Crete Island

During excavations for an airport on Crete, Greece's largest island, a large circular monument dating back 4000 years was discovered.

About Crete Island:

1. Crete is the 5th largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and Greece's largest island.
2. It is situated in the southern Aegean Sea, an arm of the Mediterranean Sea.
3. The Sea of Crete borders it to the north, the Libyan Sea to the south, the Myrtoan Sea to the west, and the Carpathian Sea to the east.
4. Crete has an area of 8,336 sq. km.
5. It is long and narrow, stretching about 260 km east-west, with a max width of around 60 km.

History:

1. Early hominids inhabited Crete since the Paleolithic Age.
2. The Minoan Civilization, Europe's earliest advanced civilization, flourished on the island from around 2700 to 1420 BCE.
3. A major earthquake ended the Minoan civilization, and the Mycenaean civilization took over the island.
4. The Romans, Byzantines, Andalusians, Venetians, and Ottomans successively ruled the island.
5. Crete became part of Greece after gaining independence from Ottoman rule.
6. During World War II, the island endured Nazi German occupation and was the site of the famous Battle of Crete.

Which countries border the Mediterranean Sea?

1. 22 nations and one territory (Gibraltar) have Mediterranean Sea coastlines.
2. The European nations are Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Monaco, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, and Greece.
3. The Mediterranean Sea is bordered by Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, the Palestine Gaza Strip, and the divided island of Cyprus in West Asia (Middle East).
4. The Mediterranean Sea also has coasts in five North African countries: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt.

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