Crete Island

About Crete Island:

• It is the largest island in Greece and the fifth largest one in the Mediterranean Sea.
• It is located in the southern part of the Aegean Sea (an arm of the Mediterranean Sea).
• It is bordered by the Sea of Cretein the north, the Libyan Sea in the south, the Myrtoan Sea in the west, and the Carpathian Sea in the east. 
• It covers an area of 8,336 sq. km.
• It is relatively long and narrow, stretching for about 260 km east-west and about 60 km at its widest point. 
• The island is dominated by rugged mountains that crisscross from west to east.
  • The highest point on the island is Ida, also known as Psiloritis, at 2,456 m.
• History:
  • The island of Crete has been inhabited since the Paleolithic Age by early hominids.
  • The earliest advanced European civilization, the Minoan Civilization, started on the island around 2700-1420 BCE.
  • The Minoan civilization ended after a major earthquake, and thereafter, the island’s rule was taken over by the Mycenaean civilization.
  • The island was then subsequently ruled by the Romans, the Byzantines, the Andalusians, the Venetians, and the Ottomans.
  • After the island’s independence from Ottoman rule, Crete became a part of Greece.
  • During the Second World War, the island was occupied by the Nazi German forces and also served as the battleground of the famous “Battle of Crete.”