SARDINIA, a large island in the Mediterranean Sea, belonging to the king of Sardinia, and situated to the south of Corsica. It is of an oblong form, about 162 miles long from north to south, and about 65 miles broad. It contains about 9250 square miles, reckon ing the small islands upon its coast. The island is divided nearly into two equal parts, viz. Capo di Sas sari, which is the northern half of the island, and Capo di Cagliari, or the southern half. The highest hills are in the north part of the island, and extend from north to south. The loftiest are 'Amhara, Villa Nova, Arizzo, and Fonni, which are commonly capped with snow. The principal rivers are the Oristano, which runs about eighty miles from east to west; and the Flumendoso, which flows in the opposite direction and divides the island into two portions. There are several small fresh water lakes on the coast, and a number of bays of the sea almost encircled by the land.
The principal bays in the south are those of Cagliari, where whole fleets may lie at anchor in the worst wea ther, and of Santa Rosa; those on the west coast are Algheri and Oristano; while Sassari is the only one on the north. Excepting some sandy tracts along the coast, the soil is generally fertile, producing wheat, barley, beans, lentils, and wines. Wheat yields a return of from fifteen to twenty times the seed, and several crops a much greater increase. The wines of Sardi nia are good, that of Nasco being the most esteemed. There are here groves of wild olive trees, which also form an object of cultivation. The lofty palm tree adorns the forests, and the orange, lemon, mulberry, pome granate, jujube fig, and other fruit trees, are common The interior of the island is a wild desert, covered with large forests of oak, cork, and chesnut trees.
The wild animals of Sardinia are horses, deer, sheep, boars, wolves, foxes and hares. The wild horses are found chiefly in the districts of Bultei and Nurra; but they are still more numerous in the isle of St. Antico, in the forest of Canals. These horses are very small, but extremely active and well made. The wild sheep are found in the mountainous regions, and sometimes cohabit with the tame ones. The rams have from
four to six horns, and are numerous and ferocious. The wastes and morasses abound with wild ducks.
Among the mineral productions of Sardinia are sil ver and lead. The principal silver mines are those of Gaspini, Arhus, and Argentera; and the lead occurs in hills of argillaceous schistus and limestone. The lead mines of Iglesias yield from sixty to eighty pounds in the cwt. The value of the mines is estimated at 321,000 francs. Porphyry abounds in the mountains of Nurra, and granite is found principally in Gallura. Chalcedonies, agates, cornelians, turquoises, arc found in the northern mountains.
The climate of Sardinia has an insular character, possessing a lower mean temperature than that of si milar parallels on the continent. In the summer months the heat is very intense, and produces local insalubrity in the marshy districts, arising partly from the northern winds being obstructed by the mountains in the north of the island.
Although Sardinia possesses many good harbours, such as those of Palmas, Nova, and Cagliari, yet from a want of capital as well as enterprise, and from the extreme ignorance of the people, the island is blessed neither with trade nor .manufactures. A few coarse linen and woollen goods are made in the island. The produce of the herring and coral fisheries, corn, cattle, and salted provisions, hides, skins, fruits, a little wine and brandy, and large quantities of salt, are the prin cipal exports, the annual value of which has been esti mated by Azani at 8,000,000 livres. The imports have been calculated at 2,000,000 livres, and the annual revenue at 1,695,062 francs.
The religion of the island is Roman Catholic, and there are three archbishops and six bishops. The judges are paid by an allowance for each sentence. There is a university at Cagliari, and another at Sas sari. The upper classes speak good Italian. A dialect of the Spanish is spoken in some places. The Sardinian language is a mixture of Italian, Spanish, Greek, and French. The population of Sardinia in 1790 was about 456,990. By a more recent return it is nearly 520,000. See Arthur Young's Journey in France, vol. u. and CA GLIARI and SASSARI.