Crete(Greek Κρήτη,Kríti, is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, and Corsica. Crete rests approximately 160 km (99 mi) south of the Greek mainland. It has an area of 8,336sq km(3,219 sq mi) and a coastline of 1,046 km (650 miles). It bounds the southern border of th Aegean Sea, with thSea of Crete (or North Cretan Sea) to the north and the Libyan Sea (or South Cretan Sea) to the south.Crete and a number of islands and islets that surround it constitute the Region of Crete which is the southernmost of the 13 top-level administrative units of Greece, and the fifth most populous of Greece’s regions. Its capital and largest city is Heraklion, on the north shore of the island. As of 2020, the region had a population of 636,504.The Dodecanese are located to the northeast of Crete, while the Cyclades are situated to the north, separated by the Sea of Crete. The Peloponnese is to the region’s northwest.Humans have inhabited the island since at least 130,000 years ago, during the Paleolithic age. Crete was the centre of Europe‘s first advanced civilization, the Minoans, from 2700 to 1420 BC. The Minoan civilization was overrun by the Mycenaean civilization from mainland Greece. Crete was later ruled by Rome, then successively by the Byzantine Empire, Andalusian Arabs, the Venetian Republic, and the Ottoman Empire. In 1898 Crete, whose people had for some time wanted to join the Greek state, achieved independence from the Ottomans, formally becoming the Cretan State. Crete became part of Greece in December 1913.The island is mostly mountainous, and its character is defined by a high mountain range crossing from west to east. It includes Crete’s highest point, Mount Ida, and the range of th White Mountains (Lefka Ori) with 30 summits above 2000 metres in altitude and the Samaria Gorge, a World Biosphere Reserve. Crete forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece, while retaining its own local cultural traits (such as its own poetry and music). The Nikos Kazantzakis airport at Heraklion and the Daskalogiannis\ airport at Chania serve international travelers. The palace of Knossos, a Bronze Age settlement and ancient Minoan city, is also located in Heraklion.
The earliest references to the island of Crete come from texts from the Syrian city of Mari dating from the 18th century BC, where the island is referred to as Kaptara.This is repeated later in Neo-Assyrian records and the Bible (Caphtor). It was known in ancient Egyptian as Keftiu or kftı͗w, strongly suggesting a similar Minoan name for the island
The current nameCrete is first attested in the 15th century BC in Mycenaean Greek texts, written in Linear B, through the words ke-re-te Krētes; the name Crete (Κρήτη) first appears in Homer‘s Odyssey.[Its etymology is unknown. One proposal derives it from a hypothetical Luwian word *kursatta (compare kursawar ‘island’, kursattar ‘cutting, sliver’)Another proposal suggests that it derives from the ancient Greek word “κραταιή” (krataie̅), meaning strong or powerful, the reasoning being that Crete was the strongest thalassocracy during ancient times.In Latin, the name of the island became Creta. The original Arabic name of Crete was the Emirate of Crete‘s establishment of its new capital at Rabḍ al-Ḫandaq (modern Heraklion,Greek: Ηράκλειο, Irákleio), both the city and the island became known as Χάνδαξ (Chandax) or Χάνδακας (Chandakas), which gave Latin, Italian, and Venetian Candia, from which were derived French Candie and English Candy or Candia. Under Ottoman rule, in Ottoman Turkish, Crete was called Girit In the Hebrew Bible, Crete is referred to as (כְּרֵתִים) “kretim”.
Crete is the largest island in Greece and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located in the southern part of the Aegean Sea separating the Aegean from the Libyan Sea.The island has an elongated shape: it spans 260 km (160 mi) from east to west, is 60 km (37 mi) at its widest point, and narrows to as little as 12 km (7.5 mi) (close to Ierapetra). Crete covers an area of 8,336 sq km(3,219sq mi), with a coastline of 1,046km (650 mi), to the north, it broaches the Sea of Crete (Greek Κρητικό Πέλαγος) to the south, the Libyan Sea (Greek:Λιβυκό Πέλαγος); in the west, the Myrtoan Sea, and toward the east the Carpathian Sea. It lies approximately 160km (99 mi) south of the Greek mainland.
Crete is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Greece. 15% of all arrivals in Greece come through the city of Heraklion (port and airport), while charter journeys to Heraklion make up about 20% of all charter flights in Greece. The number of hotel beds on the island increased by 53% in the period between 1986 and 1991.
Today, the island’s tourism infrastructure caters to all tastes, including a very wide range of accommodation; the island’s facilities take in large luxury hotels with their complete facilities, swimming pools, sports and recreation, smaller family-owned apartments, camping facilities and others. Visitors reach the island via two international airports in Heraklion and Chania and a smaller airport in Sitia or by boat to the main ports of Heraklion, Chania,Rethimno,Agios Nikolaosand Sitia.
Popular tourist attractions include the archaeological sites of the Minoan civilisation,the bay of Matala, the Venetian old city and port of Chania, the Venetian castle at Rethymno, the gorge of Samaria, the islands of Chrysi, Elafonisi, Gramvousa, Spinalonga and the Palm Beach of Vai, which is the largest natural palm forest in Europe.
