| Zakýnthos (Ζάκυνθος, also known as
Zante), the third largest of the
Ionian Islands, covers an area of
410 square kilometers and its coastline is roughly 123 kilometers in
length. The island is named after
Zacynthus, son of a legendary Arcadian chief
Dardanus. The name, like all similar names ending in -nthos, is
pre-Mycenaean or
Pelasgian in origin. Zakynthos has a varied terrain, with fertile
plains in the southeastern part and mountainous terrain with steep cliffs
along the coasts on the west. Zakynthos town coordinates are: latitude
37.79139/37°47'29 N, longitude: 20.89528/20'53'43 E.
The mild,
Mediterranean climate and the plentiful winter rainfall endow the
island with dense vegetation. The principal products are
olive oil,
currants,
grapes and
citrus fruit.
The capital, which has the same name as the prefecture, is the town of
Zakynthos; apart from the official name, it is also called Chora(i.e.
the Town, a common denomination in Greece when the name of the island
itself is the same as the name of the principal town). According to the
2001 census, the island has a population of 38,957.
The most famous Zakynthian is the
19th century poet
Dionysios Solomos, the principal modern Greek
poet and author of the
national anthem of Greece. His statue adorns the main town square.
The island has one airport, the Dionysos
Solomos Airport (on former GR-35) in its southwest which connects
flights with other Greek airports. Further southwest is the National
Marine Park of Zakynthos where loggerhead
turtles (Caretta
caretta) are found in (the bay of Laganas).
Caretta caretta is an
endangered species. Every year beginning in June the female turtles
come to the southern beaches in order to bury their eggs in the sand. The
breeding times takes approx. 55 days. The babies slip themselves into the
sea, and the survival rate is very small for the males. A pregnant turtle
lays about 1,000 eggs.
The port of Zakynthos has a ferry connecting to the port of
Kyllini on the mainland. Another ferry connects the village of Skinari
to
Argostoli on the island of
Kefalonia.
This paradise on earth suffered severe earthquakes in 1953, which
destroyed almost everything on the island. These were not the only
earthquakes in area, but the most dramatic ones in recent history. Only
three buildings were left standing in place after the disaster: the St. Dionysios Cathedral, the National Bank building, and the church of St.
Nicholas "tou Molou" (of the Quay). A few other buildings in outlying
areas have avoided complete destruction. Since then Zakynthos has been
rebuilt to a very rigid anti-earthquake specification, and has withstood
several serious earthquakes with minimal damage. Mining is also common on the island,
where a small mountain located in Zakynthos' west side was mined during
the
1990s, though it is no longer in use. Today, mining still continues,
but now with two quarries on the mountain range in the western part of the
island.
|
|
on
January 31, 2005, an
earthquake rumbled not far from the island. It tremored in the sea at
5.6 on the
Richter scale at 02:30 (UTC/PMST), 04:30 (Eastern Europe-Eastern
African time).
The
Zante currant, a small sweet seedless
grape is native to the island.
 | Island length: 40 km |
| Island width: 20 km |
| Highest point: Vrachionas, 758 m
|
The sites of interest including Shipwreck Bay, Cape
Skinari and the blue cave.
The western part of the island is accessible and has a panoramic view
of the sea.
The ridge area from Anafontria has an observation deck and a ship wreck
and with the monastery.
Keri is located in the far south of the island. It is a mountain
village and has a lighthouse in the south. It includes a panorama of the
southern part of the
Ionian Sea.
Zante has campsites and beaches including a beautiful one near Keri
with a length of a 100 m surrounded by cliffs. The island also offers a
numerous amount of arches and cliffs which are famous. One of the arches
are underground. Several documentary shows were filmed around that part of
Zakynthos/Zante. Other campsites include
Camping Alykes (http://www.zanteweb.gr/camping/alykes/).
Beaches are in Porto Limnionas, Porto Vromi and Porto Zoro.
Other includes a junior/quaternary soccer team (D Division) named
APS Zakynthos
Transportation
Greece Interstate 35, a road linking Zante and Porto Roma and another road linking Zante and Volimes.
Population
| 1900: 42,000 |
| 1981: 30,011 |
| 1991: 32,556 (island), 13,000 (city) |
| 2001: 38,597 |
|
