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Places in News: Sicily
Context:
On August 19, 2024, the 56-metre British-flagged luxury sailing yacht Bayesian sank during a severe storm off the coast of Sicily, resulting in the deaths of seven people on board.
About Sicily:
- Administrative Status: The capital city is Palermo.
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- Along with the Egadi, Lipari, Pelagie, and Pantelleria islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy.
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- Situated approximately 100 miles northeast of Tunisia in northern Africa, Sicily is separated from the Italian mainland by the Strait of Messina.
- Location and Geography: Sicily is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula.
- The island has a roughly triangular shape, earning it the name “Trinacria.”
- Notable surrounding islands: Lipari, Egadi, Ustica, Pantelleria, Lampedusa, and the Aeolian Islands.
- Mountains and Volcanic Activity:
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- Northern mountain ranges include Madonie (2,000 m), Nebrodi (1,800 m), and Peloritani (1,300 m).
- The southeast features the Hyblaean Mountains (1,000 m).
- Sicily and its surrounding islands are volcanic, with active volcanoes like Mount Etna, Vulcano, Stromboli, and the underwater volcano Ferdinandea.
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- Mount Etna, the tallest active volcano in Europe (currently 3,357 m high).
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- Rivers: Salso, Alcantara, Simeto, Belice and Platani.