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Corsica (Corse)
Corsica is a French region. It is an island in the Mediterranean Sea, to the south-east of mainland France.
Key points of the sheet
- Corsica has 2 départements: Corse-du-Sud and Haute-Corse.
- Its main towns are Ajaccio, Bastia, Corte, Porto-Vecchio and Calvi. Ajaccio is the prefecture (préfecture).
- Corsica has about 360,000 inhabitants. The population density is low.
- The population is getting older. But it has been growing recently thanks to the region's attractiveness.
- The key sectors are tourism, agriculture, crafts, construction and services. Agriculture includes livestock farming, vineyards and olive oil.
- Unemployment is higher than the national average, especially outside the tourist season. The economy is strongly linked to the tourist seasons.
Words to know
- Corse-du-Sud (South Corsica)
- It is one of the 2 départements of Corsica.
- Haute-Corse (Upper Corsica)
- It is the other département of Corsica.
- Ajaccio
- It is one of the main towns of Corsica and its prefecture (préfecture).
- tourist season (saison touristique)
- The Corsican economy is strongly linked to the tourist seasons. Unemployment is higher than the national average, especially outside this season.
Test yourself: 3 questions
How many départements does Corsica have?
In French, the language of the exam: Combien de départements compte la Corse ?
Corsica has 2 départements: Corse-du-Sud and Haute-Corse.
Which town is the prefecture (préfecture) of Corsica?
In French, the language of the exam: Quelle ville est la préfecture de la Corse ?
The sheet says that Ajaccio is the prefecture of Corsica.
What is the unemployment rate like in Corsica?
In French, the language of the exam: Comment est le taux de chômage en Corse ?
Unemployment in Corsica is higher than the national average, especially outside the tourist season.
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Questions on the ministry's list that rest on this sheet
More in this topic (The regions of France)
Source
Sheet “Corse” of the French Ministry of the Interior: formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr. Content published under the Etalab Open Licence 2.0. This page is a plain-language adaptation made by Hexaciv, which is not an official site: if in doubt, the ministry's text is the one that counts.
Ministry sheet read on 23 October 2026, still identical on 25 October 2026.