Skopelos (town)
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Skopelos Σκόπελος |
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View of Skopelos
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 Skopelos
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| Coordinates: 39°7′N 23°43′E / 39.117°N 23.717°ECoordinates: 39°7′N 23°43′E / 39.117°N 23.717°E | |
| Country | Greece |
| Administrative region | Thessaly |
| Regional unit | Sporades |
| Municipality | Skopelos |
| Highest elevation | 681 m (2,234 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Community | |
| • Population | 3,286 (2011) |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) |
| • Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) |
| Postal code | 370 03 |
| Area code(s) | 24240 |
| Vehicle registration | ΒΟ |
| Website | www.skopelos.gr |
Skopelos (Greek: Σκόπελος) is the main town on the island of Skopelos. The island is located east of mainland Greece, northeast of the island of Euboea and is part of the regional unit of the Sporades in the region of Thessaly. It has a port and a small airfield.
In island legend Skopelos was founded by Staphylos (Greek for grape), one of the sons of the god Dionysos and the Princess Ariadne of Crete. Historically, in the Late Bronze Age Skopelos, then known as Peparethos, was colonized by Cretans who introduced viticulture to the island.
The economy of Skopelos is now fully dependent on the tourism industry which supports construction and other development related industries. Though tourism is greatest during the summer months, Skopelos is also a year-round retirement destination for Northern Europeans. Agriculture, once a staple of the local economy, is in decline though 2006 was a good year for olive oil production in Skopelos.
Automobile ownership in Greece between 1990 and 2004 increased by 121% "eurostat" (PDF). Skopelos reflects this trend and the local authorities are hard pressed to deal with the increased traffic and parking issues. Along with the resident population of automobiles, the burden of tourist and summer resident vehicles and the availability of rental cars and motorbikes has created problems for which the local government has not yet found solutions. The construction of a large asphalt parking area along the waterfront in the late 1990s has done little to address the parking problems facing the town of Skopelos in the summer. During the summer the population of the island increases from about 5,000 to between 15,000 and 20,000 (est. 1993).
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Wikipedia