Carbonia, Sardinia

Carbonia
Comune
Comune di Carbonia

View of Carbonia
Carbonia

Location of Carbonia in Italy

Coordinates: 39°10′2″N 8°31′20″E / 39.16722°N 8.52222°E
Country Italy
Region Sardinia
Province Carbonia-Iglesias (CI)
Frazioni Bacu Abis, Barbusi, Cannas, Corongiu, Cortoghiana, Genna Corriga, Flumentepido, Is Gannaus, Is Meis, Medadeddu, Medau Desogus, Serbariu, Sirai, Sirri
Government
  Mayor Giuseppe Casti
Area
  Total 145.63 km2 (56.23 sq mi)
Elevation 111 m (364 ft)
Population (30 November 2012)[1]
  Total 28,637
  Density 200/km2 (510/sq mi)
Demonym Carboniesi or Carboniensi
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
  Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 09013
Dialing code 0781
Patron saint St. Pontian
Saint day Third Thursday of May
Website Official website

Carbonia  listen  is a town and comune, which along with Iglesias is a co-capital of the province of Carbonia-Iglesias, Sardinia, Italy. It is located in the south-west of the island, at about an hour by car or train from the regional capital, Cagliari.

History

Carbonia was officially inaugurated on the 18 December 1938. Benito Mussolini ordered the building of the city and was present at its inauguration. The city was built in order to provide housing for the workforce of the nearby mines. The name Carbonia comes from the Italian word for coal, a resource that is abundant in this region.

The city has grown considerably since its birth in 1938, due to mass immigration of populations come from every region of Italy, in particular from Veneto, Sicily, Abruzzo, Marche, Basilicata and Campania, now boasting a population of over 30,000.

Since the mines' closing during the 1970s, Carbonia has had to deal with a high unemployment rate. After the closure of the mines the town's economy was converted on the metallurgical industry, so today most Carbonians find their employment in the heavy industry, but also in the tertiary sector.

Main sights

International relations

Twin towns – Sister cities

Carbonia is twinned with:

References

  1. Population data from Istat

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Carbonia.