From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Sicily Sicilia | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| — Autonomous region of Italy — | |||
| |||
 | |||
| Country | Italy | ||
| Capital | Palermo | ||
| Government | |||
| • President | Raffaele Lombardo (MpA) | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 25,711 km2 (9,927 sq mi) | ||
| Population (31 December 2011) | |||
| • Total | 5,051,075 | ||
| • Density | 200/km2 (510/sq mi) | ||
| Demonym | Sicilian | ||
| Citizenship[1] | |||
| • Italian | 98% | ||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
| GDP/ Nominal | € 84.5[2] billion (2008) | ||
| GDP per capita | € 16,600[3] (2008) | ||
| NUTS Region | ITG | ||
| Website | www.regione.sicilia.it | ||
Sicily (Italian Sicilia [siˈtʃiːlja]; Sicilian: Sicilia Palermitano: [sɪˈʃʲɪːljʌ]) is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea; along with surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana (Sicilian Autonomous Region).
Sicily is located in the central Mediterranean. It extends from the tip of the Apennine peninsula from which it is separated only by the narrow Strait of Messina, towards the North African coast. Its most prominent landmark is Mount Etna, which is at 3,320 m (10,890 ft) the tallest active volcanoin Europe and one of the most active in the world. The island has a typical Mediterranean climate.
The earliest archeological evidence of human dwelling on the island dates from as early as 8000 BC. At around 750 BC, Sicily became a Greek colony and for the next 600 years it was the site of the Greek-Punic and Roman-Punic wars, which ended with the Roman destruction of Carthage. After the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century AD, Sicily often changed hands, and during the early Middle Ages it was ruled in turn by theVandals, Ostrogoths, Byzantines, Arabs and Normans. Later on, the Kingdom of Sicily lasted between 1130 and 1816, subordinated to the crowns of Aragon, Spain, the Holy Roman Empire, and finally the Bourbons, as the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. It was united with the rest of Italy in 1860, but a subsequent economic collapse led to a wave of emigration, separatism, and the emergence of the Mafia, whose criminal activities pose problems to this day. After the birth of the Italian Republic in 1946, Sicily was given special status as an autonomous region.
Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature, cuisine, architecture and language. Sicily also holds importance for archeological and ancient sites such as the Necropolis of Pantalica, the Valley of the Temples and Selinunte.
The Sicilian economy is diversified. The agriculture sector is significant with citrus fruits, olives and olive oil, grapes and wine. Tourism and real estate are economically important for the island. Still, with the gross domestic product per capita at around €17,000, it stands at only two-thirds of the European Union average and is one of the least developed regions of Italy.
......................................................................................................................NOTHING IN MIND, AND AFTER FLYING TO CAGLIARI SARDINIA, I WENT ON A SAILING TRIP WITH FRIENDS, DIRECTLY TO PALERMO SICILY.
AFTER LEAVING THIS TOWN, WE FOLLOWED THE NORTH COAST OF SICILY, ANCHORING WHENEVER WE WANTED, FOR SWIMMING OR GOING TO KNOW THE POVOATIONS AND THEIR PEOPLE..!
THROUGH THE STRAIT OF MESSINA WE WENT, ALWAYS ENJOYING LIFE, FOLLOWING THE EAST COAST OF SICILY.
CATANIA, BEAUTIFUL TOWN, WAS THE END OF MY NAUTICAL ADVENTURE. A FEW MORE DAYS THERE AND, SUDDENLY, I WAS IN A PLANE TO AUTUMN 2012...
THESE 51 PHOTOS ARE THE RESULT, TAKEN FROM 5 TO 17 SEPTEMBER, THE TIME IT TOOK TO MAKE THIS OLD DREAM COME TRUE..!
