Karpathos (Greek: Κάρπαθος, Turkish: Kerpe, Italian: Scarpanto, Latin: Carpathus; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is the second largest of the Greek Dodecanese islands, in the southeastern Aegean Sea. Latin was the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... This is a list of traditional Greek place names. ... The Dodecanese (Greek Δωδεκάνησα, Dodekánisa, Turkish Onikiada, both meaning twelve islands; Italian Dodecaneso) are a group of 12 larger plus 150 smaller Greek islands in the Aegean Sea, off the southwest coast of Turkey. ... Look up Aegean Sea in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Geography

The island is located about 29.4 miles south-west of Rhodes, in that part of the Mediterranean which was called, after it, the "Carpathian Sea" (Carpathium Mare). Karpathos comprises 10 villages. All villages preserve intensively the traditional style of the island. In the South East of the island you can find Pigadia (Officially: Karpathos City), capital and main port of the island. The capital is surrounded by the villages of Menetes, Arkasa, Aperi, Volada, Othos, and Piles. In the North one can find Mesochori, Spoa and Olympos the last village in the North of the island, of great folkloric and architectural interest. There are two ports in the island; one is in the town of Karpathos and the other in the north of the island next to Olymbos named Diafani. The island's airport, with its relatively large runway, is located on the south side (Afiartis area) Karpathos is connected to neighboring islands and to the mainland via ferries and airplanes. The ferries provide transport to and from Peiraias (via Crete and Rhodes). Scheduled domestic flights connect the island with Rhodes, Kasos, Crete and Athens daily. Additionally, charter flights from various European cities are frequently scheduled during the high season (April through October). Rhodes (Greek: Ρόδος (pron. ... Othos is the highest village in Karpathos, Greece. ...

Population

The latest estimate of the island's permanent population is around 6000 people. This number more than doubles in the summer months as many Karpathian expatriates with their families come to the island for their vacation. Also, taking into consideration the number of tourists that visit, there can be up to 20,000 people on the island during the summer months. The population density is greatest during the 15th of August due to the festival of Panagia which is considered the most important festival on the island. Individuals travel from around the world to attend the festival and view the many traditions that still remain on the island.

History

War and conquest define Karpathos' history. Karpathians fought with Sparta in the Peloponnesian War in 431 BC and lost their independence to Rhodes in 400 BC. In 42 BC the island fell to Rome. In the following centuries, Karpathos was ruled in turn by the Arabs, the Genovese pirate Moresco, the Venetians, and the Ottoman Empire. It was both in ancient and medieval times closely connected with Rhodes; it was held by noble families under Venetian suzerainty, notably the Cornaro from 1306 to 1540, when it finally passed into the possession of the Turks. From its remote position Karpathos has preserved many peculiarities of dress, customs and dialect, the last resembling those of Crete and Cyprus. Ottoman rule ended when the Italians conquered the island, together with the whole Dodecanese, during the Italo-Turkish War of 1911-12. Karpathos even found itself ruled by the Italians years before the end of World War II. Karpathos became Greek teritorry in 1948. Its current name is mentioned, with a slight shift of one letter, in Homer's Iliad as Krapathos (Οι δ'αρα Νίσυρον τ'είχον Κράπαθον τε Κάσον τε). Rhodes (Greek: Ρόδος (pron. ... Cornaro is an illustrious patrician family in Venice, from which for centuries several Doges sprung. ... Events March 25 - Robert the Bruce becomes King of Scotland June 19 - Forces of Earl of Pembroke defeat Bruces Scottish rebels at the Battle of Methven Philip IV of France exiles all the Jews from France and confiscates their property In London, a city ordinance degrees that heating with... Year 1540 was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. ... For the famous World War II battle, see: Battle of Crete For other uses, see Crete (disambiguation). ... Combatants Italy Ottoman Empire Commanders Luigi Caneva Ismail Enver Mustafa Kemal Ataturk Strength 100,000 28,000 Casualties 3,380 dead 4,220 wounded 14,000 dead 5,370 wounded The Italo-Turkish or Turco-Italian War (also known in Italy as guerra di Libia, the Libyan war, and in...

Despite such a scattered past, the last half-century has been pivotal in charactering the island. A war-ravaged economy sent many a Karpathian to the U.S. eastern seaboard cities. Karpathos today has a significant Greek-American constituency who have returned to their beloved island and invested heavily. As a result, Pigadia and other towns successfully infuse modern elements into a traditional setting. In the mountains north, a world unto itself, residents preserve tradition almost religiously.

External links

• Karpathos Island - Official Website

Coordinates: 35°35′N, 27°08′E The Dodecanese (Greek Δωδεκάνησα, Dodekánisa, Turkish Onikiada, both meaning twelve islands; Italian Dodecaneso) are a group of 12 larger plus 150 smaller Greek islands in the Aegean Sea, off the southwest coast of Turkey. ... Agathonissi Island is a small island located the most northerly point of the Dodecanese prefecture in Greece. ... Pharmakonisi, or Farmakonisi (Gr. ... A map of Arki showing the location of its main town The main town of Arki and its port Arki (Greek name: Αρκοι) is a group of several small islands situated in the eastern Aegean Sea, Greece close to the Turkish Aegean Coast which is part of the dodecanese archipelago. ... Skala viewed from the Monastery of Agios Ioannis Theologos, one of the UN World Heritage Sites. ... Lipsi, viewed from the harbour Leipsoi (Greek: Λειψοί, also: Lipsi) is an island south of Samos and to the north of Leros in Greece. ... IMIA or the International Medical Inforamtics Asociation is an independent organisation that plays a role in promoting and furthering the application of science information in modern society, particularly in the fields of healthcare, bioscience and medicine. ... Leros: the village of Panteli Leros (Greek: Λέρος; Italian: Lèro) is a Greek island in the Dodecanese, in the southern Aegean Sea. ... Pothia Kalymnos, Greek: Κάλυμνος; (Turkish: Kilimli; Italian: Càlino) is a Greek island in the south-eastern Aegean Sea. ... Pserimos is a small island in the Dodecanese chain, lying between Kalymnos and Kos in front of the coast of Turkey. ... Port and city view of Kos town on the island Kos. ... Gyali (Greek Γυαλί, also spelled Yiali or Yali) is a volcanic Greek island in the Dodecanese, located halfway between Kos and Nisyros. ... Satellite image of Nisyros island, an active volcano Nisyros (Greek: Νίσυρος; also transliterated Nissiros; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is a volcanic Greek island located in the Aegean Sea. ... View over Livadhia, the port and main village on Tilos Tílos (Greek: Τήλος; ancient form: Telos, Turkish: Ä°lyaki; Italian: Piscopi) is a small Greek island located in the Aegean Sea. ... Astipalea Astipalea (or Astypalea or Astypalaia, Αστυπάλαια) is a Greek island with 1. ... Yialos, Symi Harbour, seen from Chorio Symi (Greek: Σύμη, also transliterated Syme or Simi; Ottoman Turkish سومبكى Sömbeki; see also list of traditional Greek place names) is a small but historic Greek island. ... Chalki (Halki, Khalki; Greek: Χάλκη) is a Greek island in Dodecanese archipelago in the Aegean Sea, some 6 km west or Rhodes. ... Rhodes (Greek: Ρόδος (pron. ... Saria Island is an island in Greece. ... Kasos is a Greek island in the Dodecanese. ... Rho (Greek: Ρω; Turkish: Kara Ada) is a small Greek island in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea near Kastelorizo and less than 800 m from the Turkish coast. ... Location map Kastelorizo, current official name in Greek is Μεγίστη/Megisti; (Turkish: Meis , Italian: Castelrosso), is a small Greek island located in the Eastern Mediterranean. ... The Islet of Strongili (in the background) seen from North. ... The Dodecanese (Greek Δωδεκάνησα, Dodekánisa, Turkish Onikiada, both meaning twelve islands; Italian Dodecaneso) are a group of 12 larger plus 150 smaller Greek islands in the Aegean Sea, off the southwest coast of Turkey. ... Afantou (Αφάντου) is a municipality on the island of Rhodes, in the Dodecanese, Greece. ... Archangelos is a village on the island of Rhodes. ... Astipalea Astipalea (or Astypalea or Astypalaia, Αστυπάλαια) is a Greek island with 1. ... Attavyros (Αττάβυρος) is a municipality on the island of Rhodes, in the Dodecanese, Greece. ... Chalki (Halki, Khalki; Greek: Χάλκη) is a Greek island in Dodecanese archipelago in the Aegean Sea, some 6 km west or Rhodes. ... Dikaio (Δίκαιο) is a municipality on the island of Kos, in the Dodecanese, Greece. ... Ialysos (Greek: Ιαλυσός), also known as Trianta, is the second-largest town on the island of Rhodes (Ρόδος, Rhodos) in Greece. ... Irakleides (Ηρακλείδες) is a municipality on the island of Kos, in the Dodecanese, Greece. ... Kallithea (Καλλιθέα) is a municipality on the island of Rhodes, in the Dodecanese, Greece. ... Pothia Kalymnos, Greek: Κάλυμνος; (Turkish: Kilimli; Italian: Càlino) is a Greek island in the south-eastern Aegean Sea. ... Kameiros is a city on the island of Rhodes, lying on a peninsula on the northwest coast of the island. ... Kasos is a Greek island in the Dodecanese. ... Port and city view of Kos town on the island Kos. ... Lipsi, viewed from the harbour Leipsoi (Greek: Λειψοί, also: Lipsi) is an island south of Samos and to the north of Leros in Greece. ... Leros: the village of Panteli Leros (Greek: Λέρος; Italian: Lèro) is a Greek island in the Dodecanese, in the southern Aegean Sea. ... Acropolis of Lindos: the restored stoa Lindos (Greek Λινδος;) is a town and an archaeological site on the east coast of the island of Rhodes (Rhodhos) in the Dodecanese Islands in south-eastern Greece. ... Location map Kastelorizo, current official name in Greek is Μεγίστη/Megisti; (Turkish: Meis , Italian: Castelrosso), is a small Greek island located in the Eastern Mediterranean. ... Satellite image of Nisyros island, an active volcano Nisyros (Greek: Νίσυρος; also transliterated Nissiros; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is a volcanic Greek island located in the Aegean Sea. ... Skala viewed from the Monastery of Agios Ioannis Theologos, one of the UN World Heritage Sites. ... Petaloudes (Πεταλούδες) is a municipality on the island of Rhodes, in the Dodecanese, Greece. ... Rhodes (Greek: Ρόδος - Ródos) is the main city of the Greek island of Rhodes, in the Aegean Sea. ... South Rhodes (Νότια Ρόδος) is a municipality on the island of Rhodes, in the Dodecanese, Greece. ... Yialos, Symi Harbour, seen from Chorio Symi (Greek: Σύμη, also transliterated Syme or Simi; Ottoman Turkish سومبكى Sömbeki; see also list of traditional Greek place names) is a small but historic Greek island. ... View over Livadhia, the port and main village on Tilos Tílos (Greek: Τήλος; ancient form: Telos, Turkish: Ä°lyaki; Italian: Piscopi) is a small Greek island located in the Aegean Sea. ... Agathonisi (Αγαθονήσι) is a small island located at the northernmost point of the Dodecanese prefecture in Greece. ... Olympos (Όλυμπος) is a community on the island of Karpathos, in the Dodecanese, Greece. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...