View source for Karpathos

{{Short description|Greek island in the Aegean Sea}}
{{Distinguish|Carpathians}}

{{Infobox Greek Dimos
|name = Karpathos
|name_local = Κάρπαθος
|type = municipality
|image_map = 2011 Dimos Karpathou.png
|image_skyline = Pigadia.jpg
|caption_skyline = View of the port of Pigadia
|coordinates = {{coord|35|35|N|27|08|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_min = 0
|elevation_max = 1215
|periph = [[South Aegean]]
|periphunit         = [[Karpathos-Kasos]]
|pop_municipality   = 6567
|area_municipality  = 324.8
|pop_municunit   = 6037
|area_municunit  = 219.9
|pop_community   = 3047
|mayor = 
|party = 
|since = 
|population_as_of = 2021
|postal_code = 857 00
|area_code = +030 22450
|licence = ΚΧ, ΡΟ, ΡΚ
|website = {{URL|https://karpathos.gr/}}
}}

'''Karpathos''' ({{langx|el|Κάρπαθος}}, {{IPA|el|ˈkarpaθos|pron}}), also '''Carpathos''', is the second largest of the Greek [[Dodecanese]] islands, in the southeastern [[Aegean Sea]]. Together with the neighboring smaller [[Saria Island]] it forms the municipality of Karpathos, which is part of the regional unit [[Karpathos-Kasos]]. Because of its remote location, Karpathos has preserved many peculiarities of dress, customs and dialect, the last resembling those of [[Crete]] and [[Cyprus]]. The island has also been called Carpathus in [[Latin language|Latin]] and Scàrpanto in Italian.

== Etymology ==
Homer calls the island Krapathos, with metathesis of two letters in the first syllable.<ref>Οἳ δ' ἄρα Νίσυρόν τ' εἶχον Κράπαθόν τε Κάσον τε [...]Ομήρου ''Ιλιάδα'', Ραψωδία Β', στ.676.</ref><ref>Homer. [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.perseus-eng1:2.653-2.694 The Iliad with an English Translation by A.T. Murray], Ph.D. in two volumes. Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1924: Hom. II. 2.676.</ref> Other names of the island include Tetrapolis<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20081016001715/http://www.tedkd.gr/karpathos.htm «Δωδεκάνησα, ταξίδι στον πολιτισμό - Κάρπαθος»]. Αρχειοθετήθηκε από το πρωτότυπο στις 16 Οκτωβρίου 2008. Ανακτήθηκε στις 9 Ιουνίου 2009.</ref> and Anemoessa.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Φεσσά|first=Αλεξία|title=Κάρπαθος: Το νησί που ταξιδεύει στο παρελθόν|url=https://www.gnoristetinellada.gr/anadromes/nisia-aigaiou-pelagous/7755-karpathos-to-nisi-pou-taksideyei-sto-parelthon|access-date=2021-02-12|website=www.gnoristetinellada.gr|language=el-gr}}</ref>

==Municipality==
[[File:Olymbos.jpg|thumb|The community of [[Olympos, Karpathos|Olympos]]|left|180x180px]]

The present municipality of Karpathos was formed at the 2011 local government reform, by the merger of the following two former municipalities, that became municipal units:<ref name=Kallikratis>[http://www.kedke.gr/uploads2010/FEKB129211082010_kallikratis.pdf Kallikratis law] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181113020045/http://www.kedke.gr/uploads2010/FEKB129211082010_kallikratis.pdf |date=2018-11-13 }} Greece Ministry of Interior {{in lang|el}}</ref>
* Karpathos
* [[Olympos, Karpathos|Olympos]]

The municipality has an area of 324.800&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, and the municipal unit spans 219.924&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>.<ref name=stat01>{{cite web|url=http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00098%20.pdf |publisher=National Statistical Service of Greece |title=Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation) |language=el |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921212047/http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00098%20.pdf |archive-date=2015-09-21 }}</ref>

== Mythology ==
Karpathos is the mythological homeland of the Titan [[Iapetus]], and the birthplace of [[Proteus]].<ref>Vergil. [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0690.phi002.perseus-lat1:4.387-4.414 Bucolics, Aeneid, and Georgics Of Vergil]. J. B. Greenough. Boston. Ginn & Co. 1900.</ref>

==History==
[[File:Pigadia - Basilika Agia Fotini 1.jpg|thumb|Remains of the early Christian basilica of St Fotini, Pigadia|left|180x180px]]
[[File:Diafáni - 2.JPG|thumb|Diafáni village.|left]]
[[File:Menetés-2.jpg|thumb|Menetes village.|left]]
[[File:Karpathos - Pigadia(gwz).jpg|thumb|The Administration Building in Papagos Square, Pigadia, also houses the Karpathos Archaeological Museum.]]
[[File:I Scarpanthos - Buondelmonti Cristoforo - 1420.jpg|thumb|Map of Karpathos, by [[Cristoforo Buondelmonti|Buondelmonti Cristoforo]], 1420.]]
The island of Karpathos was in both ancient and medieval times closely connected with [[Rhodes]]. Its current name is mentioned, with a slight shift of one letter, in [[Homer]]'s ''[[Iliad]]'' as Krapathos ({{lang|grc|οἳ δ' ἄρα Νίσυρόν τ' εἶχον Κράπαθόν τε Κάσον τε}}).<ref>http://textcritical.net/work/geography/10/5/15 Geography By Strabo at TextCritical.net</ref> [[Apollonius of Rhodes]], in his epic ''[[Argonautica]]'', made it a port of call for the [[Argonauts]] travelling between Libya and Crete ({{lang|grc|Κάρπαθος: ἔνθεν δ' οἵγε περαιώσεσθαι ἔμελλον}}).<ref>http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/argo/argo57.htm ''Argonautica'' 4.1635-36</ref> The island is also mentioned by [[Diodorus]] who claims it was a colony of the [[Dorians]],<ref>{{Cite Diodorus|5.54}}</ref> [[Pomponius Mela]],<ref>{{Cite Mela|2.7}}</ref> [[Pliny the Elder]],<ref>{{Cite Pliny|4.12.23, 5.31.36}}</ref> and [[Strabo]].<ref>{{Cite Strabo|x. p. 488}}</ref>

[[File:Diafáni – main church - 1.jpg|thumb|Main church of Diafani|left|180x180px]]

The island's cities are listed on the [[Delian League]]'s tribute lists.<ref>[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0006:entry=karpathos The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites, Karpathos ]</ref>

The Karpathians sided with [[Sparta]] in the [[Peloponnesian War]] in 431&nbsp;BCE and lost their independence to Rhodes in 400&nbsp;BCE. In 42&nbsp;BCE, the island fell to Rome. After the division of the [[Roman Empire]] in 395&nbsp;CE, the island became part of the [[Byzantine Empire]].

Of its Christian bishops, the names that are known of are; Olympius, who was a supporter of [[Nestorius]], Zoticus (in 518), Mennas (in 553), Ioannes, Leo (in 787), and Philippus (in 879). In the 14th century, the island was a see of the [[Latin Church]], four of whose bishops bore the name Nicolaus.<ref>Pius Bonifacius Gams, [http://www.wbc.poznan.pl/dlibra/doccontent?id=65154&dirids=1 ''Series episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae''], Leipzig 1931, p.&nbsp;449</ref><ref>Konrad Eubel, ''Hierarchia Catholica Medii Aevi'', [http://sul-derivatives.stanford.edu/derivative?CSNID=00002716&mediaType=application/pdf vol. 1], p.&nbsp;439</ref> No longer a residential bishopric, Karpathos (in Latin Carpathus) is today listed by the [[Catholic Church]] as an [[archbishop|archiepiscopal]] [[titular see]].<ref>''Annuario Pontificio 2013'' (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2013 {{ISBN|978-88-209-9070-1}}), p. 859</ref>

In 1304, Karpathos was given as fief to the [[Republic of Genoa|Genoese]] corsairs [[Andrea Morisco|Andrea]] and [[Lodovico Moresco]], but in 1306 it fell to [[Andrea Cornaro, Margrave of Bodonitsa|Andrea Cornaro]], a member of the [[Republic of Venice|Venetian]] [[Cornaro]] family.<ref name="be137">Bertarelli, 137</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.in2greece.com/english/places/summer/islands/history-of-karpathos.html |title=Karpatos History}}</ref> The Cornaro controlled Karpathos until 1538, when it passed into the possession of the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman Turks]].<ref name="be137"/>

During the [[Greek War of Independence]] from 1821 to 1822, the island rebelled, but afterwards it fell again under Ottoman rule.<ref name="be137"/> In 1835, Sultan [[Mahmud&nbsp;II]] conceded to the island the privilege of the ''[[Maktu (tax)|maktu]]'' tax system; that is, the tax was calculated as an annual lump sum, and not on a household basis.<ref name="be137"/> The Ottoman rule ended on 12 May 1912, when the Italians occupied the island and the rest of the Dodecanese, during the [[Italo-Turkish War]] of 1911–12. On that day, sailors from the ''[[Regia Marina]]'' [[battleship]] ''[[Italian battleship Vittorio Emanuele|Vittorio Emanuele]]'' and the [[destroyer]] ''Alpino'' landed in Karpathos.<ref name="be137"/> With the [[Treaty of Lausanne (1923)]], Karpathos joined the other islands of the Dodecanese in the [[Italian Colonial Empire|Italian possession]] of the [[Italian Aegean Islands]].<ref name="be137"/> The Italians occupied the island until September 1943, when Italy surrendered. Afterwards, Karpathos was occupied by German forces, who eventually left the island on 4 October 1944.<ref>{{Cite book|author=Antje & Gunther Schwab |title=Karpathos |publisher=Michael Müller Verlag|year=2016|language=DE|page=33}}</ref> The island was ceded by Italy to Greece with the [[Paris Peace Treaties, 1947|Paris Peace Treaties of 1947]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=karpathiakanea.gr|date=October 2022 |url=https://www.karpathiakanea.gr/oxtovris-pio-meralos-minas-karpathou/|language=el-gr}}</ref> The island formally joined the Kingdom of Greece on 7 March 1948, together with the other Dodecanese islands.{{citation needed|date=May 2016}}

In the late 1940s and 1950s, due to the economic problems after World War II, a number of Karpathians emigrated to the U.S. eastern seaboard cities; Karpathos today has a significant Greek-American constituency who have returned to their island and invested heavily. Inhabitants of the mountains to the north are more traditional.{{citation needed|date=May 2016}}

==Exploration==
Among 19th-century explorers of the island were the British explorers [[James Theodore Bent|Theodore]] and [[Mabel Bent]] in the spring of 1885. Most of their energies were spent in excavating the site of Vroukounta in the far north of the island. Some of their finds are now in the [[British Museum]], London.<ref>Theodore Bent's Karpathos bibliography: 'The Carpathiote Dialect', ''Athenæum'', 1885, Issue 3011 (Jul), p.48; 'The Islands of Telos and Karpathos', ''The Journal of Hellenic Studies'', 1885, Vol. VI, pp.233-42; 'Idyls of Karpathos', ''The Gentleman's Magazine,'' 1885, Vol. CCLX (Jan-Jun), pp.185-190; 'A Christening in Karpathos', ''Macmillan's Magazine'', 1886, Vol. 54 (May/Oct), pp.199-205.</ref>

==Geography==
[[File:Diafáni – Fountain of Neptune - 1.jpg|thumb|Modern fountain of Neptune (Poseidon) in Diafáni.|left|240x240px]]
[[File:Scarpanto by Giacomo Franco.jpg|thumb|200px|Map of Karpathos (Scarpanto), by Giacomo Franco, 1597]]

The island is located about {{convert|47|km|0|abbr=off}} southwest of [[Rhodes]], in the part of the [[Mediterranean]] which is called the ''Carpathian Sea'' ({{langx|la|Carpathium Mare}}). The [[Sea of Crete]], a sub-basin of the Mediterranean Sea, has its eastern limit defined by the island of Karpathos.<ref>Peter Saundry, C.Michael Hogan & Steve Baum. 2011. [http://www.eoearth.org/article/Sea_of_Crete?topic=49523 ''Sea of Crete''. Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds.M.Pidwirny & C.J.Cleveland. National Council for Science and Environment. Washington DC.]</ref> Karpathos' highest point is Kali Limni, at {{convert|1215|m}}. Karpathos comprises 11 villages. Pigadia (official name ''Karpathos''), the capital and main port of the island, is located in the southeast of the island. The capital is surrounded by the villages of Menetes, Arkasa, Finiki, Pyles, Othos, Volada and Aperi. The villages of Mesochori and Spoa are located in central Karpathos, while [[Olympos, Karpathos|Olympos]] and the second port of Karpathos, Diafani, are in the north.

The island Saria was once united with Karpathos, but an earthquake divided them. Saria preserves many important antiquities.
{{clear}}

===Climate===
Karpathos has a [[hot semi-arid climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]]: ''BSh''). The island has one of the mildest winters in Europe, and according to the [[Hellenic National Meteorological Service]], the lowest temperature that has been recorded, was {{convert|2.2|°C|0|abbr=on}} on 9 February 1976 and 14 February 2004.<ref name="Karpathos and Kasos the areas with the mildest winters in Greece">{{cite web | url=https://www.karpathiakanea.gr/karpathos-kasos-periodes-ipioterous-xeimones/ | title=Karpathos and Kasos the areas with the mildest winters in Greece | date=12 April 2022 | publisher=Karpathiakanea.gr | accessdate=9 April 2023}}</ref> 

{{Weather box
|width = auto
|location= Karpathos Airport ([[Hellenic National Meteorological Service]]) 1995{{nbnd}}2025
|metric first=yes
|single line=yes
|Jan high C=16.1
|Feb high C=16.0
|Mar high C=17.2
|Apr high C=19.6
|May high C=23.6
|Jun high C=27.3
|Jul high C=29.1
|Aug high C=29.4
|Sep high C=27.7
|Oct high C=24.4
|Nov high C=20.8
|Dec high C=17.7

|Jan mean C=13.7
|Feb mean C=13.7
|Mar mean C=14.8
|Apr mean C=16.9
|May mean C=20.6
|Jun mean C=24.3
|Jul mean C=26.3
|Aug mean C=26.8
|Sep mean C=25.0
|Oct mean C=21.7
|Nov mean C=18.3
|Dec mean C=15.3

|Jan low C=11.3
|Feb low C=11.3
|Mar low C=12.3
|Apr low C=14.2
|May low C=17.7
|Jun low C=21.3
|Jul low C=23.5
|Aug low C=24.1
|Sep low C=22.4
|Oct low C=19.0
|Nov low C=15.9
|Dec low C=13.0

|rain colour = green
|Jan rain mm=67.7
|Feb rain mm=42.5
|Mar rain mm=32.5
|Apr rain mm=15.0
|May rain mm=11.7
|Jun rain mm=2.1
|Jul rain mm= 0.01
|Aug rain mm= 0.0
|Sep rain mm=4.9
|Oct rain mm=12.2
|Nov rain mm=30.2
|Dec rain mm=71.9
|source 1 = <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.emy.gr/emy/el/climatology/climatology |title=Το κλίμα της Ελλάδας |access-date=2023-06-07 |archive-date=2023-04-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230401015530/http://emy.gr/emy/el/climatology/climatology |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://karpathos.gr/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2.-6360-%CE%9C%CE%95%CE%9B%CE%95%CE%A4%CE%97-%CE%9B%CE%99%CE%9C%CE%95%CE%9D%CE%91-%CE%9F%CE%A7%CE%9B%CE%97%CE%A1%CE%A9%CE%9D-%CE%A6%CE%9F%CE%A1%CE%A4%CE%99%CE%A9%CE%9D-%CE%95%CE%B9%CF%83%CE%AE%CE%B3%CE%B7%CF%83%CE%B7-%CF%80%CF%81%CE%BF%CF%82-%CE%9F%CE%95-%CE%B3%CE%B9%CE%B1-%CF%80%CE%B1%CF%81%CE%B1%CE%BB%CE%B1%CE%B2%CE%AE-%CE%BC%CE%B5%CE%BB%CE%AD%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%82-signed-3.pdf|title=ΔΗΜΟΣ ΚΑΡΠΑΘΟΥ|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230604094450/https://karpathos.gr/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2.-6360-%CE%9C%CE%95%CE%9B%CE%95%CE%A4%CE%97-%CE%9B%CE%99%CE%9C%CE%95%CE%9D%CE%91-%CE%9F%CE%A7%CE%9B%CE%97%CE%A1%CE%A9%CE%9D-%CE%A6%CE%9F%CE%A1%CE%A4%CE%99%CE%A9%CE%9D-%CE%95%CE%B9%CF%83%CE%AE%CE%B3%CE%B7%CF%83%CE%B7-%CF%80%CF%81%CE%BF%CF%82-%CE%9F%CE%95-%CE%B3%CE%B9%CE%B1-%CF%80%CE%B1%CF%81%CE%B1%CE%BB%CE%B1%CE%B2%CE%AE-%CE%BC%CE%B5%CE%BB%CE%AD%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%82-signed-3.pdf |archive-date=2023-06-04 }}</ref> (Mar 1995{{snd}}Feb 2025)
}}

==Transportation==
[[File:AOKsideview.jpg|thumb|The airport]]

[[Karpathos Island National Airport]], with its relatively large runway, is located on the south side (Afiartis area). Karpathos is connected to neighboring [[List of islands of Greece|islands]] and to the mainland via [[ferries]] and airplanes. The ferries provide transport to and from [[Piraeus]] (via [[Crete]] and [[Rhodes]]). Scheduled domestic flights connect the island with Rhodes, [[Kasos]], Crete and [[Athens]] daily. Additionally, charter flights from various European cities are frequently scheduled during the high season (April–October).[[File:KarpathosVillages.jpg|thumb|254x254px|The twelve villages of Karpathos]]Within the island, cars are the preferred mode of transportation. The port, the airport, the main villages and other popular locations are connected by an adequate system of municipal roads, most of which are paved. During the summer months, small private boats depart from Pigadia to various locations daily, including Olympos (via Diafani) and some inaccessible beaches. Fixed-rate taxis (''agoraia'') and municipal buses are also available all year long.

==Population==
The municipality's 2021 census population was 6,567 inhabitants. This number more than doubles in the summer months as many Karpathian expatriates come to the island for their vacation with their families. Also, taking into consideration the number of tourists that visit, there can be up to 20,000 people on the island during the summer months. The population density is greatest on the 15th of August due to the [[Panagia]]s festival ([[Dormition of Mary]]), which is considered the most important festival on the island. Individuals travel from around the world to attend the festival and view the many traditions that still remain on the island.

=== Census ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Community !! 1947 !! 1951 !! 1961 !! 1971 !! 1981 !! 1991 !! 2001<ref name="stat01" /> !! 2011 !! 2021<ref name="census21" />
|-
| Karpathos (Pigadia) || - || - || - || - || - || - || 2,180 || 2,788 || 3,047
|-
| Menetes || 1,651 || 1,499 || 1,413 || 1,233 || 1,179 || 954 || 760 || 662 || 638
|-
| Arkasa || - || - || - || - || 390 || 394 || 507 || 564 || 540
|-
| Olympos || - || - || - || - || - || - || 684 || 556 || 530
|-
| Mesochori || - || - || - || - || 357 || 344 || 446 || 371 || 451
|-
| Aperi || - || - || - || - || 457 || 402 || 470 || 355 || 428
|-
| Othos || - || - || - || - || 282 || 229 || 385 || 281 || 264
|-
| Volada || - || - || - || - || - || - || 418 || 264 || 241
|-
| Spoa || 339 || 340 || 380 || 293 || 251 || 254 || 301 || 169 || 224
|-
| Pyles || - || - || - || - || - || - || 414 || 216 || 204
|}

==  Beaches ==

The beaches of Karpathos island can be divided into four large groups: the beaches on the east coast are smaller and gravelly but without wind; the beaches of the southern part of the island, near the airport, are made of fine white sand; the sandy beaches on the west coast are the most exposed to the [[Meltemi]] and they are available only in low wind conditions; the beaches of the north of the island are accessible only by sea and partly by jeep.
* East coast: Amoopi, Karpathos Beach (Vrontis), Achata, Kato Latos (reachable only on foot), Kyra Panagia, Apella, Agios Nikolaos (Spoa).
* South coast: Mihaliou o Kipos (known by inhabitants of the village of Othos as "Shell beach"), Damatria, Diakoftis, Devils Bay, Agrilaopotamos (nude beach), Pounta beach.
* West coast: Lefkos beach, Mesohori, Finiki, Arkasa Leucadius.
* North coast: Diafani, Alimounta (Saria island), Palatia (Saria island), Kalamia, Vananda, Apokapos (or Papa-Mina), Opsi, Kantri, Forokli, Kapi, Nati, Philios (or Agios Minas), Agnontia.

==See also==
* [[List of traditional Greek place names]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
* {{cite book |last=Bertarelli |first=L.V. |title=Guida d'Italia, Vol. XVII |publisher=Consociazione Turistica Italiana, Milano |year=1929}}

==External links==
{{Commons-inline}}

{{Dodecanese Islands}}
{{Kallikratis-South Aegean}}
{{Karpathos div}}
{{Aegean Sea}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Municipalities of the South Aegean]]
[[Category:Populated places in Karpathos-Kasos]]
[[Category:Karpathos| ]]
[[Category:Islands of Greece]]
[[Category:Dodecanese]]
[[Category:Landforms of Karpathos-Kasos]]
[[Category:Islands of the South Aegean]]
[[Category:Dorian colonies]]
[[Category:Populated places in the ancient Aegean islands]]
[[Category:Members of the Delian League]]