What is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea?

The largest island in the Mediterranean Sea is Sicily. Located south of the Italian Peninsula, Sicily covers roughly 25,700 square kilometres and is also the Mediterranean’s most populous island.

Sicily is an autonomous region of Italy, with Palermo as its capital. Its position at the centre of the Mediterranean made it a crossroads for Phoenician, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Norman and Spanish cultures. That layered history is visible in its languages, architecture, cuisine and archaeological sites.

The island’s most famous natural landmark is Mount Etna, one of Europe’s tallest active volcanoes. Sicily is separated from mainland Italy by the narrow Strait of Messina, while the smaller island of Malta lies to its south. A common mix-up is confusing Sicily with Sardinia, which is Italy’s second-largest island, or with Cyprus, which is the third-largest island in the Mediterranean. Sicily remains the clear answer when the question asks for the Mediterranean’s largest island.