The island of Crete

The island of Crete

Crete is the largest of the Greek islands it has an area of 8261 sq. km and a coastline 1046 km. long.

A mountainous island, lies south of the Aegean Sea, a link between Asia Africa and Europe.

Its unique geographical position between the three continents determined its historical course both throughout antiquity and in modern times.

It has an elongated shape - 260 km. from west to east and at its widest 60 km - , the island is a good deal narrower at certain points, such as in the region of Ierapetra where it is only 12 km. wide.

To the south it is bordered by the Libyan Sea, to the west the Myrtoon Sea, to the east the Karpathion Sea and to the north the Sea of Crete.

Its coastline, which consists of both sandy beaches and rocky shores, is framed by the small islets of Kouphonisi, Gaidouronisi, Dia, Aghioi Pantes, Spinalonga, and Gavdos, in the Libyan Sea, the southernmost point of Europe.

According to the latest census Crete has over 520.000 inhabitants. Administratively, the island is divided into four Prefectures which from west to east are: the Prefecture of Hania, with Hania as the capital, the Prefecture of Rethymnon, with Rethymnon as the capital, the Prefecture of Iraklion, with Iraklion as the capital, and the Prefecture of Lassithi, with Agios Nikolaos as the capital.
Iraklion is the largest town with over 100 000 inhabitants.

The geographical position of Crete was definitive for its historical course down through the ages. Situated between three continents- Europe, Asia and Africa - it was at the junction of the major cultural currents and at the crossroads of conflicting geo-political interests and bloody clashes.

On Cretan soil were hatched and developed features of Civilization which marked the history of mankind. At the same time the island paid a heavy price because of its strategic position and was repeatedly invaded and periodically conquered, which contributed to the destruction of the existing civilization, the lowering of living standards and the subsequent misery of the inhabitants.

However, through successive restructuring new forms of social coexistence were forged, new intellectual values arose and new material and cultural creations appeared which left their indelible mark on Crete and the historical role of the Cretans.

Certainly the memory of the remote and glorious past, the Minoan period, survived in the ancient world by means of Greek mythology. Mythology, however, cannot be considered an adequate substitute for historical reality. Due to the successful efforts of Greek and foreign archaeologists, historians and linguists who have brought and are bringing to light the material artifacts of Minoan Civilization, the Cretan past has been significantly illuminated.

Moreover, during recent times archaeological excavations and historical research have been extended into more modern periods, revealing the physiognomy of Crete in its entirety. Nevertheless, the distant past of mankind on the island during those periods from which there is no written information (Neolithic) or those periods from which written testimony (hieroglyphics, Linear A) has been found but not yet deciphered, continues to keep its secrets and continually challenges the experts.