To the north, the province of Olbia Tempio faces the narrow stretch of water which separates Sardinia from Corsica (Bonifacio Strait), the Tyrrhenian Sea to the east, the province of Sassari to the west and Nuoro to the south. Olbia Tempio is a newly established province which was formed in 2001 when the regional law doubled the number of provinces from four to eight. The landscape in this province is varied with spectacular coastlines, mountains, hills, oak forests, plains, cultivated fields and desert areas. Part of the historic Gallura territory is in the province of Olbio Tempio and here you can see amazing granite rocks which have been formed into unusual natural sculptures by the wind and the rain.
The coastline includes the beautiful Maddalena archipelago which is a group of granite islands, La Maddalena (the largest island), Santo Stefano, Spargi, Caprera, Budelli, Razzoli and Santa Maria. The islands are now a geo-marine national park and the natural flora and fauna of the area are very well protected. The tourist industry started in 1962 when Prince Aga Khan noticed the outstanding natural beauty of the coastal area and set up a consortium for high budget tourism. This paradise holiday destination, known as the Costa Smeralda(which is 55 km long and covers over 30 sq.km), is now one of the most exclusive in the whole world.