Dia (island)

Dia Δία The island of Dia Geography Coordinates: 35°26′52″N 25°13′11″E / 35.44778°N 25.21972°E / 35.44778; 25.21972 Island chain: Cretan Islands Area: 11.909 km² (5 sq.mi.) Government Greece Periphery: Crete Prefecture: Heraklion Prefecture Capital: Heraklion Statistics Population: 2 (as of 2001) Density: 0 /km² (0 /sq.mi.) Dia (Greek: Δία), also pronounced locally as Ntia (Greek: Ντία), is an island off the northern coast of the Greek island of Crete. The island is approximately 7 nautical miles north of Heraklion. Dia is administered from Gouves in Heraklion, by the municipality of Elias. Contents 1 Islet morphology 2 Mythology 3 Environmentally protected 4 Shipwreck of La Therese 5 See also 6 References // Islet morphology The islet looks like a giant lizard when viewed from the city of Heraklion. There is also a legend that a giant lizard tried to destroy the island of Crete, but Zeus turned it in to stone with a thunderbolt, thus creating the island. Mythology The island is visible from Crete's capital city of Heraklion, as it would have been in the time of the Minoan kingdom, from the capital of Knossos. Because of this, it was sometimes identified as the island that Theseus escaped to after killing the Minotaur. Environmentally protected On Dia there are a number of protected creatures including: the snail Albinaria retusa, the lizard Pdarcis erchardii schiebeli, the wild rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus cnossius, and the eagle called mavropetritis in the Greek language.1 Dia is part of the European Network of Nature (Natura) 2000 and is a vetted hunting ground.2 There are also a number of protected plants such as Carlina diae. Shipwreck of La Therese In 1976, Jacques Cousteau carried out underwater exploration around Dia and found the remains of an ancient port. In the waters between Heraklion and Dia, Cousteau also discovered a shipwrecked French ship of the 17th century called La Therese. The ship was part of a French mercy mission that had been sent to Heraklion when it was called Handaka during a siege by the Ottomans and it was the only ship that was sunk on 24 June 1669. Part of a fleet, it was the rear admiral's ship and it sank after an explosion in its powder store.3 See also List of islands of Greece References ^ Greek Ornithological Organisation (Greek)O μαυροπετρίτης στη Δία της Κρήτης ^ Δίκτυο Natura 2000 Protected areas ^ Greekislands.com French Rear Admiral's ship "La Therese" (1669) v · d · eCretan islands Chania Prefecture Major islands Agioi Theodoroi (Agios Theodoros · Mikros Agios Theodoros)  · Gavdos · Gavdopoula · Gramvousa, Agria · Gramvousa, Imeri · Elafonisi · Pontikonisi · Souda Islets and rocks Agioi Apostoloi · Agios Nikolaos · Ammoudi tous Volakous · Arnaouti · Artemis · Gaidouronisi · Karga · Katonisi · Koursaroi · Lazaretta · Leon/Nisi · Loutro · Palaiosouda/Marathi · Petalida/Xera · Petalouda · Pontikaki · Praso Kissamou · Prasonisi Gavdou · Schistonisi/Trachyli · Treis Volakous · Valenti Rethymno Prefecture Major islands Paximadia (Megalo Paximadi · Mikro Paximadi) Islets and rocks Aspros Volakas · Diapori · Mavros Volakas · Peristeri · Prasonisi Heraklion Prefecture Major islands Dia Islets and rocks Afendis Christos · Agia Varvara · Glaronisi/Petalidi · Mavronisi · Megalonisi/Makronisi · Mikronisi/Agios Pavlos · Nisoplaka · Papadoplaka · Paximadi · Psarocharako · Thetis · Trafos Lasithi Prefecture Major islands Agioi Pandes · Chrysi/Gaidouronisi · Dionysades (Dragonada · Gianysada · Paximada · Paximadaki) · Elasa · Koufonisi/Lefki · Kyriamadi · Mikronisi · Strongyli · Trachilos Islets and rocks Agia Eirini · Agios Nikolaos/Mochlos · Agriomandra · Avgo · Daskaleia · Fotia · Grandes (Grandes E · Grandes W) · Io · Kalydon/Spinalonga · Karavi · Kavaloi (Anavatis · Kavallos · Kefali) · Katergo · Kolokythas/Vryonisi · Konida · Kymo/Koumeli · Makroulo · Marmaro · Mavros · Mavros Vrachos · Megatzedes · Mikronisi · Nikolos/Nikolonisi/Agios Antonios · Paximadaki/Prasonisi Siteias · Peristerovrachoi · Ftena Trachylia/Pinakl · Prasonisi · Prosfora · Pseira · Psyllos · Sideros/Strongylo · Vryonisi/Prasonisi v · d · eArticles on the Aegean Sea General Countries  Greece •  Turkey Other Aegean civilization • Aegean Islands • Aegean dispute Aegean islands Cyclades Amorgos • Anafi • Andros • Antimilos • Antiparos • Delos • Despotiko • Donoussa • Folegandros • Gyaros • Ios • Irakleia • Kardiotissa • Kea • Keros • Kimolos • Koufonisi • Kythnos • Milos • Mykonos • Nata • Naxos • Paros • Polyaigos • Rhineia • Santorini • Schoinoussa • Serifopoula • Serifos • Sifnos • Sikinos • Syros • Therasia • Tinos • Vous Dodecanese Agathonisi • Arkoi • Armathia • Alimia • Astakida • Astypalaia • Çatalada • Chamili • Gaidaros • Gyali • Halki • Imia/Kardak • Kalolimnos • Kalymnos • Kandelioussa • Kara Ada • Karpathos • Kasos • Kos • Küçük Tavşan Adası • Leros • Lipsi • Nisyros • Patmos • Pacheia • Pharmakonisi • Platy • Pserimos • Rhodes • Saria • Salih Ada • Symi • Syrna • Telendos • Tilos • Zafora North Aegean Agios Eustratius • Ammouliani • Ayvalık Islands • Büyük Ada • Chios • Chryse • Cunda • Fener Ada • Fournoi Korseon • Icaria • Imbros • Incir Ada • Koukonesi • Lemnos • Lesbos • Metalik Ada • Nissiopi • Oinousses • Psara • Samiopoula • Samos • Samothrace • Tenedos • Thasos • Thymaina Saronic Aegina • Agios Georgios • Angistri • Dokos • Hydra • Poros • Psyttaleia • Salamis • Spetses Sporades Adelfoi Islets • Agios Georgios Skopelou • Alonissos • Argos Skiathou • Dasia • Erinia • Gioura • Grammeza • Kyra Panagia • Lekhoussa • Peristera • Piperi • Psathoura • Repio • Rineia Skyrou • Sarakino • Skandili • Skantzoura • Skiathos • Skopelos • Skyropoula • Skyros • Tsougria • Valaxa Cretan Afendis Christos • Agia Varvara • Agioi Apostoloi • Agioi Pandes • Agioi Theodoroi • Agios Nikolaos • Anavatis • Arnaouti • Aspros Volakas • Avgo • Crete • Daskaleia • Dia • Diapori • Dionysades • Elasa • Ftena Trachylia • Glaronisi • Gramvousa • Grandes • Kalydon (Spinalonga) • Karavi • Karga • Katergo • Kavallos • Kefali • Kolokythas • Koursaroi • Kyriamadi • Lazaretta • Leon • Mavros • Mavros Volakas • Megatzedes • Mochlos • Nikolos • Palaiosouda • Peristeri • Peristerovrachoi • Petalida • Petalouda • Pontikaki • Pontikonisi • Praso Kissamou • Prosfora • Pseira • Sideros • Souda • Valenti • Vryonisi Other Euboea • Makronisos Coordinates: 35°26′52″N 25°13′11″E / 35.44778°N 25.21972°E / 35.44778; 25.21972