Lasithi ( el, Λασίθι) is the easternmost

regional unit The 74 regional units of Greece ( el, περιφερειακές ενότητες, ; sing. , ) are the country's Seventy-four second-level administrative units. They are divisions of the country's 13 regions, and are further divided into muni ...

on the island of

Crete Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cypru ...

, to the east of

Heraklion Heraklion or Iraklion ( ; el, Ηράκλειο, , ) is the largest city and the administrative capital of the island of Crete and capital of Heraklion regional unit. It is the fourth largest city in Greece with a population of 211,370 (Urban ...

. Its capital is Agios Nikolaos, the other major towns being

Ierapetra Ierapetra ( el, Ιεράπετρα, lit=sacred stone; ancient name: ) is a Greek town and municipality located on the southeast coast of Crete. History The town of Ierapetra (in the local dialect: Γεράπετρο ''Gerapetro'') is located on ...

and Sitia. The mountains include the Dikti in the west and the Thrypti in the east. The Sea of Crete lies to the north and the Libyan Sea to the south. To the east of the village of Elounda lies the island of Spinalonga, formerly a

Venetian Venetian often means from or related to: * Venice, a city in Italy * Veneto, a region of Italy * Republic of Venice (697–1797), a historical nation in that area Venetian and the like may also refer to: * Venetian language, a Romance language s ...

fortress and a leper colony. On the foot of Mount Dikti lies the Lasithi Plateau, famous for its

windmill A windmill is a structure that converts wind power into rotational energy using vanes called sails or blades, specifically to mill grain (gristmills), but the term is also extended to windpumps, wind turbines, and other applications, in so ...

s. Vai is well known for its

datepalm ''Phoenix dactylifera'', commonly known as date or date palm, is a flowering plant species in the palm family, Arecaceae, cultivated for its edible sweet fruit called dates. The species is widely cultivated across northern Africa, the Middle Eas ...

forest. Thanks to its beaches and its mild climate year-long, Lasithi attracts many tourists. Mass tourism is served by places like Vai, Agios Nikolaos and the island of Chrissi. More off-beat tourism can be found in villages on the south coast like Myrtos, Makrys Gialos or Makrigialos, Xerokambos and

Koutsouras Koutsouras (Κουτσουράς) is a village in Lasithi regional unit, in Crete, Greece 22 kilometers east of Ierapetra. Its population is 818 (2001 est.). It was the headquarters of the municipality of Makry Gialos (''Dimos Makry Gialou'') a ...

. Lasithi is home to a number of ancient remains. Vasiliki,

Fournou Korifi Fournou Korifi is the archaeological site of a Minoan settlement on southern Crete. Geography Fournou Korifi was built at the top of a steep hill, with excellent views of the coast. Archaeology Fournou Korifi was first excavated in 1967 by Pet ...

, Pyrgos, Zakros and Gournia are ruins of Minoan date, Lato and Itanos were Doric towns.

History

The history of Lasithi can be traced over at least three millennia. The region has considerable ancient history antecedents, including the

Dorian Dorian may refer to: Ancient Greece * Dorians, one of the main ethnic divisions of ancient Greeks * Doric Greek, or Dorian, the dialect spoken by the Dorians Art and entertainment Films * ''Dorian'' (film), the Canadian title of the 2004 film ' ...

era settlement of Olous and Lato.

Etymology

It has been speculated that ''ra-su-to'', found in Linear B, corresponds to an unattested ancient ''Lasynthos''. There is also a Lyttian tribal name ''Lasynthioi'', presumably reflecting the same name. Earlier proposals that it is derived from a Venetian 'la' preposed to derivatives of ''

Lyttos Lyctus or Lyttos ( Greek: or ), was one of the most considerable cities in ancient Crete, which appears in the Homeric catalogue. Lyttos is now a village in the municipality of Minoa Pediada. Lyctus in mythology According to Hesiod, ''Theog ...

'' (''Lyttus'' > ''Tselyttus'' > ''Tselethe'' > ''Xeethe'' > ''La Xeethi'' > ''Lasithi'') Thomas Abel Brimage Spratt, ''Travels and Researches in Crete'', 1865, chapter XIX
p. 201
/ref> or '' Sitia'' (''Sitia'' > ''La Sitia'' > ''Lasithi'') are unlikely, as the name Lasithi was attested as early as 1211, whereas the Venetians only first arrived in Crete in 1205. Another unlikely etymology derives it from ''lakkos'' 'hole or basin' (''Lakkos'' > ''Lakkidion'' > ''Latsidi'' > ''Lasidi'' > ''Lasithi'').Philip Betancourt, ''Hagios Charalambos: A Minoan Burial Cave in Crete'' 1:9, 2014

Administration

The regional unit Lasithi is subdivided into four municipalities. These are (number as in the map in the infobox): * Agios Nikolaos (1) *

(2) *

Oropedio Lasithiou The Lasithi Plateau ( el, Οροπέδιο Λασιθίου, ''Oropedio Lasithiou''), sometimes spelt Lassithi Plateau, is a high endorheic plateau, located in the Lasithi regional unit in eastern Crete, Greece. Since the 1997 Kapodistrias reform, ...

(3) * Siteia (4)

Prefecture

As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the regional unit Lasithi was created out of the former prefecture of Lasithi ( el, Νομός Λασιθίου), which was created while Crete was still an autonomous state and was retained after the island joined Greece in 1913. The prefecture had the same territory as the present regional unit, except Viannos area that belonged to Lasithi but was annexed to Heraklion prefecture in 1932. At the same time, the municipalities were reorganised, according to the table below.

Provinces

Before 2006, Lasithi was divided into 4

provinces A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions outsi ...

: *Province of Mirambelos - Neapolis * Province of Lasithi - Tzermiado *Province of

- Ierapetra *Province of Sitia - Sitia

Transport

* GR-90/ E65, NW, Cen., E, NE * GR-99, Cen., S

References

External links

Geographical profile of Lasithi
{{Authority control Prefectures of Greece Regional units of Crete