Understand
Gökçeada is the largest island of Turkey with a surface of 279 square kilometers. The island is very mountainous. Cape Avlaka, near UÄurlu, is the westernmost point of the island, and of Turkey as well.
In ancient times, it was believed that Greek sea god Poseidon rested his horses in the deep sea between Gökçeada and the Greek island of Samothrace, which is to the north of Gökçeada.
The former name of the island, İmroz, which derived from its Greek name Imvros, was officially changed to Gökçeada which the island is best known in Turkish nowadays in 1970s, in light of deteriorating Turkish-Greek relations in the context of Cyprus dispute. In ancient times, the island also was known as Imbros.
The island has a small Greek community, about 250 mostly old people, scattered in a number of villages. Though, in summers, number of Greeks on the island rises because many families essentially from Gökçeada, but living in Greece now, return to their houses for vacation or to visit their grandparents. The rest of the population is mainly comprised of recent immigrants from far away places in Turkey and military personnel.
The island is a part of Ãanakkale Province.
