AJACCIO, the chief town of Corsica, one of the departments of France. It is a seaport, situated on the west coast of the island, in 41° 54' N. lat., and 8° 44' E. long. The harbour is commodious, and sheltered on all sides save the south-west. The town is well built, and its principal buildings are the cathedral, the town-house, and the citadel. It is the seat of a bishop and a court of justice, and has a commercial college, a school of hydrography, a large library, and a botanic garden. Wine, fruits, and olive oil are the chief articles of trade; and anchovy and coral fisheries are extensively prosecuted along the coast. Ajaccio is celebrated as the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte. The house where he was born (15th August 1769) is still standing in good preservation. A marble statue was erected to his honour in 1850, and the people still retain strong Bonapartist sympathies. Population (1872), 16,545.