Pianosa

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pianosa
Geography

Location	Ligurian Sea
Archipelago	Tuscan Archipelago
Area	10 km² 29 m
Administration
Italy
Region	Tuscany
Province	Livorno
Demographics
Population	(uninhabited)

The small island of Pianosa (about 10 km²) forms part of Italy's Tuscan Archipelago. Its name expresses the idea of the Italian word pianura (plain): its highest point stands only about 22 meters over sea-level. The ancient Romans knew the island as Planasia.

Pianosa has no permanent residents. Italians know it for hosting a maximum-security prison (1858-1998) holding especially dangerous Mafia criminals.

The island became noted in history when the princeps Augustus banished his grandson and ex-heir Postumus Agrippa there in AD 6 or 7. Postumus remained there until his execution around the time of the death of Augustus in 14.

For administrative purposes, Pianosa forms part of the Elba island municipality. On clear days, Elbans can see Pianosa as a dark blue line over the lighter blue sea.

The novel Catch-22 envisages a U.S. Army Air Corps bomber squadron based on the island during World War II, though author Joseph Heller conceded that he took some literary license in making Pianosa big enough for a major military complex. Heller's Pianosa also houses a small community of Italian villagers, unlike the real island.

Another, even smaller, island called Pianosa lies off the Adriatic coast of Italy, due north of Monte Gargano.