Creta

Crete

Native name: Κρήτη
NASA photograph of Crete
Geography
Location	Eastern Mediterranean
Coordinates	35°12.6′N 24°54.6′E / 35.2100°N 24.9100°E / 35.2100; 24.9100Coordinates: 35°12.6′N 24°54.6′E / 35.2100°N 24.9100°E / 35.2100; 24.9100
Area	8,303 km2 (3,206 sq mi)
Area rank	89
Highest elevation	2,456 m (8,058 ft)
Highest point	Mount Ida (Psiloritis)
Administration
Greece
Region	Crete
Capital city	Heraklion
Largest settlement	Heraklion (pop. 173,993)
Demographics
Demonym	Cretans (Greeks)
Population	c. 620,000 (2011)
Population rank	73

Crete Περιφέρεια Κρήτης
Region of Greece
Coordinates: 35°13′N 24°55′E / 35.21°N 24.91°E / 35.21; 24.91
Country	Greece
Capital	Heraklion
Regional units	List Chania Heraklion Rethymno Lasithi
Government
• Regional governor	Stavros Arnaoutakis (PASOK)
Area
• Total	8,335.88 km2 (3,218.50 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• Total	623,065
• Density	75/km2 (190/sq mi)
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
ISO 3166 code	GR-M
Website	www.crete.gov.gr

Crete (Greek: Κρήτη, Kríti ['kriti]; Ancient Greek: Κρήτη, Krḗtē) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, 88th-largest island in the world and the fifth-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, and Corsica. Crete and a number of surrounding islands and islets constitute the region of Crete (Greek: Περιφέρεια Κρήτης), one of the 13 top-level administrative units of Greece. The capital and the largest city is Heraklion. As of 2011^[update], the region had a population of 623,065.

Crete forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece, while retaining its own local cultural traits (such as its own poetry and music). It was once the centre of the Minoan civilization (c. 2700–1420 BC), which is currently regarded as the earliest recorded civilization in Europe.

The island is first referred to as Kaptara in texts from the Syrian city of Mari dating from the 18th century BC, repeated later in Neo-Assyrian records and the Bible (Caphtor). It was also known in ancient Egyptian as Keftiu, strongly suggesting a similar Minoan name for the island.