Crete Island:
Thousands of people were evacuated recently as fires threatened a tourist resort on the Greek island of Crete and continued to rage, fanned by violent winds.
- Crete Island is the largest island of Greece.
- It is located in the southern part of the Aegean Sea.
- It is the fifth-largest Mediterranean Sea island.
- It is bordered by the Sea of Crete in the north, the Libyan Sea in the south, the Myrtoan Sea in the west, and the Karpathian Sea in the east.
- The island is characterized by a diverse landscape, including a mountain chain that runs the length of the island, sandy beaches, and fertile plains.
- Crete’s economy is primarily based on tourism, agriculture, and shipping.
- The island of Crete has been inhabited since the Paleolithic Age by early hominids.
- The earliest advanced European civilization, the Minoan Civilization, started on the island around 2700-1420 BCE.
- The Minoan civilization ended after a major earthquake, and thereafter, the island’s rule was taken over by the Mycenaean civilization.
- The island was then subsequently ruled by the Romans, the Byzantines, the Andalusians, the Venetians, and the Ottomans.
- After the island’s independence from Ottoman rule, Crete became a part of Greece.
- During the Second World War, the island was occupied by the Nazi German forces and also served as the battleground of the famous “Battle of Crete.”
