Lésvos

Lésvos or Lesbos, island, eastern Greece, in the Aegean Sea, off the coast of Turkey (west of İzmir), at the entrance of the Gulf of Edremit. Lésvos was a noted cultural center of ancient Greece, especially in the 7th and 6th centuries bc. It later was a part of the Ottoman Empire until it was annexed by Greece in 1913 after the Ottomans were defeated in the Balkan Wars. The island is frequently called Mytilíni, after the chief city. The highest peak is Olympus (Áyios Ilías), 939 m (3,080 ft) high. The principal products are olives, olive oil, figs, and grain; tanneries and soap factories are also here. Area, 1,640 sq km (630 sq mi); population (1991 estimate) 103,700.