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Euboea Prefecture Νομός Εύβοιας

For the Greek mythological figures see Euboea

Euboea, or Negropont or Negroponte (Modern Greek: Εύβοια Évia, Ancient Greek Εὔβοια Eúboia), is the second largest of the Greek Aegean Islands and the second largest Greek island overall in area (1609 sq. miles) 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 mi). Its general direction is from N.W. to S.E., 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, Tenos, and Mykonos.

Geography

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 (see satellite photo [1] ). 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. 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.

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

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.

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, Rhegium and Naxos, 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 in 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 4000 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 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.^[1]

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 12th of 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.

Historic population

Year	Population	Change	Density
1991	209,132	5,236/123.23%	53.51/km²
2001	217,218	8,086/3.87%	55.59/km²

Apart from Greeks, who make up the majority of the population of the island, there are two other ethnic groups who are autochthonous, or at least live in Euboea since the early Middle Ages:the Arvanites and the Vlachs. The 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 Arvanite dialects are still spoken by the villagers, but in other villages too. Traditionally, the Arvanitochori end up in Lata and Kaletzi, near Aliveri, which is the northernmost limit of their presence in Euboea. The Arvanites settled in 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 anymore except by a handful of persons over 70 year old in two villages; Vlachia respectively Koutourla. Euboea also formerly hosted a large Sarakatsani population who emigrated from Roumeli and Epirus at the beginning of the 19th century and settled around Mandoudi and Ayia Anna.

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

Provinces

• Province of Chalkida - Chalkida
• Province of Istiaia - Istiaia
• Province of Karystia - Karystos

There are no provinces on the island of Skyros.

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

Municipality	YPES code	Seat (if different)	Postal code
Aidipsos	1401		343 00
Amarynthos	1402		340 06
Anthidona	1403	Drosia	341 00
Artemisio	1404		342 00
Avlida	1405	Vathy	341 00
Avlon	1406	Avlonari	340 09
Chalcis	1426		341 00
Dirfys	1407	Steni	340 14
Dystos	1408	Krieza	340 17
Elymnioi	1409	Limni	340 05
Eretria	1410		340 08
Istiaia	1411		342 00
Karystos	1412		340 01
Kireas	1414	Mantoudi	340 04
Konistres	1415		340 16
Kymi	1416		340 03
Lilantia	1417	Vasiliko	340 02
Marmari	1419		340 13
Messapia	1420	Psachna	344 00
Nea Artaki	1421		346 00
Nileas	1422	Agia Anna	340 10
Oreoi	1427		340 12
Skyros	1423		340 07
Styra	1424		340 15
Taminaioi	1425	Aliveri	345 00
Community	YPES code	Seat (if different)	Postal code
Kafireas	1413	Amygdalea	340 01
Lichada	1418		343 00

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, inventor of the Pap smear
• Giannis Skarimpas, writer

Sporting teams

• Khalkis-Lilas - Chalkida, third division

See also

• Euboea, Amazon solider, champion diver and friend of Princess Diana, of Themyscira. Created by George Perez 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

Coordinates: