The arrondissement of Ajaccio (; ) is an arrondissement (district) in the department of Corse-du-Sud in the French territorial collectivity of Corsica. Covering an area of , it incorporates 81 communes. As of 2021, the population was 121,218 inhabitants. It serves as a significant economic, cultural, and administrative hub for the island, with its capital being the city of Ajaccio. The region is characterized by a diverse landscape ranging from coastal areas and beaches to mountainous terrain. Its economy is largely driven by tourism, and has a well-developed transportation network including an international airport and a major port.
Ajaccio itself was founded by the Genoese in 1492, from an earlier Roman settlement. They built a citadel to defend against the invasions along the Barbary Coast. It came under French occupation briefly in the 16th century before being sold by Genoese permanently in 1768. It is also notable as the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1769, and his family home remains a significant historical site. The arrondissement of Ajaccio was established in 1800 as part of the then-department of Liamone. From 1811 to 1976, it formed an arrondissement of the department of Corse. Following administrative changes in 1976, it became an arrondissement of the department of Corse-du-Sud. In March 2017, the commune of Olivese was transferred to Ajaccio from the arrondissement of Sartène.
Ajaccio is an arrondissement (district) in the department of Corse-du-Sud in the French territorial collectivity of Corsica. It stretches across an area of , encompassing the western coastal region around the Gulf of Ajaccio and extending inland across CorsicaâÂÂs rugged mountain massifs.
As a result of the reorganisation of the cantons of France which came into effect in 2015, the borders of the cantons are no longer related to the borders of the arrondissements. The arrondissement of Ajaccio was organized into 14 cantons–Ajaccio-1, Ajaccio-2, Ajaccio-3, Ajaccio-4, Ajaccio-5, Ajaccio-6, Ajaccio-7, Bastelica, Celavo-Mezzana, Cruzini-Cinarca, Les Deux-Sevi, Les Deux-Sorru, Santa-Maria-Siché, and Zicavo. There are 81 communes in the arrondissement of Ajaccio:
As of , the region had a population of inhabitants, up from approximately 105,600 in 2010. The population consisted of about 48% male and 52% female. As of 2021, there were 77,870 dwellings, composed of 52,850 primary residences (67.9%), 22,953 secondary homes (29.5%), and 2,066 vacancies. Among primary residences, 55.5% were flats, 43.9% were individual houses, and had an average size of 3.7 rooms per unit.
As of 2022, there were 5,571 employer establishments with 67.8% in trade and transport, 13.2% in construction, 11.3% in public administration, 5.3% in industry, and 2.3% in agriculture.â¯Amongst the 46,602 people employed, 81.3% were in service or public sectors. The unemployment rate hovered around 6.1% in late 2022, compared to the national rate of approximately 7.5%. In 2020, the median disposable income per household unit was â¬23,120, with a poverty rate of 14.3%. In 2022, the average net hourly wages were â¬15.3 with a gender pay gap of 14.5% overall.
Ajaccio is served by an Ajaccio Napoleon Bonaparte Airport, the island's busiest airport. It serves as the headquarters of Air Corsica, and connects to various destinations in Europe. The region has a good network of roads and communal bus services. The port of Ajaccio is connected to the French mainland with regular ferry services.