View source for Linosa

{{Short description|Italian island}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox islands
| name             = Linosa
| image_name       = Linosa 2.jpg
| image_caption    = Aerial view of Linosa
| map_image        = Pelagie Islands map.png
| map_caption      = 
| native_name      = {{llang|scn|Linusa}}
| native_name_link = 
| nickname         = 
| pushpin_map      = Sicily#Italy
| pushpin_relief   = 1
| location         = [[Mediterranean Sea]]
| coordinates      = {{coord|35|52|N|12|52|E|region:IT-AG_type:isle|display=title,inline}}|
| archipelago      = [[Pelagie Islands]]
| total_islands    = 
| major_islands    = 
| area_km2         = 5.4
| coastline_km     = 
| highest_mount    = 
| elevation_m      = 
| country          = Italy
| country_admin_divisions_title     = [[Regions of Italy|Region]]
| country_admin_divisions           = Sicily
| country_admin_divisions_title_1   = [[Provinces of Italy|Province]]
| country_admin_divisions_1         = [[Province of Agrigento|Agrigento]]
| country_admin_divisions_title_2   = [[Comune]]
| country_admin_divisions_2         = [[Lampedusa e Linosa]]
| population       = 430
| population_as_of = 
| density_km2      = 
| ethnic_groups    = 
| additional_info  =
}}

'''Linosa''' ({{IPA|it|liˈnoːza, -oːsa|lang}};<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dipionline.it/dizionario/ricerca?lemma=Linosa|title=Linosa|work=DiPI Online|author=Luciano Canepari|author-link=Luciano Canepari|accessdate=15 January 2020|language=it}}</ref> {{langx|scn|Linusa}} {{IPA|scn|lɪˈnuːsa|}}; {{langx|ar|نموشة|Nammūša}}) is one of the [[Pelagie Islands]] in the Sicily Channel of the [[Mediterranean Sea]].

The island is a part of the Italian [[comune]] of [[Lampedusa e Linosa]], part of the [[province of Agrigento]] in [[Sicily]], [[Italy]]. It has a population of 430.

==Name==
The island is cited first as [[Greek language|Greek]] ''Aethusa'' ({{lang|grc|Αἰθοῦσσα}}) by ancient geographers [[Strabo]] and [[Ptolemy]], and as ''Algusa'' ({{lang|grc|Ἀλγοῦσσα}}) by Roman essayist [[Pliny the Elder]] in his ''[[Naturalis Historia]]''. ''Ai thysíai'' ({{lang|grc|αἱ θυσίαι}}) is Greek for 'the sacrifices', probably referring to the twin volcanic peaks.  The name "Lenusa" appeared first during the 16th century in the writing of [[Tommaso Fazello]], while the modern one dates back to 1845.

==Geography==
The island has an area of {{convert|5.45|km2|2|abbr=out}} and is of volcanic origin. It is formed by a series of craters of which Monte Vulcano, {{convert|195|m|0|abbr=off}} high, is the most important. The closest land to Linosa is the island of [[Lampedusa]], which lies {{convert|43|km|0|abbr=on}} to the south. Linosa is situated {{convert|119|km|0|abbr=off}} west of [[Gozo]], [[Malta]], {{convert|121|km|0|abbr=in}} southeast of [[Pantelleria]], {{convert|163|km|0|abbr=on}} south of [[Sicily]] and {{convert|165|km|0|abbr=on}} east of Cape Mahida in [[Tunisia]].

==History==
[[File:LInosa Veduta Paese 01.JPG|thumb|left|View of the village of Linosa]]
During the [[Punic Wars]] it was used by the [[Roman Republic|Romans]] as a base; the 150 water cisterns remaining are from this period. Roman domination was followed by [[Saracen]], [[Normans|Norman]], [[Capetian House of Anjou|Angevin]] and [[Crown of Aragon|Aragonese]] control. During the [[Napoleonic Wars]], the British considered the possibility of taking over Linosa (together with [[Pantelleria]] and Lampedusa) so as to be able to supply [[Malta Protectorate|Malta]], but a Royal Commission stated in an 1812 report that there would be considerable difficulties in this venture.<ref name="timesofmalta2013-11-10">{{cite news|last1=Ganado|first1=Albert|title=Lampedusa's strong and long-standing relationships with Malta|url=https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131110/life-features/Lampedusa-s-strong-and-long-standing-relationships-with-Malta.494430|work=[[Times of Malta]]|date=10 November 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921124955/https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131110/life-features/Lampedusa-s-strong-and-long-standing-relationships-with-Malta.494430|archivedate=21 September 2017}}</ref>

The island remained deserted until 1843 when [[Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies]] ordered Knight Bernardo Maria Sanvinsente, captain of frigate, to colonize the island. The first thirty colonists (artisans from [[Ustica]], [[Agrigento]] and Pantelleria) with the addition of a mayor, a priest and a doctor, landed on 25 April 1845.

During World War II, a small Italian garrison surrendered<ref>{{Cite web |title=Battle of Pantelleria and Pelagie Islands |url=https://ww2db.com/battle_spec.php?battle_id=208 |access-date=2024-11-26 |website=WW2DB}}</ref> to a British force from [[HMS Nubian (F36)|HMS ''Nubian'']] on the morning of 13 June 1943.

Few were interested in the island during the [[Kingdom of Italy]] and only in the 1970s did the island begin to change, with technological innovations and the development of tourism. The first telephone exchange was installed in 1963, the first power station in 1967, and a new school with a nursery in 1968. In 1983 the building of a [[desalinization|desalinization plant]] provided a constant supply of potable water.

==Economy==
[[File:Case colorate linosa.jpg|thumb|Houses in Linosa]]
Linosa's population subsists on agriculture and tourism. As of 2018, there are no airports, hotels or banks on the island.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-10-03 |title=On tiny Linosa, it's easy to adopt island's relaxed rhythms |url=https://apnews.com/article/----29a0d0eb98d54609bd7342ed148f3ab2 |access-date=2023-05-03 |agency=Associated Press |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of islands of Italy]]
*[[Italy–Tunisia Delimitation Agreement]]
*[[List of volcanoes in Italy]]
*''[[Terraferma (film)|Terraferma]]''

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links==
{{Commons category|Linosa}}
*{{cite gvp|name=Linosa|vn=211821|access-date=2021-06-25}}
*[http://islands.unep.ch/IBU.htm#1958 Island statistics]

{{Portalbar|Geography|Islands|Italy}}
{{Pelagian Islands}}
{{Outlying territories of European countries}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Volcanoes of Italy]]
[[Category:Pelagie Islands]]
[[Category:Frazioni of the Province of Agrigento]]
[[Category:Lampedusa e Linosa]]