Mykonos

Mykonos is a small Greek island sitting in the Mediterranean Sea. With only 33 square miles and a population of about 10,000 people, it is still a popular tourist destination. In fact, its main industry is tourism, and most of its inhabitants live in the main town, also called Mykonos. One reason for the tourism and the town dwellers is the town's pristine appearance. All the buildings are a stark white that gleam in the Mediterranean sun. The streets are clean and the storefronts well-kept.  

Mykonos has a long history. Archaeologists have found evidence of a Nebolithic tribe on the island called Kares who date back to 3000 B.C. Ionians from Athens were likely the first permanent settlers in the 1200's B.C., and the island became important to Greek transport and supplies. The Venetians occupied it for a while after the fall of Constantinople in 1204. The Ottomans came in the 1500's.

The island still prospered as a trading center in the 18th century, but this also brought the threat of pirates. The French and the British fought the Battle of Mykonos in their harbor in 1794. The Greek Revolution against the Ottoman Empire erupted in 1821, and Mykonos took an active role.

In the early 1900's, the island experienced a slump, and many residents left to find work elsewhere. However, tourism had become important, and many archaeological digs, especially by the French, aided the local economy. In the 1930's it became the place to be for artists, politicians, and the wealthy, and tourists began to flock to the hot spot in groves. The island still impresses visitors.

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