Corfu

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Corfu
Κέρκυρα

Pontikonisi and Vlaheraina monastery as viewed from the hilltops of Kanoni
Geography

Coordinates: 19°45′E / 39.667, 19.75
Island Chain: Ionian Islands
Area:[1] 592.877 km² (229 sq.mi.)
Highest Mountain: Mt. Pandokratoras (906 m (2,972 ft))
Government
Greece
Periphery: Ionian Islands
Prefecture: Corfu
Capital: Corfu (city)
Statistics
Population: 107,879 (as of 2001)
Density: 182 /km² (471 /sq.mi.)
Postal Code: 490 82,490 83, 490 84, 491 00
Area Code: 26610- (town and middle island), 26620- (south and paxoi), 26630- (north)
License Code: KY
Website
www.corfu.gr Corfu Town

Corfu (Greek: Κέρκυρα, Kérkyra, IPA: [ˈkʲe̞ɾkʲiɾa]; Ancient Greek: Κέρκυρα or Κόρκυρα; Latin: Corcyra; Italian: Corfù) is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian islands,[2] and lies off the coast of Sarandë, Albania, from which it is separated by straits varying in breadth from 3 to 23 km (2 to 15 mi), including one near ancient Butrint and a longer one west of Thesprotia. The island is part of the Corfu Prefecture, and includes twelve of the sixteen municipalities or communes in the prefecture and over Communities of Ereikoussa, Mathraki, Othonoi, and Municipality of Paxoi, which are all separate islands.

The principal town (pop. 28,185) of the island is also named Corfu, or Kérkyra in Greek, as is its municipality (pop. 39,487). Corfu is home to the Ionian University.

The island is steeped in history and perennially connected to the history of Greece from the beginning of Greek mythology. Its Greek name, Kerkyra or Korkyra, is connected to two powerful water symbols: Poseidon, god of the sea and Asopos, an important Greek mainland river.[3] According to myth, Poseidon fell in love with the beautiful nymph Korkyra, daughter of Asopus and river nymph Metope, and abducted her, as was the custom among gods of the era's myths – Zeus himself was a serial offender.[3] Poseidon brought her to the hitherto unnamed island and, in marital bliss, offered her name to the place: Korkyra,[3] which gradually evolved to Kerkyra (Doric).[4] Together, they had a child they called Phaiax, after whom the inhabitants of the island were named: Phaiakes, which was then transliterated via Latin to Phaeacians. The island's history is laden with battles and conquests, indicative of Corfu's turbulent position in a historical vortex lasting until the modern period, at which time unification with modern Greece from 1864 made the island's history one with that of the mainland, with no further foreign intervention. The legacy of these struggles is visible in the form of castles punctuating strategic locations across the island. Two of these castles enclose its capital, which is the only city in Greece to be surrounded in such a way. As a result, Corfu's capital has been officially declared a Kastropolis (Castle city) by the Greek Government.[4] In 2007, the city's old town was named on the UNESCO World Heritage List, following a recommendation by ICOMOS.[5][6][7]

Geography

The name Corfu is an Italian corruption of the Byzantine Κορυφώ (Koryphō), meaning city of the peaks, which is derived from the Greek Κορυφαί (Koryphai), meaning Crests or Peaks, denoting the two peaks of Palaio Frourio.[4] In shape it is not unlike the sickle (drepanē, δρεπάνι), to which it was compared by the ancients, the hollow side, with the town and harbour of Corfu in the centre, lying toward the Albanian coast. With the island's area estimated at 227 square miles (588 km²), it runs approximately 40 miles (64 km) long, with greatest breadth at around 20 miles (32 km). Two high and well-defined ranges divide the island into three districts, of which the northern is mountainous, the central undulating, and the southern low-lying. The more important of the two ranges is that of Pantokrator (Παντοκράτωρ), the ancient Istone, which stretches east and west from Cape Falacro to Cape Psaromita, and attains its greatest elevation in the summit from which it takes its name. The second culminates in the mountain of Santi Jeca, or Santa Decca, as it is called by misinterpretation of the Greek designation Άγιοι Δέκα (Hagioi Deka), or the Ten Saints. The whole island, composed as it is of various limestone formations, presents great diversity of surface, and views from more elevated spots are magnificent. Beaches are found in Agios Gordis, the Korission lagoon, Agios Georgios, Marathia, Kassiopi, Sidari, Palaiokastritsa and many others. Corfu is located near the Kefalonia geological fault formation and as such earthquakes are sometimes experienced. But the fact is that Corfu town and countryside has not lost its traditional architecture from 16th century to a succession of earthquakes. On 29 June, 2007, the island was struck by a medium-strength earthquake measured at 5.9 on the Richter scale, with its epicenter located undersea near Lefkimmi (34 kilometers (21 miles) southwest of the northern port city of Igoumenitsa). The quake also shook Paxoi, and some damage was reported; the main tremor occurred during evening hours and an aftershock at around 9:09 p.m. (1809 GMT) in the morning, near Paxoi.[8]

Coastline and beaches

Corfu's coastline spans 217 kilometres (135 mi) including capes; its highest point is Mount Pantokrator (906 metres (2,972 ft)); and the second Stravoskiadi, at 849 metres (2,785 ft). The full extent of capes and promentories take in Agia Aikaterini, Drastis to the north, Lefkimmi and Asprokavos to the southeast, and Megachoro to the south. Two islands are also to be found at a middle point of Gouvia and Corfu Bay, which extends across much of the eastern shore of the island; are known as Lazareto and Ptychia (or Vido). Camping areas can be found in Palaiokastritsa, Agrillia, with four in the northern part, Pyrgi, Roda, Gouvia and Messonghi.

Flora

Homer names, as adorning the garden of Alcinous, only seven plants – wild olive, oil olive, pear, pomegranate, apple, fig and vine. Of these the apple and the pear are now very inferior in Corfu; the others thrive, together with all the fruit trees known in southern Europe, with addition of the kumquat, loquat and prickly pear and, in some spots, the banana. When undisturbed by cultivation, the myrtle, arbutus, bay and holm oak form a rich brushwood and the minor flora of the island are extensive.

Agriculture

The island has again become an important port of call and has a considerable trade in olive oil. In earlier times there was a great export of citron, which was cultivated here.

Climate

 Weather averages for Corfu 
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 14
(57) 14
(57) 16
(61) 19
(66) 23
(73) 28
(82) 31
(88) 31
(88) 28
(82) 23
(73) 18
(64) 15
(59) 22
(72)
Average low °C (°F) 5
(41) 6
(43) 7
(45) 9
(48) 13
(55) 16
(61) 18
(64) 18
(64) 16
(61) 13
(55) 9
(48) 7
(45) 11
(52)
Precipitation mm (inches) 132.1
(5.2) 137.2
(5.4) 99.1
(3.9) 61
(2.4) 35.6
(1.4) 15.2
(0.6) 7.6
(0.3) 17.8
(0.7) 76.2
(3) 147.3
(5.8) 180.3
(7.1) 180.3
(7.1) 90.81
(3.58)
Source: Weather Channel[9] 2008-09-07

Urban landscape

Old town