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Kalymnos Κάλυμνος | |
|---|---|
 Pothia, capital of the island | |
  Kalymnos Location within the region  | |
| Coordinates:36°59′24″N26°59′06″E / 36.99000°N 26.98500°E /36.99000; 26.98500 | |
| Country | Greece |
| Administrative region | South Aegean |
| Regional unit | Kalymnos |
| Area | |
• Municipality | 134.5 km2 (51.9 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 700 m (2,300 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Population (2021)[1] | |
• Municipality | 17,752 |
| • Density | 130/km2 (340/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Postal code | 852 00 |
| Area code(s) | 22430 |
| Vehicle registration | ΚΧ, ΡΟ, ΡΚ |
| Website | www.kalymnos-isl.gr |
Kalymnos (Greek:Κάλυμνος;Modern Greek pronunciation:[ˈkalimnos]) is aGreek island andmunicipality in the southeasternAegean Sea. It belongs to theDodecanese island chain, between the islands ofKos (south, at a distance of 12 km (7 mi)) andLeros (north, at a distance of less than 2 km (1 mi)): the latter is linked to it through a series of islets. Kalymnos lies between two and five hours away by sea from the island ofRhodes.
In 2021 the island had a population of 17,752, making it the third most populous island of the Dodecanese, after Kos and Rhodes. It is known in Greece for the affluence of much of its population, and also stands as both the wealthiest member of the Dodecanese and one of the wealthiest Greek islands overall. TheMunicipality of Kalymnos, which includes the populated offshore islands ofPserimos,Telendos,Kalolimnos, and Pláti, as well as several uninhabited islets, has a combined land area of 134.544 square kilometres (51.948 sq mi)[2] and a total population of 17,752 inhabitants (2021).
The island is known asCàlino inItalian andKilimli orKelemez inTurkish.[3]
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The island has a length of 21 km (13 mi), is 13 km (8 mi) across at its widest, and covers an area of 109 square kilometres (42 sq mi). Moreover, on the north side there is a peninsula which stretches in a northwest direction.
Kalymnos is mostly mountainous with complicated topography. There are three main chains going from W-NW to E-SE, and a fourth which extends NW the length of the peninsula. The coastline is very irregular, with many sheltered coves. There are some springs, one among them being thermal. The soil is mainlylimestone-based, but in the valleys, there is a compact bank of volcanictuff, the relic of an ancient volcano, located in Vigles, between the villages of Myrties and Kantouni. The island is mainly barren, except for the two fertile valleys of Vathys andPothia, where olives, oranges and vines are grown. There is also an ostrich farm in Argos, near theairport.
Earthquakes are a frequent occurrence around Kalymnos, a fact that is connected with the volcanoes in surrounding islands. The last earthquake that occurred was the2017 Aegean Sea earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7Mw, which injured two people in Kalymnos.
Kalymnos is neighboured by the small island ofTelendos, which was once part of Kalymnos, but split off after a major earthquake in 554 and is now separated from Kalymnos by a channel of water (about 800 m wide).[4]
Between Kalymnos and Kos lies the islet ofPserimos which is inhabited and, with an area of 11 square kilometres (4 sq mi), is one of the largest of the lesser islands of the Dodecanese. Near Pserimos lies the islet of Platí, and about 5 km (3 mi) to the NE lies the small islet ofKalolimnos.
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InAntiquity Kalymnos depended on Kos, and followed itshistory. The island'sHellenistic Temple ofApollo was excavated by the British archaeologistCharles Newton in the nineteenth century; many of the finds he made, including importantepigraphic inscriptions, are in theBritish Museum's collection.[5] In the Middle Ages it was under the influence of theByzantine Empire, and during the 13th century it was used by theVenetian Republic as a naval base. In 1310 it came under the control of theKnights of Rhodes, and later (mainly in 1457 and 1460) was often attacked by theOttomans, who eventually conquered it in 1522. Unlike Rhodes and Kos, during the Ottoman period, there was no Turkish immigration to Kalymnos.
According to the Ottoman General Census of 1881/82-1893, thekaza of Kalymnos had a total population of 9,716, consisting of 9,482Greeks, 64 Muslims and 170 foreign citizens.[6]
On May 12, 1912, during theItalo-Turkish War, Kalymnos was occupied by Italian sailors of theRegia Marina. Italy took control of the island along with other islands of the Dodecanese (exceptKastellorizo initially) until 1947, when the Dodecanese were finally united with mainland Greece, as part of the modern Greek state.
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The majority of Kalymnians areOrthodox Christians. The island belongs to that small part of Greece that does not depend on theChurch of Greece, but rather on theEcumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople based inIstanbul, Turkey. Kalymnos belongs to theMetropolis of Leros, Kalymnos and Astypalaia.
Kalymnos is known and billed as the "Sponge-divers' island".Sponge diving has long been a common occupation on Kalymnos and sponges were the main source of income of Kalymnians, bringing wealth to the island and making it famous throughout the Mediterranean. The Kalymnians harvested sponges from the sea-bed as close asPserimos or as far as North Africa. Early diving was done without equipment (free diving), using aharpoon.[7] Sponges are still fished individually, by hand.[8]
The Greek sponge trade was centered close in the Dodecanese, featuring Kalymnos until the mid-80s, when a disease hit the eastern Mediterranean destroying a great number of sponges and damaging the sponge-fishing industry as a result. Today, Kalymnos faces a lack of sponges due to the outbreak of a disease that has decimated sponge crops.
An annual celebration, Sponge Week, occurs a week after Easter to honour this "Kalymnian gold.” Much has been written, sung and filmed about the legendary courage and recklessness of the sponge divers themselves.
The localfolk danceMihanikos depicts the crippling effects ofdecompression sickness that is caused by sponge diving. It is typically only performed by men.[9]
Kalymnos is a popularrock climbing location with more than 3,000 climbing routes[10] set in the limestone rock of the island and a climate that allows climbing all year around.[11][12] The island has seen a boom in climbing related tourism since 1997, when the Italian Andrea di Bari started establishing the first routes.[12][13][14]
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Being mostly barren (only 18% of the land can be cultivated), agriculture has always played a minor role in the economy of the island, except for the valley of Vathi. The island is famous for its citrus fruits grown in this area.
Another industrial activity typical of Kalymnos was the production of painted head scarfs, which were the most original component of the female dress.
In recent times,tourism has become important for the island, particularly forrock climbing. In 2006, the island also acquired an airport, theKalymnos Island National Airport in Argos, a village betweenPothia and Brosta (the villages which are opposite of Telendos), to better link the island with the mainland.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, there has been much emigration from Kalymnos (the 1925 population was some 24,000 inhabitants as compared to 16,500 in 2012), especially to the United States and Australia. The cities ofDarwin andMelbourne in Australia, andTarpon Springs, Gary, IN, andCampbell, OH in the United States are home to large Greek communities of Kalymnian descent.[citation needed]
Kalymnian emigrants and their descendants also form a substantial portion of the bridge painting industry in the USA. Some researchers link this to the sponge diving tradition and way of life as both trades involve dangerous work with long periods away from home.
| Election | Turnout | ND | PASOK | SYRIZA | KKE | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2023 | 35.27 | 46.93 | 9.42 | 14.33 | 5.14 | 24.18[a] |
| May 2023 | 43.51 | 49.76 | 7.62 | 16.75 | 4.75 | 21.12[b] |
| 2019 | 39.28 | 37.38 | 7.87 | 34.20 | 3.74 | 16.81[c] |
| Sep 2015 | 34.88 | 27.37 | 6.92 | 39.52 | 4.22 | 21.97[d] |
| Jan 2015 | 42.85 | 37.50 | 5.69 | 26.54 | 4.52 | 25.75[e] |
| Jun 2012 | 41.82 | 32.77 | 14.77 | 19.78 | 3.82 | 28.86[f] |
| May 2012 | 43.86 | 18.10 | 14.69 | 8.30 | 8.72 | 50.19[g] |
| 2009 | 54.44 | 29.51 | 57.92 | 1.86 | 4.55 | 6.16[h] |
| 2007 | 57.13 | 42.43 | 46.72 | 2.22 | 4.70 | 3.93[i] |
| 2004 | 59.60 | 46.24 | 45.44 | 1.23 | 3.67 | 3.42[j] |
| 2000 | 67.84 | 40.63 | 49.22 | 1.52[k] | 3.30 | 5.33[l] |
| 1996 | 67.94 | 32.74 | 50.31 | 2.58[k] | 3.32 | 11.05[m] |
| 1993 | 71.71 | 33.84 | 59.52 | 1.13[k] | 2.53 | 2.98[n] |
| 1990 | 74.85 | 42.48 | 51.56 | 4.33[k] | 1.63 | |
| Nov 1989 | 74.46 | 41.37 | 53.16 | 4.73[k] | 0.74 | |
| Jun 1989 | 74.58 | 39.88 | 50.70 | 5.97[k] | 3.45[o] | |
| 1985 | 72.47 | 35.41 | 57.51 | 0.82[p] | 5.39 | 0.87 |
| 1981 | 68.27 | 25.53 | 68.91 | 0.33[p] | 4.16 | 1.07 |
| 1977 | 67.22 | 42.94 | 46.24 | 0.67[q] | 2.41 | 7.74[r] |
| 1974 | 68.15 | 43.66 | 41.36 | 2.30[s] | 12.68[t] | |
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| Regional unit ofAndros |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Regional unit ofKalymnos | ||
| Regional unit ofKarpathos-Kasos | ||
| Regional unit ofKea-Kythnos | ||
| Regional unit ofKos | ||
| Regional unit ofMilos | ||
| Regional unit ofMykonos | ||
| Regional unit ofNaxos | ||
| Regional unit ofParos | ||
| Regional unit ofRhodes | ||
| Regional unit ofSyros | ||
| Regional unit ofThira | ||
| Regional unit ofTinos | ||
| ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
