Population: 11,081
District Area: 39.97 km2
Leader: Massimo Cannas (Independent)
Name and Etymology:
Tortolì is derived from the Latin Portus Ilii. The name of the port, Arbatax, may be derived from the Arabic arbaʿat ʿashara.
Economy:
The town is one of the larger centers in the area and is also a center for tourism. Arbatax, a port, is included within the limits of the town. The Arbatax paper mill is the largest in Europe.
History:
The town has been inhabited since prehistory and was a Punic town at the moment of Roman expansion. Roman rule was ended by the Vandals in 455, and the area was then incorporated into the Byzantine Empire in 534. Afterward it was ruled by Arab conquerors from the Balearic Islands, then by Pisa, before passing to Aragon and Spain. Feudalism was abolished by the Savoys in 1838.
