Lefkimmi
Encyclopedia
Lefkimmi is a town and a former municipality on the island of Corfu
, Ionian Islands
, Greece
. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Corfu
, of which it is a municipal unit. Its land area is 50.819 km² and its population was 6,704 at the 2001 census. Lefkimmi is the southernmost municipal unit on the island. Tourism is its main industry along with agriculture and other businesses. It also features beaches, restaurants, taverns and hotels. The 20th meridian
is to the west. It also features shops and a street canal in which are surrounded by a walkway. It also has a cape to the north known by the same name. The municipal seat was the town of Lefkímmi (pop. 3,517). Its next largest towns are Kávos (pop. 847), Palaiochóri (617), Vitaládes (475), and Kritiká (426).
are on both sides.
until 1797, it was ruled by the French
, the Russians
, it became the Septinsular Republic
but it was again occupied by the French, it was later joined Great Britain
and became the United States of the Ionian Islands
. In 1804, 1,300 refugees from Souli arrived in Lefkimmi, the remainder were soldiers. In the 19th century, Neochoraki as inhabited by Albanians. It finally joined Greece
in 1864. After World War II
and the Greek Civil War
, the whole town was rebuilt by the mid to late 1950s. The village population boomed later on especially between 1981 and 1991 but almost slowed between 1991 and 2001. On June 29, Lefkimmi was struck by two earthquakes that measured 5.9 on the Richter scale in the evening hours, another one shook at 1 am. Only minor damages were reported and in villages, no injuries were reported.
).
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
, Ionian Islands
Ionian Islands Periphery
Ionian Islands is one of the thirteen regions of Greece. It comprises the historical region of the Ionian Islands, except for the island of Kythera which belongs to Attica.-Administration:...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
, of which it is a municipal unit. Its land area is 50.819 km² and its population was 6,704 at the 2001 census. Lefkimmi is the southernmost municipal unit on the island. Tourism is its main industry along with agriculture and other businesses. It also features beaches, restaurants, taverns and hotels. The 20th meridian
20th meridian east
The meridian 20° east of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, Europe, Africa, the Atlantic and Indian oceans, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole....
is to the west. It also features shops and a street canal in which are surrounded by a walkway. It also has a cape to the north known by the same name. The municipal seat was the town of Lefkímmi (pop. 3,517). Its next largest towns are Kávos (pop. 847), Palaiochóri (617), Vitaládes (475), and Kritiká (426).
Subdivisions
The municipal unit Lefkimmi is subdivided into the following communities (constituent villages in brackets):- Ano Lefkimmi (Molos)
- Lefkimmi (Lefkimmi, KavosKavosKavos is a former fishing village on the island of Corfu in Greece, in the municipal district and the municipality of Lefkimmi. It is now a lively resort heavily devoted to tourism, and popular with British package tours, young holidaymakers and Negus....
) - NeochoriNeochori, CorfuNeochori is a village in the southeastern part of the island of Corfu. It is located in the municipal unit of Lefkimmi. Its 2001 population was 224 for the village and 1,636 for the municipal district. Neochori is located east-southeast of the city of Corfu. Several hills dominate the...
(Neochori, Dragotina, Kritika, Palaiochori, Spartera) - VitaladesVitaladesVitalades is a village in the southeastern part of the island of Corfu. It is part of the municipal unit of Lefkimmi. Its 2001 population was 466 for the village and 528 for the municipal district. Several hills dominate the area. Vitalades is one of several villages on the island that have the...
(Vitalades, Gardenos)
Population
| Year | Village | Municipal district | Municipality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 2,509 | - | - |
| 1991 | 3,471 | - | - |
| 2001 | 3,517 | 4,364 | 6,704 |
Geography
A few farmlands are around the area. The mountains that are mainly filled with grasslands and rocks covers around the area, forests are found mainly in low lying areas. The Ionian SeaIonian Sea
The Ionian Sea , is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula to the west, southern Albania to the north, and a large number of Greek islands, including Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and...
are on both sides.
History
The area was ruled by the VenetiansRepublic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
until 1797, it was ruled by the French
First French Empire
The First French Empire , also known as the Greater French Empire or Napoleonic Empire, was the empire of Napoleon I of France...
, the Russians
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
, it became the Septinsular Republic
Septinsular Republic
The Septinsular Republic was an island republic that existed from 1800 to 1807 under nominal Ottoman sovereignty in the Ionian Islands. It was the first time Greeks had been granted even limited self-government since the fall of the last remnants of the Byzantine Empire to the Ottomans in the...
but it was again occupied by the French, it was later joined Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and became the United States of the Ionian Islands
United States of the Ionian Islands
The United States of the Ionian Islands was a state and amical protectorate of the United Kingdom between 1815 and 1864. It was the successor state of the Septinsular Republic...
. In 1804, 1,300 refugees from Souli arrived in Lefkimmi, the remainder were soldiers. In the 19th century, Neochoraki as inhabited by Albanians. It finally joined Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
in 1864. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the Greek Civil War
Greek Civil War
The Greek Civil War was fought from 1946 to 1949 between the Greek governmental army, backed by the United Kingdom and United States, and the Democratic Army of Greece , the military branch of the Greek Communist Party , backed by Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Albania...
, the whole town was rebuilt by the mid to late 1950s. The village population boomed later on especially between 1981 and 1991 but almost slowed between 1991 and 2001. On June 29, Lefkimmi was struck by two earthquakes that measured 5.9 on the Richter scale in the evening hours, another one shook at 1 am. Only minor damages were reported and in villages, no injuries were reported.
Other
Lefkimmi has schools, a few lyceums (middle schools), and its gymnasium (secondary school), churches, banks, and a square (plateiaPlateia
Plateia or platia is the Greek word for town square. Most Greek and Cypriot cities have several town squares which are a point of reference in travelling and guiding...
).
External links
| North: A bay and the Ionian Sea Ionian Sea The Ionian Sea , is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula to the west, southern Albania to the north, and a large number of Greek islands, including Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and... | ||
| West: Korissia Korissia Korissia is a former municipality on the island of Corfu, Ionian Islands, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Corfu, of which it is a municipal unit. It is in the southern part of the island. It has a land area of 27.675 km². Its population was 5,206 at... | Lefkimmi | East: A bay and the Ionian Sea Ionian Sea The Ionian Sea , is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula to the west, southern Albania to the north, and a large number of Greek islands, including Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and... |
| South: Ionian Sea Ionian Sea The Ionian Sea , is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula to the west, southern Albania to the north, and a large number of Greek islands, including Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and... |