III.

Population

Around 1,650,052 people live on Sardinia (2005 estimate). The region has an average population density of 69 people per sq km (177 per sq mi). Major cities include Cagliari, the capital (2001, 164,249); Sassari (2001 estimate, 120,874); Olbia (1996, 41,095); Alghero (1996, 39,026); Nuoro (1997 estimate, 38,055); Carbonia (1996, 32,887); and Iglesias (1996, 30,134).

Italian is the official language of Sardinia, although Sardinian (classified as part of the Southern sub-group of Romance languages) has been given official regional language status on the island. Catalan is also spoken in the town of Alghero, a former Aragonese colony. There is an important Bronze Age archaeological site at Barumini, with more than 7,000 well-preserved defensive structures, known as nuraghi. The nuraghi were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. The University of Sassari (1562) and the University of Cagliari (1606) are the leading institutions of higher education.