View source for Paxos

{{Short description|Greek island in the Ionian Sea}}
{{other uses}}
{{More citations needed|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox Greek Dimos
|name = Paxoi
|name_local = Παξοί
|type = municipality
|city_flag = Flag of Paxos, Greece.svg
|image_map = 2011 Dimos Paxon.png
|periph = [[Ionian Islands (region)|Ionian Islands]]
|periphunit         = [[Corfu (regional unit)|Corfu]]
|pop_municipality   = 2466
|area_municipality  = 30.121
|population_as_of = 2021
|elevation_min =
|elevation_max =
|coordinates        = {{coord|39|12|N|20|10|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code = 490 82
|area_code = 26620
|licence = KY
|mayor =
|website = [http://www.paxi.gr/ www.paxi.gr]
|image_skyline      = GaiosPaxiJuly192022 01.jpg
|caption_skyline    = Gaios Port
|party              =
|since              =
|seat = [[Gaios]]
}}
'''Paxos''' ({{langx|el|Παξός}}) is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea, lying just south of [[Corfu]]. As a group with the nearby island of [[Antipaxos]] and adjoining islets, it is also called by the plural form  '''Paxi''' or '''Paxoi''' ({{langx|el|Παξοί}}, pronounced {{IPAc-en|p|æ|k|ˈ|s|i:|}} in English and {{IPA|el|paˈksi|}} in Greek). The main town and the seat of the municipality is [[Gaios]].<ref name=Kallikratis>{{Cite web|url=http://www.et.gr/idocs-nph/search/pdfViewerForm.html?args=5C7QrtC22wGYK2xFpSwMnXdtvSoClrL81-32jgAMSfbnMRVjyfnPUeJInJ48_97uHrMts-zFzeyCiBSQOpYnT00MHhcXFRTsb2fGphpq4MKX2ZkaHobySNnvZCNHXvYVvlf80XevW0Q.|title=ΦΕΚ B 1292/2010, Kallikratis reform municipalities|language=el|publisher=[[Government Gazette (Greece)|Government Gazette]]}}</ref> The smallest of the seven main [[Ionian Islands]] (the Heptanese), Paxos has an area of {{convert|25.3|sqkm|sqmi}}, while the municipality has an area of {{cvt|30.121|sqkm}}<ref name="stat01">{{cite web|url=https://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|access-date=2018-11-13|archive-date=2020-07-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728002546/http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00098%20.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> and a population of about 2,500.

Paxos lies some 15&nbsp;km from the southern tip of Corfu and at about the same distance from the town of [[Parga]] on the mainland. It is connected by ferry lines from [[Igoumenitsa]] and [[Corfu (city)|Corfu]] with Gaios. The island is hilly, the highest point having an elevation of 230&nbsp;m.<ref name="Greekacom 2008">{{cite web | title=Geography of Paxi island | website=Greekacom | date=11 May 2008 | url=https://www.greeka.com/ionian/paxi/geography/ | access-date=11 October 2022}}</ref>

In [[Greek mythology]], [[Poseidon]] created the island by striking Corfu with his [[trident]], so that he and his wife [[Amphitrite]] could have some peace and quiet.

==History==

Paxos is a historical island that has been inhabited since prehistoric times. According to tradition, the [[Phoenicia|Phoenicians]] were the first settlers on Paxos, and it is believed that the name "Paxos" originated from the Phoenician word "Pax," meaning "trapezoidal." In ancient times, Paxos played a significant role, especially during the First Illyrian War in 229 BC when the [[Battle of Paxos]] was fought between the ancient Greek and [[Illyrians|Illyrian]] fleets. The account of this battle is documented in The Histories, a work by the ancient historian [[Polybius]].

Paxos has been ruled by various conquerors, including the [[Roman Empire|Romans]] in the 2nd century BC, pirates during the [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] era and [[Middle Ages]], and by [[Crusades|Crusaders]]. Eventually, the Venetians gained control of the island at the end of the 14th century.

During the [[Napoleonic Wars]], the Ionian Islands were occupied by the French and the Russo-Turkish alliance. However, Paxos surrendered to the [[Royal Navy]] frigate [[HMS Apollo (1805)|HMS ''Apollo'']] and 160 troops from the 2nd Greek Light Infantry from Cephalonia and the 35th Regiment of the [[Royal Corsican Rangers]] on February 13, 1814. The United Kingdom established the [[United States of the Ionian Islands]] in 1815. In 1864 Paxos, along with the rest of the Ionian Islands, were ceded to Greece following the coronation of [[George I of Greece]].

==Geography==
[[File:Sternabay west coast.jpg|thumb|left|upright|West coast]]
[[File:Lakka Bucht und Dorf.jpg|thumb|Lakka bay]]

Paxos lies some 15&nbsp;km from the southern tip of Corfu, and at about the same distance from the town of [[Parga]] on the mainland.

The island is approximately {{convert|10|km|sigfig=1}} long and up to {{convert|3|km|sigfig=1}} wide, stretching in northwest–southeast direction. Much of the hilly landscape is covered in olive groves. These stretch from [[Lakka, Greece|Lakka]], the harbour community in the north, through [[Magazia, Greece|Magazia]] to Gaios, the capital. Coastal communities of Gaios, Lakka and Longos on the east coast are the three main settlements, while the interior features numerous scattered hamlets. The west coast is dominated by steep white, chalky cliffs that are greatly eroded at sea level, and harbour many "blue caves". The highest point of the island is Agios Isavros at an elevation of 231&nbsp;m. Several islets lie very close to the coast of Paxos: Agios Nikolaos and Panagia protect the harbor of Gaios, while Mongonisi and Kaltsonisi lie off the southeastern tip. Antipaxos lies some 5&nbsp;km further southeast.<ref name="Greeka">{{cite web | title=Geography of Paxi island | website=Greekacom | date=11 May 2008 | url=https://www.greeka.com/ionian/paxi/geography/ | access-date=17 October 2022}}</ref>

The production of olive oil, soap manufacture and fishing were supplanted by tourism as the main industry in the mid-1960s, resulting in a construction boom, which has greatly altered the coastline around Gaios, the capital of the Paxiot ''demos'' (community).

==Fauna==

===Reptiles and amphibians===
Only a few articles have been published on the herpetofauna of Paxos and Antipaxos; the latest in 2014<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Wilson |first=Matt |last2=Stille |first2=Bo |last3=Stille |first3=Marie |date=30 July 2014 |title=Herpetofauna of Paxos, Ioanian Island, Greece, including two species new to the island. |url=https://www.academia.edu/19611949/Herpetofauna_of_Paxos_Ioanian_Islands_Greece_including_two_species_new_to_the_island |journal=Herpetozoa Wien |volume=27 |issue=3/4 |pages=108-112 |via=ResearchGate, Academia}}</ref> and 2017,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Stille |first=Bo |title=The Herpetofauna of Corfu and adjacent Islands |last2=Stille |first2=Marie |publisher=Edition Chimaira |year=2017 |isbn=978-3-89973-524-6 |location=Frankfurt am Main |pages=1-354 |language=English}}</ref> where the following reptile species were confirmed: ''[[Hemidactylus turcicus]]'', ''[[Mediodactylus kotschyi]]'', ''[[Algyroides nigropunctatus]]'', ''[[Hierophis gemonensis]]'', and ''[[Zamenis longissimus]]''. Earlier reports of ''[[Lacerta viridis]]'', ''[[Laudakia stellio]]'', and ''[[Platyceps najadum]]'' were not confirmed.

No amphibians have been reported on the islands.

==Province==
The province of Paxoi ({{langx|el|Επαρχία Παξών}}) was one of the [[provinces of Greece|provinces]] of the Corfu Prefecture. Its territory corresponded with that of the current municipality Paxoi.<ref name="census91">{{cite web|url=http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00086.pdf|title=Detailed census results 1991}}&nbsp;{{small|(39&nbsp;MB)}} {{in lang|el|fr}}</ref> It was abolished in 2006.

==Foreign residents==
Among well known semi-permanent British inhabitants were [[Audrey Good]], former commander of the UN refugee bases in [[Epirus (region)|Epirus]] following the [[Greek Civil War]], actor [[Peter Bull]] (author of ''It Isn't All Greek to Me''), and actress [[Susannah York]].

Members of the [[Agnelli family]] (of [[FIAT]] fame) have built a palatial holiday home—complete with ''faux'' medieval tower—on a small island of ([[Kaltonisi]]) situated near the southernmost tip ('the heel') of Paxos, close to the beach of [[Mongonissi]].

Paxos is part of a European network called [[Cultural Village of Europe]]. The annual Paxos Festival was founded by John Gough, and is now organised by the [[Guildhall School of Music and Drama]] in London, and attracts some of Europe's finest young performers. This festival events usually take place between June and September and are usually held in the disused school of [[Longos, Paxoi|Longos]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Program 2019 |url=https://paxosfestival.com/program-2019/ |website=Paxos Festival |access-date=8 September 2020}}</ref>

==Transport==
The island is serviced by combined passenger and vehicle ferries which operate year-round from the port of [[Igoumenitsa]] on the mainland of [[Greece]] (1.5 hours). In the tourist season hydrofoils, passenger ferries and sea-taxis operate from Corfu (1–2 hours). A hydrofoil passenger service operates outside the tourist season, but is infrequent and weather dependent. Winter visitors should anticipate occasional periods of isolation.

== Climate ==
{{Weather box/concise_C
| location=Loggos, Paxi (Λογγός, Παξοί)
| source=Norwegian Meteorological Institute (temperatures)<ref>Web: [https://www.yr.no/place/Greece/Ionian_Islands/Loggos_(Paxos)/statistics.html Yr – Været for Norge og verden fra NRK og Meteorologisk institutt].</ref> and Holiday Weather.com (rainfall)<ref>Web: [https://www.holiday-weather.com/ Holiday Weather.com]</ref>
|13.9|14.3|16.0|19.0|23.9|28.2|31.1|31.4|27.6|23.2|18.5|15.2
|5.2 |5.8 |6.8 |9.5 |13.4|16.9|18.8|19.3|16.8|13.8|9.8 |6.7
|132 |136 | 98 | 62 | 36 | 14 |  7 | 18 | 75 |148 |181 |180
}}

== Communities and settlements ==
{{Div col}}
*[[Antipaxos]] (nearby island)
*[[Mogonisi]] (nearby island)
*Panagia (nearby island)
*Agios Nikolaos (nearby island)
*[[Katsonisi]] (nearby island)
*[[Apergatika]]
*[[Argyratika]]
*[[Arvanitakeika]]
*[[Aronatika]]
*[[Dalietatika]]
*[[Gaios]] (seat)
*[[Gramatikeika]]
*[[Lakka, Greece|Lakka]] (second-largest settlement)
*[[Longos (Paxoi), Greece|Loggos]] (third-largest settlement)
*[[Magazia, Greece|Magazia]]
*[[Makratika]]
*[[Ozias, Greece|Ozias]]
*[[Platanos (Paxoi), Greece|Platanos]] (or Fontana / Fountana)
*[[Velianitatika]] (or Veliantatika)
*[[Vlachopoulatika]]
*[[Zenebissatika]]
{{Div col end}}

<gallery widths="180" heights="120">
File:Paxos gaios square bgiu.jpg|Square of Gaios
File:Mouseio Paxon.jpg|Museum of Paxos
File:Paxoi - Nature pool.jpg|Paxi - Antipaxi coast
File:Giorgos Anemogiannis 1821.jpg|Giorgos Anemogiannis monument 1821
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Paxoi}}
{{Wikisource1911Enc|Paxo}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070807072427/http://www.paxosfestival.org.uk/ Paxos International Music Festival]
*[http://www.corfuvisit.net/default.asp?id=34&mnu=5&LangID=English The Prefecture of Corfu official page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723060857/http://www.corfuvisit.net/default.asp?id=34&mnu=5&LangID=English |date=2011-07-23 }}

{{Ionian Islands}}
{{Kallikratis-Ionian Islands}}
{{Paxoi div}}
{{Prefectures and provinces of Greece}}
{{Phoenician cities and colonies|state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Populated places in Corfu (regional unit)]]
[[Category:Mediterranean port cities and towns in Greece]]
[[Category:Islands of the Ionian Islands (region)]]
[[Category:Islands of Greece]]
[[Category:Municipalities of the Ionian Islands (region)]]
[[Category:Provinces of Greece]]
[[Category:Septinsular Republic]]
[[Category:Phoenician colonies in Greece]]
[[Category:Landforms of Corfu (regional unit)]]