- This article is about the group of islands west of Greece. For the ancient region in western Anatolia, see Ionia. Geography Physical Ionia was of small extent not exceeding 90 geographical miles in length from north to south with a breadth varying from 40 to 55 miles but to this
| Ionian Islands Periphery Περιφέρεια Ιονίων Νησιών |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Country: |  Greece |
| Capital: | Corfu |
| Prefectures: | Corfu Kefalonia and Ithaka Lefkada Zakynthos |
| Population: | 220,097
(2005) |
| Area: | 2,307 km² (891 sq.mi.) |
| Density: | 95 /km² (247 /sq. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Corfu ( Greek: Κέρκυρα - Kérkyra) is a city in north-western Greece. Greece consists of 13 administrative regions known as Peripheries of Greece, which are further subdivided into 3 super-prefectures and 54 prefectures or nomes Corfu (Greek Κέρκυρα - Kérkyra) is a prefecture of Greece. Kefalonia and Ithaka ( Κεφαλονιά και Ιθάκη) is a Nomos ( Prefecture) in Greece, containing the Ionian islands Lefkada, or Leucas (Λευκάδα le̞fˈkaða Ancient Greek and Katharevousa: Λευκάς Leukás; Santa Maura is a Greek In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume mi. ) |
| Website: | ionianisia-region.com |
The Ionian Islands (Modern Greek: Ιόνια νησιά, Ionia nisia; Ancient Greek: Ἰόνιοι Νῆσοι, Ionioi Nēsoi; Italian Isole Ionie) are a group of islands in Greece. Modern Greek (el Νέα Ελληνικά or el Νεοελληνική lit The Ancient Greek language is the historical stage in the development of the Hellenic language family spanning the Archaic (c Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. An archipelago (ɑrkəˈpɛləgoʊ is a chain or cluster of Islands The word archipelago literally means "chief Sea " from Italian Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία They are traditionally called "Eptanisa", i. e. "the Seven Islands" (Greek: Επτάνησα, Heptanēsa, or Επτάνησος, Heptanēsos, the Heptanese; Italian Eptaneso), but the group includes many smaller islands as well as the seven principal ones. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. The seven are, from north to south:
- Kerkyra (Κέρκυρα) usually known as Corfu in English
- Paxi (Παξοί) also known as Paxos in English
- Lefkada (Λευκάδα) also known as Lefkas in English
- Ithaki (Ιθάκη) usually known as Ithaca in English
- Kefallonia (Κεφαλλονιά) often known as Kefalonia/Cephalonia/Kefallinia in English
- Zakynthos (Ζάκυνθος) sometimes known as Zante in English
- Kythira (Κύθηρα) sometimes known as Cerigo in English
The six northern islands are off the west coast of Greece, in the Ionian Sea. Corfu (Κέρκυρα Kérkyra, ˈkʲe̞ɾkʲiɾa Κέρκυρα or Κόρκυρα Corcyra Corfù is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea Corfu (Κέρκυρα Kérkyra, ˈkʲe̞ɾkʲiɾa Κέρκυρα or Κόρκυρα Corcyra Corfù is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea Lefkada, or Leucas (Λευκάδα le̞fˈkaða Ancient Greek and Katharevousa: Λευκάς Leukás; Santa Maura is a Greek Lefkada, or Leucas (Λευκάδα le̞fˈkaða Ancient Greek and Katharevousa: Λευκάς Leukás; Santa Maura is a Greek Ithaca or Ithaka (in Greek, Ιθάκη, Ithaki) is an island in the Ionian Sea, in Greece, with an area of 118 km² Ithaca or Ithaka (in Greek, Ιθάκη, Ithaki) is an island in the Ionian Sea, in Greece, with an area of 118 km² The island of Kefalonia, also known as Cephallenia, Cephallonia, Kefallinia, or Kefallonia (Ancient Greek Κεφαλληνία Modern The island of Kefalonia, also known as Cephallenia, Cephallonia, Kefallinia, or Kefallonia (Ancient Greek Κεφαλληνία Modern Kythira (Κύθηρα Cythera, Kythera, Cerigo is an Island of Greece, historically part of the Ionian Islands. Kythira (Κύθηρα Cythera, Kythera, Cerigo is an Island of Greece, historically part of the Ionian Islands. The Ionian Sea is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. The seventh island, Kythira, is off the southern tip of the Peloponnesus, the southern part of the Greek mainland. Kythira (Κύθηρα Cythera, Kythera, Cerigo is an Island of Greece, historically part of the Ionian Islands. The Peloponnese or Peloponnesus ( Greek: Πελοπόννησος Pelopónnisos; see also List of Greek place names) is a large Peninsula It should be noted that Kythira is not part of the periphery of Ionian Islands (Ionioi Nisoi), as it is included in the periphery of Attiki. The peripheries ( Περιφέρειες) are the official regional Administrative divisions of Greece. Attica (Αττική Attikí;) is a periphery (subdivision in Greece, containing Athens, the capital of Greece
Latin transliteration, as well as Modern Greek pronunciation, may suggest that the Ionian Sea and Islands are somehow related to Ionia, an Anatolian region; in fact the Ionian Sea and Ionian Islands are spelt in Greek with an omicron (Ιόνια), whereas Ionia has an omega (Ιωνία). Modern Greek (el Νέα Ελληνικά or el Νεοελληνική lit Geography Physical Ionia was of small extent not exceeding 90 geographical miles in length from north to south with a breadth varying from 40 to 55 miles but to this The close-mid back rounded vowel is a type of Vowel sound used in some spoken Languages The symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet that represents The open-mid back rounded vowel is a type of Vowel sound used in some spoken Languages The symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet In Modern Greek this is purely a spelling distinction, but the different pronunciations in Ancient Greek would have eliminated the risk of confusion between the two areas. The Ancient Greek language is the historical stage in the development of the Hellenic language family spanning the Archaic (c Furthermore in both Ancient Greek and Modern Greek, the Ionian is accented in the antepenult (i-O-nia) whereas Ionia in the penult (ion-I-a); also the proper adjective for Ionia is Ionic, not Ionian. In Linguistics, the antepenult is the antepenultimate Syllable of a word ( e Geography Physical Ionia was of small extent not exceeding 90 geographical miles in length from north to south with a breadth varying from 40 to 55 miles but to this In Linguistics, the penult is the Penultimate Syllable of a word that is the second-to-last syllable Geography Physical Ionia was of small extent not exceeding 90 geographical miles in length from north to south with a breadth varying from 40 to 55 miles but to this
The islands themselves are known by a rather confusing variety of names. During the centuries of rule by Venice, they acquired Italian names, by which some of them are still known in English. Venice ( Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venesia or Venexia) is a city in Northern Italy, the capital of the Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. Kerkyra was known as Corfu, Ithaki as Val di Compare, Kythera as Cerigo, Lefkada as Santa Maura and Zakynthos as Zante. Corfu (Κέρκυρα Kérkyra, ˈkʲe̞ɾkʲiɾa Κέρκυρα or Κόρκυρα Corcyra Corfù is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea Ithaca or Ithaka (in Greek, Ιθάκη, Ithaki) is an island in the Ionian Sea, in Greece, with an area of 118 km² Kythira (Κύθηρα Cythera, Kythera, Cerigo is an Island of Greece, historically part of the Ionian Islands. Lefkada, or Leucas (Λευκάδα le̞fˈkaða Ancient Greek and Katharevousa: Λευκάς Leukás; Santa Maura is a Greek
A variety of spellings are used for the Greek names of the islands, particularly in historical writing. Kefallonia is often spelled as Cephallenia or Cephalonia, Ithaki as Ithaca, Kerkyra as Corcyra, Kythera as Cythera, Lefkada as Leucas or Leucada and Zakynthos as Zacynthus or Zante. The island of Kefalonia, also known as Cephallenia, Cephallonia, Kefallinia, or Kefallonia (Ancient Greek Κεφαλληνία Modern The island of Kefalonia, also known as Cephallenia, Cephallonia, Kefallinia, or Kefallonia (Ancient Greek Κεφαλληνία Modern Ithaca or Ithaka (in Greek, Ιθάκη, Ithaki) is an island in the Ionian Sea, in Greece, with an area of 118 km² Corfu (Κέρκυρα Kérkyra, ˈkʲe̞ɾkʲiɾa Κέρκυρα or Κόρκυρα Corcyra Corfù is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea Cytherean is an Adjective meaning pertaining to Cythera, a small island now part of Greece Lefkada, or Leucas (Λευκάδα le̞fˈkaða Ancient Greek and Katharevousa: Λευκάς Leukás; Santa Maura is a Greek Older or variant Greek forms are sometimes also used: Kefallinia for Kefallonia and Paxos or Paxoi for Paxi. The island of Kefalonia, also known as Cephallenia, Cephallonia, Kefallinia, or Kefallonia (Ancient Greek Κεφαλληνία Modern
Throughout this article the islands will be called by their Modern Greek names.
Contents |
History
The islands were settled by Greeks at an early date, possibly as early as 1200 BC, and certainly by the 9th century BC. The early Eretrian settlement at Kerkyra was displaced by colonists from Corinth in 734 BC. This is an article about the Greek city of Eretria on Euboea It should not be confused with Eretria in western Magnesia, Greece or the modern African nation Corinth, or Korinth ( Greek Κόρινθος ( is a city in Greece. The islands were mostly a backwater during Ancient Greek times and played little part in Greek politics. The one exception was the conflict between Kerkyra and its mother-City Corinth in 434 BC, which brought intervention from Athens and triggered the Peloponnesian War. Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's
Ithaca was the name of the island home of Odysseus in the epic Ancient Greek poem The Odyssey by Homer. grc-Latn Odysseus or la Ulysses ( Greek grc-Latn Odysseus; Latin: la Ulixes or more commonly Ulysses) oʊˈdɪsiəs The Ancient Greek language is the historical stage in the development of the Hellenic language family spanning the Archaic (c The Odyssey ( Greek: Ὀδύσσεια or Odússeia) is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. Homer ( Ancient Greek:, Homēros) is a legendary ancient Greek epic Poet, traditionally said to be the author of the epic poems the Attempts have been made to identify Ithaki with ancient Ithaca, but the geography of the real island cannot be made to fit Homer's description.
Macedonian, Roman and Byzantine rule
In the 4th century BC, the islands, like most of Greece, was absorbed into the empire of Macedon. Macedon or Macedonia ( Greek grc Μακεδονία grc-Latn Makedonía) was the name of a kingdom centered in the northern-most They remained under the control of Macedon and its successor kingdoms until 146 BC, when the Greek peninsula was annexed by Rome. The Roman Republic was the phase of the ancient Roman civilization characterized by a Republican form of government a period which began with the overthrow of the After 400 years of peaceful Roman rule the islands passed to the Eastern Roman Empire, and remained part of the Byzantine Empire for another 900 years, until the destruction of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade by marauding Western Europeans and Venetians in 1204. The Fourth Crusade (1202&ndash1204 was originally designed to conquer Muslim Jerusalem by means of an invasion through Egypt. Venice ( Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venesia or Venexia) is a city in Northern Italy, the capital of the
When the allies of the Fourth Crusade - the French rulers of the Latin Empire based in Constantinople and the Venetians, who competed with the Byzantines for control of Mediterranean trade - split up the spoils of the Byzantine territories between themselves, the Venetians acquired Kerkyra and Paxi, and also Kythera, which they used as way-stations for their maritime trade with the Levant. The Latin Empire or Latin Empire of Constantinople (original Latin name Imperium Romaniae, " Empire of Romania " is the See also Names of the Levant The Levant (lə'vænt is a geographical term that denotes a large area in Western Asia, roughly bounded on the north by the Kefallonia and Zakynthos became the County palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos until 1357, when this entity was merged with Lefkada and Ithaki to become the Duchy of Leucadia under French and Italian dukes. The County palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos existed from 1185 until 1479, as part of the Kingdom of Sicily. When Greeks retook Constantinople in 1261, they briefly liberated some of the islands, but the Venetians gradually increased their grip.
Venetian rule
From 1204 the Republic of Venice controlled Corfu and slowly all the Ionian islands fell under venetian rule. The Most Serene Republic of Venice ((Serenìsima Repùblica Vèneta or Repùblica de Venesia Serenissima Repubblica In the 15th century the Ottomans occupied most of Greece, but the islands remained Christian thanks to the Venetians. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish Zakynthos passed permanently to Venice in 1482, Kefallonia and Ithaki in 1483, Lefkada in 1502. Kythera had been Venetian since 1393.
The islands thus became the only part of the Greek-speaking world to escape Ottoman rule, which gave them both a unity and an importance in Greek history they would otherwise not have had. Corfu was the only Greek island never conquered by the Turks.
Under Venetian rule, many of the upper classes spoke Italian (or Venetian in some cases) and converted to Roman Catholicism, but the mass of people remained Greek in language and religion.
In the 18th century a Greek national independence movement began to emerge, and the free status of the Ionian islands made them the natural base for exiled Greek intellectuals, freedom fighters and foreign sympathisers. The islands became more self-consciously Greek as the 19th century, the century of romantic nationalism, neared.
Napoleonic era
In 1797, however, Napoléon Bonaparte conquered Venice, and by the Treaty of Campo Formio the islanders found themselves under French rule, the islands being organised as the départments Mer-Égée, Ithaque and Corcyre. The Septinsular Republic ( Επτάνησος Πολιτεία, Repubblica Settinsulare) was an island Republic that existed from 1800 to 1807 under Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. Venice ( Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venesia or Venexia) is a city in Northern Italy, the capital of the The Treaty of Campo Formio was signed on October 17, 1797 (26 Vendémiaire Year VI of the French Republic by Napoleon Bonaparte and Count Ludwig In the context of the political and geographic organization of France and many of its former colonies a department (département depaʁtǝmɑ̃ is an Administrative division Mer-Égée ( French for Aegean Sea) was a one of three short-lived French départements in present Greece. Ithaque ( French for Ithaca) was one of three short-lived French départements in present Greece. Corcyre (old-fashioned French for Corfu) was one of three short-lived French départements in present Greece. In 1798 the Russian Admiral Ushakov evicted the French, and established the Septinsular Republic under joint Russo-Ottoman protection—the first time Greeks had had even limited self‐government since the fall of Constantinople in 1453. See also Admiral Ushakov (warship Fyodor Fyodorovich Ushakov (Фёдор Фёдорович Ушако́в (February 24 1744&ndash The Septinsular Republic ( Επτάνησος Πολιτεία, Repubblica Settinsulare) was an island Republic that existed from 1800 to 1807 under But in 1807 they were ceded again to the French and directly annexed to the French Empire. The Empire of the French (1804-1814 also known as the Empire of France, Greater French Empire, First French Empire, French Empire, or
British rule
In 1809 the British defeated the French fleet in Zakynthos (October 2, 1809) captured Kefallonia, Kythera and Zakynthos, and took Lefkada in 1810. Events 1187 - Siege of Jerusalem: Saladin captures Jerusalem after 88 years of Crusader rule Year 1809 ( MDCCCIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year The French held out in Kerkyra until 1814. The Treaty of Paris in 1815 turned the islands into the "United States of the Ionian Islands" under British protection (November 5, 1815). The Treaty of Paris of 1815 was signed on November 20, 1815, following the defeat and second abdication of Napoleon. The United States of the Ionian Islands (Ηνωμένον Κράτος των Ιονίων Νήσων ( Enomenon Kratos ton Ionion Neson) Stati Uniti delle Isole Ionie was a Events 1499 - Publication of the Catholicon in Treguier ( Brittany) Year 1815 ( MDCCCXV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year In January 1817 the British granted the islands a new constitution. The islanders elected an Assembly of 40 members, who advised the British High Commissioner. The British greatly improved the islands' communications, and introduced modern education and justice systems. The islanders welcomed most of these reforms, and took up afternoon tea, cricket and other English pastimes. Cricket is a bat-and-ball team Sport that originated in England and is now played in more than 100 countries
Once Greek independence was established after 1830, however, the islanders began to resent foreign rule and to press for enosis - union with Greece. For the Genus of Grass skipper Butterflies, see Enosis (butterfly. The British statesman William Gladstone toured the islands and recommended that they be given to Greece. The British government resisted, since like the Venetians they found the islands made useful naval bases. They also regarded the German-born king of Greece, King Otto, as unfriendly to Britain. Otto of Greece (Όθων Βασιλεύς της Ελλάδος Othon Vasileus tis Ellados) (1 June 1815 – 26 July 1867 was made the first modern king of Greece But in 1862 Otto was deposed and a pro-British king, George I, was installed. George I King of the Hellenes (Γεώργιος A' Βασιλεύς των Ελλήνων Georgios A' Vasileus ton Ellinon; 24 December 1845 &ndash 18 March 1913 was
Greek rule
In 1862 Britain decided to transfer the islands to Greece, as a gesture of support intended to bolster the new king's popularity. On May 2, 1864 the British departed and the islands became three provinces of the Kingdom of Greece though Britain retained the use of the port of Corfu. Events 1194 - King Richard I of England gives Portsmouth its first Royal Charter. Year 1864 ( MDCCCLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year
World War II
- Further information: Axis Occupation of Greece
In 1941 when Axis forces occupied Greece, the Ionian Islands (except Kythera) were handed over to the Italians, who in their three years of rule attempted to Italianize the population of Corfu (as has happened with the Corfiot Italians). The Axis occupation of Greece during World War II ( Η Κατοχή, I Katochi, meaning "The Occupation" began in April The Axis powers also known as the Axis alliance Axis nations Axis countries or sometimes just the Axis were those Countries Italianization is a term used to describe a process of Cultural assimilation in which ethnically non- or partially- Italian people or territory become Italian Corfiot Italians (or "Corfiote Italians" are a population from the Greek island of Corfu (Kerkyra with ethnic and linguistic ties to the Republic In 1943 the Germans replaced the Italians, and deported the centuries-old Jewish community of Corfu to their deaths. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ By 1944 most of the islands were under the control of the EAM/ELAS resistance movement, and they have remained a stronghold of left-wing sentiment ever since. The National Liberation Front (EAM ( Εθνικό Απελευθερωτικό Μέτωπο (ΕΑΜ, Ethniko Apeleftherotiko Metopo) was the main movement of the The Greek People's Liberation Army ( Ελληνικός Λαϊκός Απελευθερωτικός Στρατός, Ellinikos Laïkos Apeleftherotikos Stratos) abbreviated
The 1953 earthquake
The islands were struck by an especially powerful earthquake, of 7.1 magnitude, on August 12, 1953. An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth 's crust that creates Seismic waves Earthquakes are recorded with a Seismometer The Richter magnitude scale, or more correctly local magnitude M L scale assigns a single number to quantify the amount of seismic energy released Building damage was extensive and the southern islands of Kefalonia and Zakynthos were practically levelled. The islands were reconstructed from the ground up over the following years, under a strict building code. The code has proven extremely effective, as many earthquakes since that time have caused no damage to new buildings.
Today
Today all the islands are part of the Greek periphery of Ionian Islands (Ionioi Nisoi), except Kythera, which is part of the periphery of Attiki. The peripheries ( Περιφέρειες) are the official regional Administrative divisions of Greece. Attica (Αττική Attikí;) is a periphery (subdivision in Greece, containing Athens, the capital of Greece Kerkyra has a population of 113,479 (including Paxoi), Zakynthos 38,680, Kefallonia 39,579 (including Ithaca), Lefkada 22,536, Ithaki 3,052, Kythera 3,000 and Paxi 2,438.
In recent decades the islands have lost much of their population through emigration and the decline of their traditional industries, fishing and marginal agriculture. Today their major industry is tourism. Specifically Kerkyra, with its magnificent harbour, splendid scenery and wealth of picturesque ruins and castles, is a favourite stopping place for cruise liners. British tourists in particular are attracted through having read Gerald Durrell's evocative book My Family and Other Animals (1956), which describes his childhood on Kerkyra in the 1930s. Gerald ('Gerry' Malcolm Durrell OBE ( January 7, 1925 &ndash January 30, 1995) was a naturalist, Zookeeper My Family and Other Animals is an autobiographical work by naturalist Gerald Durrell, telling of his childhood spent on the Greek island The novel and movie Captain Corelli's Mandolin is set in Kefallonia.
Major communities
- Argostóli (Αργοστόλι)
- Kérkyra (Κέρκυρα) (Corfu in English)
- Lefkáda (Λευκάδα)
- Zákynthos (Ζάκυνθος)
See also
External links
- Region of Ionia Nisia (Periphery of Ionian Islands)
Dictionary
Ionian Islands
-proper noun
- A group of islands in the Ionian Sea - one of the 13 peripheries of Greece The main islands are Corfu, Ithaca, Kefallonia, Kythira, Lefkada, Paxoi and Zante.
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic