Wiki Mobile by Verkata

1 Geography
2 Origin and myth of the eponym of the Ionian Sea
3 See also
4 References
5 External links

This article needs additional citations for verification.
Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2007)

The Ionian Sea.

The Ionian Sea, as seen from Corfu Island, Greece, and with Saranda, Albania in the background

The Ionian Sea, view from the island Kefalonia

The Ionian Sea is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula to the west, and by southwestern Albania, including Saranda and Himara, and a large number of Greek islands, including Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and Lefkas to the east. The islands are collectively referred to as the Ionian Islands, and other islands include the Strophades, Sphagia, Schiza, Sapientza and Kythira. The sea is one of the most seismic areas in the world.

There are ferry routes between Patras and Igoumenitsa, Greece, and Brindisi and Ancona, Italy, that cross the east and north of the Ionian Sea, and from Piraeus westward.

Geography

Extent

The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Ionian Sea as follows:[1]

On the North. A line running from the mouth of the Butrinto River (39°44'N) in Albania, to Cape Karagol in Corfu (39°45'N), along the North Coast of Corfu to Cape Kephali (39°45'N) and from thence to Cape Santa Maria di Leuca in Italy.

On the East. From the mouth of the Butrinto River in Albania down the coast of the mainland to Cape Matapan.

On the South. A line from Cape Matapan to Cape Passero, the Southern point of Sicily.

On the West. The East coast of Sicily and the Southeast coast of Italy to Cape Santa Maria di Leuca.

Places

From south to north in the west, then north to south in the east:

Syracuse, port, W
Catania, port, W
Taranto, port N
Saranda, port and a beach, NE
Parga, small port
Preveza, port, E
Ancient Paleros
Astakos
Fiskardo, small port
Keri, no port
Methoni, small port and a beach
Ionian Islands

Gulfs and straits

Strait of Messina, W
Gulf of Catania, W
Gulf of Taranto, NW
Ambracian Gulf, E
Gulf of Patras, connecting the Gulf of Corinth, ESE
Cyparissian Gulf, SE
Messenian Gulf, SE
Laconian Gulf, ESE

Origin and myth of the eponym of the Ionian Sea

The name "Jon" Ionian comes from old Ilyrian(modern Albanian)and is believed to date back to the times of Queen Teuta, ruler of the Illyrian Empire.[2]