Pityuses
Pityuses | ||
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Satellite image of the Pityuses | ||
Waters | Mediterranean Sea | |
archipelago | Balearic Islands | |
Geographical location | 38 ° 53 ' N , 1 ° 26' E | |
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Number of islands | 9 (+ numerous rocks) | |
Main island | Ibiza | |
Total land area | 654.28 km² | |
Residents | 161,369 (2006) |
The Pityuses are an archipelago of the Balearic Islands , consisting of Ibiza , Formentera and numerous smaller and uninhabited rocky islands. Only the islands of Ibiza and Formentera are permanently inhabited.
term
The name Pityusen comes from ancient Greek Πιτυοῦσσαι Pityoussai . The Greeks called the islands so because of their then rich pine forests (from Greek πίτυς pitys 'pine'), which, however, were native to the entire Balearic Islands.
geology
The approximately 150 islands of the Balearic archipelago were formed together around 100 million years ago during the so-called Alpid mountain formation . This is also responsible for many other mighty fold mountains in Europe such as the Alps or the Betic Cordillera . The latter, together with today's Balearic Islands, formed a mountain range that millions of years later was separated into the Spanish mainland and the archipelago by a deep sea trench.
administration
The islands of the Pityuses form part of the autonomous community of Illes Balears (Balearic Islands), which administratively unites all of the Balearic Islands.
language
As on all Balearic Islands, Catalan is spoken as the language of the locals . The Catalan dialect spoken in the Pityuses is also called Ibizan or Formenterian .
Associated islands
- Ibiza , Formentera , Espalmador , Espardell, Es Vedrà , Es Vedranell, Tagomago , Es Frare, Espartar, Illa des Bosc, Illa Sa Conillera and the group Ses Bledes with Na Gorra, Es Vaixell, Es Bosc, and the bare rocks Na Plana and S'Escull d'en Ramon.
See also
Web links
- http://www.vertebradosibericos.org/reptiles/distribucion/podpitdi.html Map with the names of the individual islands of the Pityuses (Spanish)