Crete Geography

Information about the Geography of Crete island: Crete island is the largest and most mountainous of the Greek islands. It is located in the south part of the Aegean Sea and covers an area of 8,939 sq.km. The total population of Crete is 621,340 people. The island is characterized by its rocky spots and is surrounded by a beautiful mountain range including the White Mountains, Mount Psiloritis, and Dikty Mountain.

Crete in Greece lies at the spot where the continents of Europe, Africa, and Asia meet and is divided into four regions: Chania, Rethymnon, Heraklion, and Lassithi. The mountains of Crete draw the attention whether you look from the west, east, north or south. The famous White Mountains have more than 52 peaks and Mount Psiloritis is the highest peak in Crete.

In the east, the mountains of Dikty form a continuous chain from one end of Crete to the other. This creates impressive scenery which rises over the beautiful city of Sitia, in Lassithi. The mountains of Crete gifted the island with beautiful plateaus like Omalos. The sea currents have created impressive gorges, like the famous dramatic Gorge of Samaria and spectacular flourishing gardens with rare plant species that can not be found anywhere else in the world.

The geography of Crete has a deep impact on the Greek civilizations since ancient times. Crete is totally secluded from the other mainland regions of Europe, Asia, and Africa, a fact that reflects upon the rich flora and fauna that grows in the area. The island is blessed with a great variety of plant species, like the Cretan goat and others. Crete was the birthplace of the Mycenaean civilization, one of the first European civilizations that prospered in the region between 3,000-1,400 BC.

The island is characterized by mountains, valleys, natural bridges, stunning gorges and other features that make this place unique in all aspects. Above all, Crete is famous for the fertile land from where a great part of local production is based upon. It has been confirmed that products are the healthiest products in the world.

Geography in each region

Information about the geography in the regions of Crete: