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Kea

Statistics
Prefecture: Cyclades
Provinces: Kea
Seat: Kea
Location:
Latitude:
Longitude:

37.328/37°40" N lat.
25.612/25°19" E long
Population: (1991)
 - Total
 - Density¹
 - Rank

1,797

 
Elevation:
 -lowest:
 -centre:
 -highest:

Aegean Sea
2 m (centre)
western part
Number of towns, villages and settlements: 10
Postal code: 840 02
Area/distance code: 11-(00)30-22880-2
Municipal code: -
Car designation: EP
3-letter abbreviation: ANI (Agios Nikolaos)
Website: www.kea.gr

Kea, also known as Gia (Κέα / Τζια in Greek), Tzia and Keos (Ancient: Κέως), is an island of the Cyclades archipelago, in the Aegean Sea, in Greece. It is the island of the Cyclades complex that is closest to Attica (about 1 hour by ferry from Lavrio) and is also 20 km from Cape Sounio as well as 60 km SE of Athens. Its climate is arid and its terrain is hilly. Its capital, Ioulis, is inland at a high altitude (like most ancient Cycladic settlements, for the fear of pirates) and is considered quite picturesque. Other major villages of Kea are Korissia (the port) and Vourkari (a fishing village). After suffering depopulation for many decades, Kea has been recently rediscovered by Athens city dwellers as a convenient destination for weekends and yachting trips. The population in 1991 was only 1,797 and the density below prefectural and Greek average. Kea is 19 km long from north to south and 9 km wide from west to east. The area is 128 km² with the highest point being 560 or 570 m.

Kea was the home of Simonides of Ceos, an ancient Greek lyric poet. It is also the location of a Bronze Age settlement called Ayia Irini, which reached its height in the Late Minoan and Early Mycenaean eras (1600-1400 BCE).

The municipality includes the island of Makronisos to the northwest as well as a couple of ferry and shipping lines.

Contents

Historical population

Year Communal population Change Island population Change Density
1991 - - 1,797 - 13.93/km²

Communities

Other

Kea has a few schools, a few lyceums, a gymnasia, churches, banks, a post office and squares (plateies).

External links

See also