The arrondissement of Corte was created as part of the department Golo in 1800. Between 1811 and 1976 it was an arrondissement of the department Corse, since 1976 it has been an arrondissement of the department Haute-Corse.[4] On 1 January 2010, it gained the four cantons of Alto-di-Casaconi, Fiumalto-d'Ampugnani, Campoloro-di-Moriani and Vescovato from the arrondissement of Bastia.[4][5]
As a result of the reorganisation of the cantons of France which came into effect in 2015, the borders of the cantons are no longer related to the borders of the arrondissements. The cantons of the arrondissement of Corte were, as of January 2015:[6]