Makronisos

Makronisos Μακρόνησος
Aerial picture of Makronisos
Geography
Coordinates:	37°41′N 24°08′E
Island chain:	None
Area:	20 km² (8 sq.mi.)
Government
Greece
Periphery:	South Aegean
Prefecture:	Cyclades
Capital:	Uninhabited
Statistics
Population:	0 (as of 2001)
Density:	0 /km² (0 /sq.mi.)
Postal code:	840 02
Area code:	22880

Makronisos (Greek: Μακρόνησος, lit. Long Island) is an island in the Aegean sea, in Greece and is located close to the coast of Attica, facing the port of Lavrio. It has an elongated shape (13 km north to south, ca. 500 m east to west) and its terrain is arid and rocky.

In ancient times the island was called Helena.

It is part of the prefecture of the Cyclades but it is not part of that island chain. Administratively, it is part of the municipality of Kea.

The island is currently uninhabited. However, from the time of the Greek Civil War up until the restoration of democracy following the collapse of the Regime of the Colonels, it was used as a place of imprisonment for Greek communists, hosting hundreds of prisoners. Because of its history, it is considered as a monument of the civil war era; therefore the island itself and the original structures on it are protected from alterations.

The straits between Makronisos and neighbouring Kea are the site of the sinking, in 1916, of HMHS Britannic, sister ship of the RMS Titanic.

Geography

• Location:
  • Longitude: 24.13 (24°7'8') E
  • Latitude: 37.694 (37°41'30') N
• Postal code: 840 02
• Elevation:
  • lowest: sea level
  • highest: 281 m
• Area: about 20 km²
• Dialing code: +30-22880 (030-22880)-34

Further reading

• Hamilakis, Yannis, "The Other 'Parthenon': Antiquity and National Memory at Makronisos", Journal of Modern Greek Studies 20:2 (October 2002), pp. 307-338.

External links

• Segeln bei Makronisos (in German)