For the mythological figure, see Euboea (mythology) Euboea (Modern Greek, Εύβοια - Évia — Ancient Greek, - Eúboia) is the second largest of the Greek Aegean Islands and the second largest Greek island overall in area and population, after Crete. It is separated from the mainland of Greece by the Euboic Sea. In general outline it is a long and narrow, seahorse-shaped island; it is about 150 km (90 miles) long, and varies in breadth from 50 km (30 miles) to 6 km (4 miles). Its general direction is from northwest to southeast, and it is traversed throughout its length by a mountain range, which forms part of the chain that bounds Thessaly on the east, and is continued south of Euboea in the lofty islands of Andros, Tinos and Mykonos.

Geography

Like most of the Greek islands, Euboea was originally known under other names in ancient times, such as Macris and Doliche from its shape, Ellopia and Abantis from the tribes inhabiting it.

Euboea was believed to have originally formed part of the mainland, and to have been separated from it by an earthquake. This is fairly probable, because it lies in the neighbourhood of a fault line, and both Thucydides and Strabo write that the northern part of the island had been shaken at different periods. Its northern extremity is separated from the Thessalian coast by a strait, which at one point is not more than 130 feet (40 metres) wide. In the neighbourhood of Chalcis, both to the north and the south, the bays are so confined as to make plausible the story of Agamemnon's fleet having been detained there by contrary winds. At Chalcis itself, where the strait is narrowest, it is called the Euripus Strait. The extraordinary changes of tide which take place in this passage have been a subject of note since classical times. At one moment the current runs like a river in one direction, and shortly afterwards with equal velocity in the other. A bridge was first constructed here in the twenty-first year of the Peloponnesian War (410 BC). The name Euripus was corrupted during the Middle Ages into Evripo and Egripo, and in this latter form transferred to the whole island. Later the Venetians, when they occupied the district, altered it to Negroponte, referring to the bridge which connected it with the mainland.

The main mountains include Dirphys (1,745 m), Pyxaria (1,341 m) in the northeast and Ochi (1,394). The neighboring gulfs are the Pagasetic Gulf in the north, Maliakos Gulf, Northern Euboean Gulf in the west, the Euboic Sea and the Petalion Gulf. At the 2001 census the island had a population of 198,130, and a total land area of 3,684.848 km².

History

Ancient

The history of the island is for the most part that of its two principal cities, Chalcis and Eretria. Both cities were Ionian settlements from Attica, and their importance in early times is shown by their numerous colonies in Magna Graecia and Sicily, such as Cumae and Rhegium, and on the coast of Macedonia. In this way they opened new trade routes to the Greeks, and extended the field of western civilization.

How great their commerce was is shown by the fact that the Euboic scale of weights and measures was in use in Athens until Solon, and among the Ionic cities generally. They were rival cities, and appear at first to have been equally powerful; one of the earliest of the sea-fights mentioned in Greek history took place between them and in this it is said that many of the other Greek states took part.

In 490 BC, Eretria was utterly ruined and its inhabitants were transported to Persia. Though it was restored after the Battle of Marathon, on a site at a little distance from its original position, it never regained its former eminence, but it was still the second city on the island. From this time its neighbour Chalcis held an undisputed supremacy. Already, however, this city had suffered from the growing power of Athens. In the year 506 BC the Chalcidians were totally defeated by the Athenians, who established 4,000 Attic settlers on their lands, and seem to have reduced the whole island to a condition of dependence.

Again, in 446 BC, when Euboea endeavoured to throw off the yoke, it was once more reduced by Pericles, and a new body of settlers was planted at Histiaea in the north of the island, after the inhabitants of that town had been expelled. The Athenians fully recognized its importance to them, for supplying them with corn (ie, grain) and cattle, securing their commerce, and guaranteeing them against piracy, because its proximity to the coast of Attica rendered it extremely dangerous to them when in other hands. But in 410 BC the island succeeded in regaining its independence. After this it took sides with one or other of the leading states, until, after the Battle of Chaeronea, it passed into the hands of Philip II of Macedon, and finally into those of the Romans.

Medieval

In 1157 all the coastal towns of Euboea were destroyed by a Sicilian force.

Modern

In modern history, Euboea comes into prominence following the Fourth Crusade. In the partition of the Eastern Roman empire by the Latins, the island was divided into three fiefs which placed themselves under the protection of the Venetian Republic, henceforth the sovereign power. On 12 July 1470, after a heated defence, the well-fortified city of Chalkis (Negroponte) was wrested from Venice by Mehmed II, and the whole island fell into the hands of the Ottoman Turks. At the conclusion of the Greek War of Independence, in 1830, the island constituted a part of the newly-established Greek state.

Euboea is linked by two bridges, one that runs through Chalcis and is also accessible from Thebes. Another bridge bypasses Chalcis and is accessed from Athens. All of Euboea's modern bridges are suspended.

In the 1980s, the Dystos lake was filled with grass which was set on fire by farmers to make more farmland. This act caused devastation on much of the plants and the environment in that area. A part of the lake regenerated. A company was going to build a factory there. Also the municipalities of Anthidona and Avlida in the mid to late 20th century which once were part of the eastern part of the Boeotia Prefecture reverted to Chalcis which the capital city is closer than Levadia. Since then, the postal codes corresponded with the rest of Euboea, including Syros.

Recent

On January 24 through January 28, 2006, a snowstorm which also affected Eastern and Eastcentral Europe brought heavy snowfalls with snow accumulating to a heights ranging from one to four metres, cutting off roads from the rest of Greece in northern, the eastern and the southern parts of the island. Electricity was cut off to parts of the island for several days. Two days later when the snowstorm tapered off, villages in the south and north remain cut off from roads and water supply. Communications were later restored as bulldozers cleared away the snow as far as Aliveri a day later and also the rest of the island. The drifting snow did not affect parts of the island as Mount Dirfys deflected the winds away from the southwest, carrying it out to sea. The snowstorm became one of the worst in the island's history. Another system arrived on February 7, 2005 and brought heavy snows that isolated several residents in their homes with three to five meters of snow, enough to reach upper balconies and almost cover homes in snow over their roofs in several villages. In Kampia, snowfall of up to two metres covered people's cars, people had to dig away the snow to get into their vehicles. Roads were also blocked and some locations were cut off from the rest of the island. The storm did not cause blackouts. A day later, temperatures began to rise and roads were re-opened and communications restored.

The island was struck by a worst fury and was the forest fires. Arsonists spread the fires from Eretria and Aliveri on August 25, 2007. The fire spread in hours and consumed a lot of dense pine and spruce forests, one of them was by a 10 to 12 storey hotel which wreck its tourist industry. Other hotels and restaurants were destroyed. Firefighters battled the blaze along with helicopters and planes, some of them from several countries outside Greece. The fires consumed only the vicinity of Eretria and Aliveri and spread north to Seta and Kato Setta not far from the Dirfys ranges. Amarynthos was unhorrified and unharmed from those blazing fire. About hundreds to thousands of buildings were destroyed. Efforts on replanting trees and groves have been made, the planting will begin later.

Demographics

Among the rest population, there are two sub-groups on the island, who live there since the early Middle Ages: the Arvanites and the Vlachs. Arvanites traditionally occupy portions of the southern tip of the island and are concentrated today in the area around Cape Kafireas also known as Cavo D'Oro, where the Arvanitika are still spoken by the villagers. The area southern of Aliveri is the northernmost limit of their presence in Euboea. Arvanites settled Euboea in the 14th century during the Venetian rule of the island. The Vlachs are largely assimilated and live in the hilly and mountainous area in central and northern Euboea. The Vlach language is not spoken as much as it once was. Euboea also formerly hosted a large Sarakatsani population who emigrated from the mainland of Central Greece and Epirus at the beginning of the 19th century and settled around Mandoudi and Agia Anna. The population of the island according to the census of 2001 was 198,130.

Economics

The mining areas include magnesite in Mantoudi and Limni, lignite in Aliveri and iron and nickel from Diprhys. Marble is mined 3 km north of Eretria which include Marmor Chalcidicum and asbestos in the northeastern part of Carystus in the Okhi mountains.

The trees include chestnuts.

Transport

• Greek National Road 44, Cen., S, SE
• Greek National Road 77 NW, N, W, Cen.

Communications

Television

• Space - Chalkida

Local Administration

Euboea Prefecture

Euboea Prefecture is somewhat larger than the island, and includes two municipalities on the mainland, Anthidona and Avlida, as well as the island municipality of Skyros. At the 2001 census the prefecture had a population of 215,136 inhabitants, whereas the island itself had a population of 198,130. The prefecture's land area is 4,167.449 km², whereas the total land area of the municipalities actually on the island is 3,684.848 km², which includes that of numerous small offshore islets (the largest of which is Petalioi Island, near Euboea's southeastern tip).

Municipalities and communities

• Note: The municipalities of Anthidona and Avlida are on the mainland, attached to the northeastern part of Boeotia Prefecture. Skyros is not on the main island of Euboea, but is on an offshore island by itself. Map

Provinces

• Province of Chalkida - Chalkida
• Province of Istiaia - Istiaia
• Province of Karystia - Karystos
• Note: Provinces no longer hold any legal status in Greece.

Prefecture Population

Wildfires

The 2007 Greek fires were some of the deadliest in world history, killing at least 64 people in the Peloponnese and Evia.

Persons

• Konstantinos Kallias (9 July 1901- 7 April 2004), a Greek politician
• Georgios Papanikolaou (1883–1962) physician, a pioneer in cytology and early cancer detection
• Giannis Skarimpas, writer

Sporting teams

• Khalkis-Lilas - Chalkida, third division
• Chalkida BC - Chalkida, Greek A2 League

See also

• Euboea, Amazon solider, champion diver and friend of Princess Diana, of Themyscira. Created by George Pérez for DC Comics.(Wonder Woman Annual #1, 1988)
• List of settlements in the Euboea prefecture
• Global warming
• List of traditional Greek place names

References

External links

• Official site - English version