Maddalena

Maddalena, group of islands in the Mediterranean Sea located between Sardinia and Corsica, and also the name of the largest island of the archipelago. Maddalena is part of Italy and consists of seven main islands and many smaller islets. The seven islands of Maddalena are divided into two groups. The south-eastern group includes Maddalena, Caprera, Spargi, and San Stefano, and the north-west group is composed of Budelli, Santa Maria, and Razzoli. Combined, the islands have an area of about 65 sq km (25 sq mi).

Maddalena, the largest of the islands, is connected to the island of Caprera by a causeway and is the only island with an urban centre, La Maddalena. The city lies on Maddalena’s southern coast. The island is roughly triangular and is topped by Monte Guardia Vecchia, 140 m (475 ft) in elevation.

Maddalena was not inhabited until the 16th century, when shepherds from Corsica began raising livestock on the island. The island was settled in 1787. The British admiral Horatio Nelson used the island during his naval operations, the first to utilize its strategic location. Under Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, the island became a fortified military base. During World War II the island of Maddalena was heavily bombed by the Allies, but it was valuable to the Allied war effort after the surrender of Italy in September 1943. After the war the islands have maintained, to a lesser extent, their military importance, with tourism playing an increasingly important role in their economy. The National Park of La Maddalena Archipelago was established in 1996; it occupies an area of 5,134 hectares (12,686 acres) on land and 15,046 hectares (37,179 acres) of surrounding sea waters.