VOREIO AIGAIO - Geography and history
The Northern Aegean region is the home of the mathematician Pythagoras, of the ancient times poets Alcaeus and Sapfo and ? in modern times ? of Adamantios Korais and Odysseas Elytis (Nobel winner). It comprises the northeastern part of the Aegean Sea, close to the shores of Asia Minor. The region consists of the nomí of Lesvos, Chios and Samos. The capital of the region is the town of Mytilini.
The islands are mountainous and any plains are small, the most important being on Lesvos. The climate is temperate, with mild winters and cool summers. This and the islands' scenic attractions constitute the basis for the ever-increasing amount of tourist traffic to the region.
The islands have shipping connections mainly with Piraeus and air services to Athens.
With its island structure, the region is characterized by a shortage of land, limited natural resources and particular communications problems.
The primary sector has limited development potential. Nonetheless, the region is one of Greece's leading producers of olives and the world's only source of mastic (island of Chios). It also has a strong nautical tradition. The islands' climate and natural beauty have favoured the development of tourism, attracting thousands of visitors every year.
Agriculture predominant on Lesvos and Samos, more urbanization on Chios
The nomós of Lesvos, consisting of the islands of Lesvos, Limnos and Agios Efstratios is mainly lowland and agriculture is well developed, together with industrial processing of agricultural products. Lesvos has the only urban centre in the region, Mytilini.
The nomós of Chios comprises the islands of Chios, Psara, Oinousses and Antipsara. It is mountainous, with a small rural population, a high degree of urbanization, and the highest population density anywhere in the region.
The nomós of Samos consists of a group of three islands ? Samos, Ikaria and Foúrni. It is an outlying area at the eastern extremity of the Central Aegean. The terrain is mountainous, with an abundance of water and extensive forests. Agricultural production is important and there has been major tourist development. Ikaria has important mineral water springs. A feature of the nomós is that it has no urban population but is divided into a large number of small settlement units, mainly in a rural environment.
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