Corsica Development Agency
Corsica Development Agency
Located in the Mediterranean sea, 170 km southeast of the Côte d’Azur and 80km off the west coast of Italy, the “Island of Beauty” has a surface area of 8 569 km² and an average altitude of 568 meters. There are three international airports (Calvi, Ajaccio and Bastia), linking this mountainous island and its breathtaking scenery, with major capital cities. In 2006, Corsica’s GDP reached 6 359 million euros, which is 22 660 euros per capita.
The island’s economy, based on new ITC technologies and services, has been steadily developing over the past 10 years. Corsica has achieved a balance between the protection of its natural environment and economic growth. Business creation on the island is thriving, as can be seen from the promising figures for 2006 (INSEE 2006): 2 160 companies, which represents a 12% increase compared to 2005. Their rate of growth, which is twice the national average, is one of the highest in the past ten years. This economic development is having a favorable effect on the large construction industry. Over the past few years, this sector has become one of main drivers of economic growth on the island, with a quarter of total businesses being created in the construction sector. The services sector, which represents one half of the island’s total business creations, is also showing a positive trend for 2006. The number of business creations in this sector increased by 8.5% compared to 2005.
The new ITC technologies sector is also showing positive growth and a remarkable triumph over natural physical constraints (mountainous landscape, water locked, etc.) which the island needs to overcome in other sectors. Many projects are currently underway including, for example, installation of a broadband network that will connect the entire territory, and completion of the mobile phone network.
