Lampedusa

The Mediterranean island of Lampedusa (Italian: Isola di Lampedusa; Sicilian: Isula di Lampidusa) belongs to Italy and is the largest of the Pelagie Islands, situated 205 km from Sicily and 113 km from Tunisia. Its population subsists on fishing, agriculture and tourism. It is a major route for Africans immigrating to Europe. Lampedusa is the largest part of the comune of Lampedusa e Linosa which also includes the smaller islands of Linosa and Lampione with the former being inhabited, but the latter just hosting an automatic lighthouse. Politically and administratively Lampedusa is part of Italy, but geologically it belongs to Africa since the sea between the two is no deeper than 120 metres. Lampedusa is an arid island, with no sources of water other than irregular rainfall. The fauna and flora of Lampedusa are similar to those of North Africa. The Isola dei Conigli (literally ‘Island of Rabbits’), which is close to the south coast of Lampedusa, is one of the last remaining egg-laying sites in Italy for the Loggerhead Sea Turtle, which is endangered throughout the Mediterranean.

The beach and the neighbouring island are part of a nature reserve: here the famous singer-songwriter Domenico Modugno spent his vacations, and also died in 1994. Next to Parise Cape is a small beach accessible only by sea, through a low grotto. Other species living along the island's coast include mantas and dolphins. Lampedusa is also known as being the gateway from Europe to Africa and is the southernmost point in all of Europe. Lampedusa has made international news as a prime transit site for asylum seekers hoping to enter Europe from Africa, the Middle East and Asia. A secret agreement between the Libyan and Italian governments in 2004 obliged Libya to take in returned refugees and resulted in the deportation of many such migrants from Lampedusa to Libya in 2004 and 2005. The practice was condemned by the European Parliament. In 2006 it was reported that illegal immigrants from Africa still commonly pay smugglers in Libya for a transit to Lampedusa. From there they are transferred by the Italian government to detention camps in mainland Italy and eventually released; their deportation orders are not enforced. The island of Lampedusa is connected to Sicily by a ferry service with the seaport of Porto Empedocle, near Agrigento. Lampedusa also has a small national airport which carries out service mainly during the summer period.