Bonifacio

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For other meanings, see Bonifacio (disambiguation).

Administration
Commune of Bonifacio View of the harbor of Bonifacio
Location
Country	France
Region	Corse
Department	Corse-du-Sud
Arrondissement	Sartène
Canton	Bonifacio
Mayor	Jean-Baptiste Lantieri
Statistics
Land area^¹	138.36 km²
Population^² (1999)	2,658
- Density	19.2/km² (1999)
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code	2A041/ 20169
¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
² Population sans doubles comptes: single count of residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel).

Limestone cliffs in Bonifacio

Bonifacio (Bunifaziu in Corsican) is a town and commune near the southern tip of the island of Corsica, in the département of Corse-du-Sud, France. Its inhabitants are called Bonifaciens.

1 Geography
2 History
3 Sights
4 Transportation
5 Miscellaneous
6 External links

Geography

Bonifacio is located directly on the Mediterranean Sea, separated from Sardinia by the Strait of Bonifacio. The commune includes the offshore Lavezzi Islands, giving it the distinction of the southernmost commune in Metropolitan France.

History

See also: Medieval Corsica

Bonifacio was founded as a fortress by and subsequently named after Boniface II of Tuscany in 828.

Sights

Bonifacio is split into two sections. The vieille ville (old town), or la Haute Ville (the Upper city), on the site of a 9th century citadel, is located on a peninsula overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Most of the inhabitants reside in the Haute ville, including the town's most famous inhabitant, Marie-José Nat. The harbor below, la marine which is at the end of a fjord-like inlet that provides a natural harbor, is a port for a large number of fishing and tourist boats. The town's charm and proximity to idyllic beaches makes it a popular tourist destination in the summer, predominantly for residents of mainland France. Bonifacio is also a gateway to the small Isles Lavezzi (Lavezzi Islands), which are the southernmost part of France, and have been designated a marine preserve by the French government.