For the mythological figure, see Euboea (mythology)Euboea (,
Évia; ) is the second largest
Greek island in area and population, after
Crete. It is separated from the mainland of Greece by the narrow
Euripus Strait. 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
Satellite picture showing central and south-eastern Euboea at the top (
Attica and
Boeotia in the lower portion). Orientation: north-east uppermost.
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. 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 at only 40 m, 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 developed 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.
The strength of their commerce is shown by the fact that the Euboic scale of weights and measures was used in
Athens until
Solon, and among the Ionic cities generally. They were rival cities, and appear to have been equally powerful at first; one of the earliest of the sea battles mentioned in Greek history took place between them, and it is also 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 grain (ie, wheat) 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 came 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 Empire. It was called
Eğriboz by the Ottoman Turks during the period of 1470-1830. 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 to the mainland by two bridges, one that runs through Chalcis and is also accessible from
Thebes, and another which 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 of much of the plants and the environment in that area. A part of the lake later regenerated. 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. Since then, the postal codes corresponded with the rest of Euboea, including Skyros.
Recent
On
January 24 through
January 28,
2006, a snowstorm which also affected Eastern Europe brought heavy snowfalls with snow accumulating to heights ranging from , cutting off roads from the rest of Greece in the northern, eastern and 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 remained cut off from roads and
water supply. Communications were later restored as
bulldozers cleared away the snow as far as
Aliveri a day later. 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 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 covered people's cars, and some 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.
Another natural disaster was the
forest fire that occurred in the Aliveri part of the island, fires lasted in July 2007 and devastated much of the forests including the vicinity of the hotel and devastated the tourist industry of the island. Fires battled for a few days until the situation ended completely. Hundreds of buildings were damaged..
On October 14, 2008, a near tremendous earthquake rumbled the island and measured 6.6 on the Richter scale, over four months after the Achaia-Ilia earthquake that measured at the same range, mostly the same measurement. The earthquake was even felt in Athens and parts of the mainland.
Demographics
Chalkis, Euboea's main town, as depicted in the 19th century
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
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.
Provinces
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
- Aristotle, philosopher and thinker 3rd century BC
Sporting teams
See also
