Crete

Crete, sometimes spelled Krete (Greek Κρήτη / Kriti; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is the largest of the Greek islands and the fifth largest in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located at approximately {{coor d|35|N|24|E|}}.

Geography

Crete is one of the 13 regions of Greece. It is the biggest island in Greece and the second biggest (after Cyprus) of the East Mediterranean. Crete lies at the southern end of the Aegean Sea and covers an area of 8,336 km². Its population is 650,000 people (as of 2005). The island is 260 km long and varies in width from 60 km (measured from the Dion cape to the Lithinon cape), to only 12 km at the Isthmus of Ierapetra in eastern Crete. The coast is deeply indented, giving Crete over 1,000 km of shoreline. Crete lies approximately 160 km south of the Greek mainland.

Related Topics:
Cyprus - Aegean Sea - Area - 2005

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The island is extremely mountainous and is defined by a high mountain range crossing it from West to East, formed by three different groups of mountains. These are:

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• the White Mountains or Lefka Ori (up to 2,452 m high);
• the Idi range (Psiloritis ({{coor d|35.18|N|24.82|E|}}) 2,456 m);
• the Dikti mountains (up to 2,148 m high)

These mountains gifted Crete with fertile plateaus like Lasithi, Omalos and Nidha, caves like Diktaion and Idaion cave, and gorges like the famous Gorge of Samaria.

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