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CRETE

The island of Crete is the largest island of Greece and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean  after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus and Corsica . It has an area of about 8300 sq.km. The island has an elongated shape, 260 km long from east to west and between 15 and 60 km  and is located 100 km from Cape Maleas in Peloponnese. The coastline is over 1000 km long and consist of both sandy beaches and rocky shores.
The high mountains are characteristic of the Cretan landscape. They form three mountain complexes, each with its own 'personality'.
Between the ranges lie semi-mountainous zones that cover the greater part of the island. There are also a few low lying plains as well as a number of high plateau.
Crete has about 600.000 inhabitants, of which over third live in the towns of Heraklion, Chania and Rethymno. The rest of the inhabitants are spread out in the numerous villages of the island. The large tracts of mountainous areas are sparsely populated, usually frequented only by shepherds
Crete situated about 160 km south of the Greek mainland which extends in a direction east - west, south of the Aegean Sea, of which it forms the natural southern boundary and north of the Libyan. It is part of the regional government of Greece and is divided into four prefectures: Heraklion, Chania, Lasithi and Rethymno. Washed to the north of the Sea of Crete to the south of the Libyan Sea to the east by the Carpathian Sea to the west by the Ionian and Mediterranean seas and beaches form many bays, coves, peninsulas and capes and formed many ports .Einai course one of the largest islands in the Mediterranean and is in fifth place in size. Crete is the island of famous Cretans like EL Greco, Eleftherios Venizelos, Nikos Kazantzakis and many other mostly known to Greeks. Tourism is one of the main industries of Crete and many foreign tourist that travel to Greece choose Crete as their main holiday destination.

Geography . Island mostly mountainous, has the spine a chain of high mountains, which cross from one side to the other. It consists of three mountain ranges:
the Ori or White Mountains in western Crete tops the Castle (2150 m), Soros (2370 m), Black (2104 meters), Spirit (2381 m.), Theo (2375 m), Trocharis (2496 m), the Ida or Psiloritis (2498 m) in central Crete, Lassithi Diktys or mountains in eastern Crete tops Christ (2155 m), Master (1592 m), Kofinas (1250 m)

The most important valleys of Crete is Mesaras in Heraklion prefecture, Kissamos, Cydonia, Apokoronou in Chania, Rethymno and Agios Vasilios in the prefecture of Rethymno and Lassithi Ierapetra in the prefecture.
The plains are few and most of them are coastal me but fertile land, favouring the cultivation of olive trees, cereals, citrus fruit and vegetable are the main products of the island. Famous are the wines, oranges and mandarins of Cydonia, the knots grapes and raisins in the prefecture of Iraklion. The climate is dry, warm and ygieinotato.

The rivers of Crete are small: Platanias, and Kladistos Kiliaris, Gero - River and Grand - River Giofyros and Pantelis. Torrents formed by the rains are many. The most important are: Apokoronou Heraklion Mirabello.
The three lakes in Crete from which the largest is Kourna have no economic significance.

Around the island there are many large and small islands. It's the Wild Gramvousa Gramvoùsa, the Mouse and Elafonisi, Saint Theodore the Palaiosouda, the Sudan, Jupiter (or Standia), Spinalonga, the pumpkin, the All Saints, the Gavdopoula and Gavdos etc. Only inhabited island of Gavdos, the Sudan and Spinalonga.
Administratively, Crete is divided into 4 prefectures: Chania with the provinces Apokoronou Kissamos, Cydonia, and Sfakia Selino with 133,774 total residents. Prefecture of Rethymnon with the provinces of St. Basil, Amari Milopotamos, Rethymno, with 70,095 residents. Prefecture of Heraklion Viannos districts, New, Malevizi Monofatsi Plain, Pirgiotisa, Temenos, with 264,906 residents and Lasithi with the provinces Ierapetra, Lassithi, Mirabello, Sitia population 71,273 inhabitants.

Climate. Crete belongs to the Mediterranean climate zone that gives the main character of the climate which is characterized as temperate. The atmosphere can be presented as quite humid, depending on proximity to the sea. The winter is fairly mild and wet, with enough rainfall, mostly in western parts of the island. Snowfall is rare in the plains, but quite common in mountains. During the summer, the average temperature is within 25-30 degrees (Celsius), certainly lower than in mainland Greece. The south coast, including plain and Messara Asterousia mountains, enjoys more sunny days and warmer temperatures during the summer than the rest of the island. The island's flora is threatened by the gradual development of livestock in recent years.

Economy

The economy of Crete, which was mainly based on farming, started changing visibly during the '70s. While maintaining the traditional focus on agriculture and animal husbandry because of the climate and terrain of the island, put a drop in construction and a large increase in services, mainly tourism related). All three sectors of the Cretan economy, (agriculture, processing, packaging, and services) directly connected and interdependent. Crete shows average per capita income reaches 100% of that of the rest of the country, and unemployment is around 4%.. The university of Crete has given a boost to the local economy as well as the Cretan maritime companies ANEK and Minoan lines.

Crete is one of the most popular Greek holiday destinations. 15% of total arrivals, port and airport in the country are through the city of Heraklion. In 2006, charter flights to Heraklion, totaled 20% of all charter flights to the country and globally, more than two million tourists visited the island this year. The increase in tourism is reflected in the number of hotel beds, which increased in Crete by 53% from 1986 to 1991, while the rest of Greece had increased 25%. The current tourism infrastructure in Crete caters to all tastes. There is accommodation of every possible category, from large luxury hotels, with all the specified facilities (swimming pools, sports and recreation facilities, etc. ...), to smaller family owned apartments or organized camps.

Transportation. The island has three major airports that connect the island with Athens, Thessaloniki and many European countries: the airport Nikos Kazantzakis in Heraklion airport Chania Daskalogiannis and the new, smaller airport in Sitia. Access for visitors to the island is by air via the international airport at Heraklion and Chania airports state and Siti. From the ferry ports of Heraklion, Chania, Rethymnon, Agios Nikolaos, Sitia and Kastelli Kissamos there are ferries to Piraeus, Santorini, Rhodes, Ios, Paros, Syros and many other Greek islands.

Cities. Is the capital of Crete Heraklion, other major cities are Chania, Rethymnon, Agios Nikolaos and Ierapetra.