Gökçeada at First Glance

Imbros, referred to as Gökçeada in Turkish, is the largest island of Turkey and part of Çanakkale Province. It is located at the entrance of the Saros Bay in the northern Aegean Sea, which at the same time is the western most point of Turkey. With an area of 279 km² (108 square miles), this mountainous island contains richley wooded areas.

According to the 2000 Census, the island of Imbros had a total population of 8,875. The same census also reported 7,254 people in Gökçeada town, and 1,621 in the remaining villages. Next to the city centre the island consists of 10 villages. The population is predominantly Turkish, but there are still about 300 Greeks living on Imbros. The majority of Greeks have emigrated in the past.

The island is 16 km (10 miles) away from the ferry-boat pier on the main land. Main transportation is provided by ferries, which can accommodate cars. The journey lasts for one and half hour on average.
In the summer of 2009, passenger-only fast ferry services (so called sea-busses) directly from Çanakkale to Gökçeada have started.

The main sources of income on the island is agriculture, small cattle raising, fishing and tourism. The island’s products include grains, olives, wine, and grapes.