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Kos
Kos is a beautiful and stunning Greek island that is small yet perfectly formed. It is a mere 25 miles by 5 miles and is situated just 2.5 miles from the Turkish coast making it an excellent tourist destination thanks to reliable transport links to the mainland. Kos is seen as something of a unique Greek island because in such a small space there exists such a diversity of terrain and wildlife; Kos tends to contrast between wide fertile plains and steep highlands with a whole spectrum of geographical features in between being demonstrated somewhere on the island.
Kos can trace its history back to the 11th century BCE when it was invaded by the Dorians who established a large colony on the island. For many years the island slowly accumulated wealth from the wine and silk that it produced and traded in, but it was not until the Hellenistic age when Kos really cemented its reputation in the history books. The island was used as a major naval outpost that stood guard over the Aegean region and Kos also shaped itself into a major centre for learning and scholarly pursuits.
In modern times the island became a protectorate of the UK after it was taken over by Germany in World War II, and eventually it was ceded to Greece in the late 1940's. Kos has long been an area of great interest to historians and archaeologists, there exists a large fossil record including several rare and ancient species of mammal, and of course with over 112 km of perfect beaches it is easy to understand why Kos is such a popular tourist destination! Whilst many islanders work in the tourist industry others continue to farm the fertile Kos soil and produce everything from olives and tomatoes to corn and wheat. The city and port of Kos itself is a thriving community packed full of every amenity the modern traveller may require, and visitors are always assured of a warm and friendly welcome on Kos.
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