The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-07.
Bastia
(bäst´ä) (KEY) , city (1990 pop. 38,728), Haute-Corse dept., NE Corsica, France, on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the islands largest city and chief commercial center. Famous for its wines, it has a thriving export industry and a variety of light manufactures. Founded (14th cent.) as a fort by the Genoese, it was the capital of Corsica until 1791. Its citadel (16th17th cent.) and its many 18th-century buildings are tourist attractions.