Elafonisus
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Municipality of Elafonisos Δήμος Ελαφονήσου (Ελαφόνησος) |
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| Basic data | |||
| State : |
 Greece
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| Region : | Peloponnese | ||
| Regional District : | Laconia | ||
| Geographic coordinates : | 36 ° 29 ′ N , 22 ° 57 ′ E | ||
| Area : | 19.992 km² | ||
| Residents : | 1,041 (2011) | ||
| Population density : | 52.1 inhabitants / km² | ||
| Seat: | Elafonisus | ||
| LAU-1 code no .: | 4303 | ||
| Districts : | no | ||
| Local self-government : | no | ||
| Website: | www.elafonisos.gr | ||
| Location in the Peloponnese region | |||
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Elafonisos ( pronunciation : [ ɛlaˈfɔnisɔs ], Greek Ελαφόνησος ( f. Sg. ) 'Deer Island') is a small island between the Peloponnese and the Greek island of Kythira . Due to its location in the Ionian Sea , it is counted among the Ionian Islands . The area of the island is about 19 km², the highest point is the Vardia at 276 m above sea level. d. M. It is about 570 m from the place Pavlopetri in the Peloponnese. Together with some small surrounding islets and an approximately 3 km² coastal strip on the opposite mainland, it forms the municipality of Elafonisos in the Peloponnese region . The municipality consists of the main town Elafonisos (816) and the settlements Kapari (37 inhabitants in 2011), Kato Nisi (156), Lefki (15) and Pounda (17) on the mainland.
Elafonisos is separated from Kythira by the Elafonisos Strait , which is about 4.5 nautical miles south of the island.
history
In ancient times , Elafonisos was not an island, but was connected to the Peloponnese as the Onou Gnathos peninsula ("donkey bite", derived from its outline). The current name Elafonisos means "deer island": Pausanias reports on various sanctuaries of Artemis . It is believed that the animals of the goddess existed in the area. In maps of the Republic of Venice from the 15th century, the island is referred to as Cervi (Italian: "deer"). In the 15th and 16th centuries the island was the base of pirates who raided ships in the Elafonisos Strait between the island and Kythira as a busy trade route. There were no larger settlements at that time. In 1837, the government of now independent Greece issued a decree settling Elafonisos, which resulted in serious diplomatic disputes with the United Kingdom between 1839 and 1849, which claimed the island for the Republic of the Ionian Islands . After a blockade of the Greek ports by the British Navy in 1850, which Greece could only end with extensive reparations payments, the British claim was dropped. Then settlers migrated to the island from the mainland opposite. The end of piracy from the island by the Greek Navy was the main factor in making the settlement possible.
The tiny island of the same name, Elafonisi, in the southwest of Crete is said to owe its name to fishermen from Elafonisos, who chose this name because of the similarity of the green and gold sea in the area with the sea in Elafonisos.
economy
In addition to one of the still largest fishing fleets in the Aegean and traditional shipbuilding, summer tourism is the most important economic factor on the island. Only a few hundred people live here in winter, but around 5,000 visitors come every day in July and August. The port of Elafonisos is home to a large number of traditional fishing boats. The four main beaches on the island are Sarakiniko, Simos, Lefki and Panagias.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Results of the 2011 census at the National Statistical Service of Greece (ΕΛ.ΣΤΑΤ) ( Memento from June 27, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) (Excel document, 2.6 MB)
- ↑ Pierer's Universal Lexikon , 4th edition Altenburg 1857–1865, p. 615 f.
