Crete

Crete

It is a Greek island whose capital is the city of Heraklion, and it occupies the first rank among the Greek islands, and the fifth rank among the islands in the Mediterranean Sea in terms of area, with a land area of ​​8,335.88 km², and a maximum width of 50 km, and a length of 255 km, and the island is characterized by Of the islands of a rectangular shape, and the Arabs have called it the island of Qeretech, and the Turks named the island of Gazit.

Geography of Crete

• Geographical location: Geographically located in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, it overlooks the southern side of the Aegean Sea.
• Astronomical location: Astronomically located at latitude 24.8933 north of the equator, and at longitude 35.3097 east of the Greenwich Line.
• the climate: The island is characterized by two climates: the Mediterranean climate, and the North African climate.
• Landforms: The island has a variety of terrain, with short, fast-flowing rivers, plains, ports, coastal plains, rocky and natural beaches, mountain ranges such as the mountains of Asturusia, and forests such as the Misara Forest.

Crete residents

Its population according to statistics in 2011 reached 623,065 people, and its population consists of ethnic groups such as Greeks and Turks, and its residents speak the Greek language, which is the official language in Greece. Its residents work in several sectors, including:

• Agriculture sector: The most famous agricultural crops are corn, citrus fruits, olives, grapes and wheat.
• Fishing sector: It consists in hunting sponge and fish.
• The trade sector and the traditional industries sector.
• Grazing and livestock and poultry sector.

The history of Crete

The island was founded four thousand years ago at the hands of the Minoan civilization that follows the legendary King Minos, and established urbanism and civilization in it, and this civilization was characterized by building beautiful palaces and controlling the Aegean Sea, and the island remained subordinate to the Byzantine Empire until the advent of the Islamic conquest of it. Its lands were opened in the era of Islam by the leader Abu Hafs Omar Al-Balout Al-Andalusi, and they established an Islamic emirate in it, but after a short period of time the Byzantines recovered it during the time of Emperor Naqfur II in the year 961 AD, and then fell to the hand of the Venetians during the Fourth Crusade in the year 1204 AD, and in In 1913, the island became part of the property of the Islamic Ottoman Empire, and today it is administratively affiliated to the state of Greece.

About Crete

• The highest mountain in Psilorites is the highest mountain peak, with a height of 2456 meters.
• Crete has been known by several names throughout the historical ages, including: Macaronesus, Dulekha, Wiria, Tilgenia, Waidaya, Eqtrish, Eqritia, Creta, and Qurati.
• Its provinces include: Lasithi, Kandia, Chania and Rethymno.
• The island is very important because of its proximity to the three continents of the world Asia, Europe and Africa, as it was in the past a center for the convergence of civilizations between different peoples.