The island is part of the province of Livorno and is divided into seven municipalities, with a total population of about 30,000 inhabitants which increases considerably during the summer.

Later extension within the stretched inner part of the Apennine Mountains caused adiabatic melting and the intrusion of the Mount Capanne and the La Serra-Porto Azzuro granitoids.

These igneous bodies brought with them skarn fluids which dissolved and replaced some of the carbonate units, precipitating iron-rich minerals in their place.

The mountainous and most recent part of the island can be found to the west, the centre of which is dominated by Mount Capanne (at a height of 1,018 metres, or 3,340 feet), also called the "roof of the Tuscan Archipelago".

The largest rivers, sorted by length, are: Between Poggio and Marciana, at the foot of Mount Capanne, is a spring called Fonte Napoleone, known for its quality.

He writes that signs of their visit were still visible in his day, including skin-coloured pebbles that they dried their hands on and large stones which they used at discus.

Strabo (5.2.6) presents a slightly different account: "because the scrapings, which the Argonauts formed when they used their strigils, became congealed, the pebbles on the shore remain variegated still to this day.

"[9] The port which is now called Porto Ferraio, was known in ancient times as the portus Argous (Ἀργῶος λιμήν), because it was believed that the Argonauts landed there on their return voyage.

[11] The island was retained for two centuries by the Appiani family, Lords of Piombino, when they sold Pisa to the house of Visconti of Milan in 1399.

[14][15] The French Emperor Napoleon was exiled to Elba, after his forced abdication following the Treaty of Fontainebleau, and conveyed to the island on HMS Undaunted by Captain Thomas Ussher; he arrived at Portoferraio on 4 May 1814.

During the months that he stayed on the island, Napoleon carried out a series of economic and social reforms to improve the quality of life.

During the Second World War, the island was liberated from German occupation by the French 1er Corps d'Armée supported by British forces including Royal Naval Commandos on 17 June 1944, in Opération Brassard.

[20] In recent decades, thanks to its rich cultural heritage, cuisine and nature, the island has become an important international tourist destination.

Elba Island played their first game as a ConIFA member on 11 September 2021 against the Sicily Football Team scoring a 4–4 tie against them.