United States of the Ionian Islands took Lefkada in 1810. The island of Corfu remained occupied by the French until 1814. The Congress of Vienna agreed to place the Ionian Islands under the exclusive "amical protection" of the United Kingdom. Despite British military administration, the Austrian Empire was guaranteed commercial status equal to the UK. The arrangement was formalised with the ratification of the "Maitland constitution" on 26 August 1817, which created a federation of the seven islands, with Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Maitland its first "Lord High Commissioner of the Ionian Islands". The Party of Radicals (Greek: Κόμμα των Ριζοσπαστών) founded in 1848 was against the
Albanian Ionian Sea Coast the Adriatic Sea, the Ionian Sea is now seen as a separate body of water. Traditionally, the region represents the most valuable tourist resource for the country, especially due to the unspoilt natural and cultural beauty expressed in the region's architecture, cuisine and tradition. Its most considerable attraction is the ancient city of Butrint, that is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, because it provides valuable remains of ancient civilizations. The region is populated by more than 50.000 people with the largest city being the seaport city of Sarandë, one of the most appreciated tourist destinations in the Ionian