Greek islands
In Greece there are approximately 6,000 islands and islets. Of all these islands, only 227 are inhabited. Of these, only 79 have a population of over 100 inhabitants and only 53 over 1,000.
The islands of the Aegean Sea are divided into seven clusters:
Crete, the largest of the Greek islands, along with a number of islands located near its shores, the most important of which are Gavdos, Dia, Chrysi, Koufonisi and Spinalonga.
Evia, the second largest Greek island, along with a number of islands located near its shores, the most important of which is the Megalonisos Petalion.
Islands of the North Aegean and Northeast Aegean, the most important of which are Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Lemnos, Thasos, Ikaria, Samothraki, Fourni, Oinousses, Psara, Agios Eustratios, Thymaina and Antipsara.
Sporades, with the most important islands of Skiathos, Skopelos, Skyros, Alonissos, Giura, Kyra Panagia, Peristera, Skandzoura, Piperi and Skyropoula.
Argosaronic islands, the most important of which are Salamina, Aegina, Poros, Spetses, Hydra, Agistri and Dokos.
Cyclades, with the most important islands of Syros, Naxos, Thira (Santorini), Paros, Andros, Mykonos, Tinos, Milos, Sifnos, Kea (Tzia), Ios, Amorgos, Kythnos, Serifos, Antiparos, Kimolos, Folegandros, Koufonisia, Anafi, Sikinos, Schinoussa, Donoussa, Heraklia, Thirassia, Delos, Makronissos, Gyaros, Polyaegos, Keros and Rhenia.
Dodecanese, with the most important islands of Rhodes, Kos, Kalymnos, Leros, Karpathos, Patmos, Symi, Astypalaia, Kasos, Nisyros, Lipsi, Tilos, Kastellorizo, Halki, Agathonisi, Pserimos, Farmakonisi, Telendo, Arkios, Marathos, Levitha, Gyali, Kalolimnos, Saria, Kinaro, Sirna, Alimia and Nimos.
The islands of the Ionian Sea form a cluster:
Eptanisa, with the most important islands of Corfu, Zakynthos, Kefalonia, Lefkada, Kythira, Ithaca, Paxos, Meganisi, Ereikoussa, Kalamos, Othonou, Mathraki, Kastos, Strofades, Antikythera, Antipaxos, Atoko, Arkoudi, Petala and Oxia.
There are still a multitude of islands which are not part of any cluster and are located very close to the mainland coasts, the most important of which are Elafonisos at the south-eastern end of the Peloponnese, Ammouliani in the bay of Mount Athos, Paleo Trikeri in Pagasitikos and the Trizonia of Phocis in the Gulf of Corinth.
A special case is the islands of internal waters (lakes, natural or artificial, rivers, reservoirs) with the most important being the Island of Ioannina in Lake Pamvotida and Agios Achilleios in Lake Mikri Prespa, while many more islands exist in the estuaries and deltas of rivers as well as in the lagoons with the most important ones being Tourlida and Aitoliko in the Lagoon of Messolonghi.
