department of Corse was divided into Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud. The department corresponds exactly to the former department of Golo which existed between 1793 and 1811.

Geography

The department is surrounded on three sides by the Mediterranean Sea and on the south by the department of Corse-du-Sud.

Demographics

The inhabitants of the entire island of Corsica are called Corsicans.

Culture

The Corsicans are a fiercely independent people. However, a July 6, 2003 referendum on increased autonomy was voted down by a very thin majority: 50.98 percent against to 49.02 percent for. This was a major setback for French Minister of the Interior Nicolas Sarkozy, who had hoped to use Corsica as the first step in his decentralization policies.

ee also

*Cantons of the Haute-Corse department
*Communes of the Haute-Corse department
*Arrondissements of the Haute-Corse department

External links

* [http://www.cg2b.fr/ General Council website]
* ODP|Regional/Europe/France/Regions/Corsica/Haute-Corse|Haute-Corse

* [http://fst.univ-corse.fr University of Corsica website]
* [http://www.corsica-isula.com/ Corsica Isula ]