Sicily, an autonomous region of Italy, is the largest island in the:

Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of about 25,700 square km. It lies just off the "toe" of the boot-shaped Italian peninsula.

Location:

• It is separated from mainland Italy by the narrow Strait of Messina, only about 3 km wide at its narrowest point.
• To the south-west, the Strait of Sicily separates it from Tunisia in North Africa, about 145 km away.

Physical features:

• Mount Etna, on the east coast, is the highest active volcano in Europe (about 3,300 metres) and one of the most active volcanoes in the world.
• Nearby islands include the Aeolian Islands, which include Stromboli, called the "Lighthouse of the Mediterranean" because of its frequent small eruptions.
• Sicily has a typical Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters.

Economy:

• It produces citrus fruits (especially oranges and lemons), olives, grapes (wine), almonds and wheat.
• Tourism is very important because of its beaches, volcanoes and historical sites.

History:

• Its central position in the Mediterranean made it a meeting point of many civilisations: Greek, Carthaginian, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Norman and Spanish.
• Ancient Greek temples, such as those in the Valley of the Temples at Agrigento, are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
• The capital and largest city is Palermo.

Largest islands of the Mediterranean (by area):

• Sicily (Italy).
• Sardinia (Italy).
• Cyprus (an independent country).
• Corsica (France).
• Crete (Greece).

The Mediterranean Sea:

• It is almost completely enclosed by land: Europe to the north, Africa to the south and Asia to the east.
• It connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the Strait of Gibraltar and to the Red Sea through the Suez Canal.
• Its name means "middle of the land" in Latin.
• It is saltier than the Atlantic because evaporation exceeds the inflow of fresh water.

Why not the other options?

• ✗The Black Sea, the Baltic Sea and the Caribbean Sea have their own largest islands, but none of them is Sicily.