Corsica ( [ ˈkɔrsɪkə ] Corse [ kɔʁs ] Corsican and Italian : Corsica [ ˈkɔrsika ] ) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 13 regions of France . It is located west of the Italian Peninsula , southeast of the French mainland , and north of the Italian island of Sardinia . While being part of France , Corsica is also designated as a territorial collectivity ( collectivité territoriale ) by law . As a territorial collectivity , Corsica enjoys a greater degree of autonomy than other French regions ; for example , the Corsican Assembly is able to exercise limited executive powers . After being ruled by the Republic of Genoa since 1284 , Corsica was briefly an independent Corsican Republic from 1755 until it was conquered by France in 1769 .
Corsica belongs to France.