Dodecanese, Island group in South Aegean Region, Greece.
Dodecanese is an island group in the southeastern Aegean Sea that comprises twelve larger islands such as Rhodes, Kos, and Patmos, along with over a hundred smaller land masses. The islands feature rocky shores, dry hills, and scattered fertile valleys stretching more than 125 miles (200 kilometers) from north to south.
The archipelago was successively administered by Italy, Britain, and finally Greece during the 20th century, becoming officially part of the Greek state in 1947. Before that, Byzantine, Ottoman, and Venetian powers had left their mark here.
The name derives from the Greek word for twelve, referring to the main islands that each preserve their own local dialects and festivals. Visitors still encounter Turkish and Italian traces in place names, food, and buildings.
Ferries operate year-round between the islands, with frequency increasing considerably in summer and decreasing in winter. The two largest islands offer airports with direct links to Athens and several European cities.
Several smaller islands remain uninhabited and serve only as anchorages for fishing boats or grazing ground for goats. Some lie so close to the Turkish coast that you can see the opposite settlements with the naked eye.
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