Maddalena Island

Maddalena Island, island. It lies in the Tyrrhenian Sea (of the Mediterranean) off the northeast coast of Sardinia. It has an area of 8 square miles (20 square km) and is the principal island of the Maddalena Archipelago, which includes the islands of Maddalena, Caprera, Santo Stefano, Spargi, Budelli, Santa Maria, and Razzoli. Its port, La Maddalena, is the administrative centre of a commune that includes all the islands. The harbour of La Maddalena was an important Italian naval station until its installations were destroyed by Allied bombing in World War II. Napoleon’s forces had bombarded the harbour in 1793 without success, and Horatio Nelson made it his headquarters during 1803–05. The U.S. Navy’s Sixth Fleet maintains a permanent support facility for nuclear submarines there. Fishing is the principal economic activity. A bridge and an embankment connect Maddalena with Caprera Island.