Mljet(pronounced[mʎɛ̂t]) is the southernmost and easternmost of the largerAdriaticislandsof theDalmatiaregion ofCroatia.[1]In the west of the island is theMljet National Park.
 Satellite image of Mljet island | |
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  Mljet | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Adriatic Sea |
| Coordinates | 42°44′42″N17°32′06″E/ 42.74500°N 17.53500°E |
| Archipelago | Adriaticislands |
| Area | 98.01 km2(37.84 sq mi) |
| Length | 37 km (23 mi) |
| Width | 3.2 km (1.99 mi) |
| Coastline | 135.185 km (84.0001 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 514 m (1686 ft) |
| Highest point | Veliki grad |
| Administration | |
Croatia | |
| County | Dubrovnik-Neretva |
| Largest settlement | Babino Polje (pop. 270) |
| Demographics | |
| Demonym | Mljećanin (male) Mljećka (female) |
| Population | 1,088 (2011) |
| Pop. density | 11.34/km2(29.37/sq mi) |
| Ethnic groups | 97.3%Croats 2.7% others |
Population
editIn the 2011 census, Mljet had a population of 1,088.[2]EthnicCroatsmade up 97.33% of the population.[3]
History
editMljet was discovered by ancientGreco-Roman geographers,who wrote the first records and descriptions. The island was first described byScylax of Caryandain the 6th century BC; others prefer the text,Periplus of Pseudo-Scylax.In both texts, it is named Melite and supported byApollonius of Rhodes.[4][5]AgathemerusandPliny the Eldercall the island Melita.[5]
Agesilaus of Anaxarba inCilicia,the father ofOppian,was banished to Mljet by theRoman EmperorSeptimius Severus(AD 145–211)[6](or toMaltabyLucius Verus).
Mljet is mentioned around 950 by theByzantine EmperorConstantine VII Porphyrogenitosin hisDe Administrando Imperioas one of the islands held by theNarentines.The island was often a controversy of ownership between them andZachlumia.Ancient Greekscalled the island "Melita" or "honey"which over the centuries evolved to become theSlavicname, Mljet (pronounced[mʎɛt]).
Mljet has been regarded as the "Melita" on whichPaul the Apostlewas shipwrecked (Acts of the Apostles27:39–28:11), this view being first expounded in the 10th century, byEastern RomanEmperorConstantine Porphyrogenitus.Paul's shipwreck is generally placed on theMediterraneanisland of Malta. Mljet and Malta had the same name in the Greek and Roman sources; the mention of a viper in Acts 28:3–5 was thought to be in favour of Mljet (there are snakes on both Mljet and Malta but only the former is home to a venomous snake). A harbour named after the Apostle exists on both islands.
TheBenedictinesfromPulsanoinApuliabecame the feudal lords of the island in 1151, having come fromMonte GarganoinItaly.They came ashore in the Sutmiholjska cove and in 1187–1198Desa, Grand Prince of Serbia,of theHouse of Vojislavljevićbuilt and donated to them the Church and Monastery ofSaint Maryon the islet in the Big Lake (Veliko jezero) towards the north-west end of the island.Pope Innocent IIIissued a document consecrating the church in 1198.[citation needed]
The Benedictines renounced their rule over Mljet in 1345, keeping only a third of the land. The island got a statute and a municipality inBabino Polje.It was formally annexed by theRepublic of Ragusain 1410. According to the Contract with the Benedictines, the municipality had to pay 300perperaseach year.[citation needed]
In the 16th century, the monastery was the center of theMljet Congregation(Congregatio MelitensisorMelitana), gathering all the monasteries of Benedictine monks in the area of the Republic of Ragusa. The first president of the Congregation wasMavro Vetranović,the abbot of the Mljet monastery and the famous poet. Another great poet was abbot there—Ignjat Đurđevićin the 18th century. As time went by, the Benedictine monastery on Mljet lost its importance, while the seat of the Mljet Congregation moved to Sveti Jakov nearRagusa.[citation needed]
In 1809, during the rule ofNapoleon,the Mljet monastery was disbanded. WhenAustriatook over the island, it placed the forestry office in the building.Between the world wars,the building was owned by theDiocese of Ragusa (Dubrovnik).In 1960 it became a hotel, and in 1998 it was returned to the Diocese. The island has a long history of eco-damage. In order to ease their transport problems, the monks dug a channel to the south coast, from the Big Lake, thus turning both fresh-water lakes into seawater-based ones.[citation needed]
The second incident involvesmongooses.Small Indian mongooseswere introduced onto the island in the early 20th century in order to reduce theVipera ammodytespopulation (the island was apparently completely overrun). Whilst the mongooses completed this task, they also disposed of pretty much all the birdlife of the island. To this day, the island is notably short of hedgerow birds, such assparrows.Mongooses are a hazard for domestic poultry, and are also known to cause damage in vineyards and orchards.[7]
Geography
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Mljet lies south of thePelješacpeninsula, from which it is divided by the Mljet Channel. Its length is 37 km (23 mi); its average breadth 3.2 km (2.0 mi). It is of volcanic origin,[citation needed]with numerous chasms and gorges, of which the longest, the Babino Polje, connects the north and south of the island. Port Polače, the principal harbour in the north, is a port of call for tourist ferries. Mljet contains one hotel—The Odisej (from the GreekOdysseus) in the north-west corner of the island.[citation needed]
The northwestern part of the island includes an inland lake as well as a small island within it. It has been part of theMljet National Parksince November 12, 1960. Over 84% of the island of 98.01 km2(37.84 sq mi) is forest.[8]The island's geological structure consists oflimestoneanddolomiteforming ridges, crests and slopes. A few depressions on the island of Mljet are below sea level and form non-permanent brackish lakes known asblatine( "mud-lakes" ) orslatine( "salt-lakes" ).[9]
The climate isMediterranean;an average air temperature in January is 9 °C (48 °F) and in July about 24 °C (75 °F). Precipitation (mostly falling between October and April) averages between 35 and 45 inches annually, with the hills receiving the highest amounts.[citation needed]
Settlements
editAccording to the 2011 census, the settlements of Mljet have the following population:[2]
- Babino Polje(270): largest settlement, police station, school
- Goveđari(151)
- Babine Kuće
- Pristanište
- Soline
- Pomena(52)
- Polače(113): ferry port, Roman ruins
- Blato(39)
- Ropa(37): auto camp
- Kozarica(28)
- Sobra(131): ferry port
- Prožura(40)
- Prožurska Luka(40)
- Maranovići(43)
- Okuklje(31)
- Korita(46)
- Saplunara(67): beach
Transportation
editThe island of Mljet has no airport.Dubrovnik Airporton the mainland provides the main international connection for the island. Mljet has ferry lines with Pelješac peninsula and Dubrovnik. Transportation to the island is provided byJadrolinijaferry service. Sobra, the main port on the island, is connected toDubrovnik-GružandStonvia a car ferry. There are two type of ferries available: a car ferry and a faster catamaran ferry (2.5 hours and 90 minutes to Dubrovnik, respectively).
The two-lane pavedD120 roadruns throughout the island. Scheduled buses on Mljet travel just once or twice a day.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^Duplančić Leder, Tea; Ujević, Tin; Čala, Mendi (June 2004)."Coastline lengths and areas of islands in the Croatian part of the Adriatic Sea determined from the topographic maps at the scale of 1: 25 000"(PDF).Geoadria.9(1).Zadar:5–32.doi:10.15291/geoadria.127.Archivedfrom the original on 21 October 2020.Retrieved19 November2019.
- ^ab"Population by Age and Sex, by Settlements, 2011 Census: Mljet".Census of Population, Households and Dwellings 2011.Zagreb:Croatian Bureau of Statistics.December 2012.
- ^"Population by Ethnicity, by Towns/Municipalities, 2011 Census: County of Dubrovnik-Neretva".Census of Population, Households and Dwellings 2011.Zagreb:Croatian Bureau of Statistics.December 2012.
- ^Sanader, Mirjana (2007).Kroatien in der Antike(in German). Von Zabern. p. 58.ISBN978-3-8053-3740-3.Archivedfrom the original on 2022-09-14.Retrieved2022-09-14.
In der Antike hieß sie Melite (Pseudo-Skylax 23), obwohl sie bei Apollonios Rhodios (4, 5629) auch als Meleda erwähnt wird.
- ^abBryant, Jacob (1715–1804)A New System, Or, An Analysis of Ancient Mythology: Wherein an Attempt is Made to Divest Tradition of Fable and to Reduce the Truth to Its Original Purity,The Third Edition in Six Volumes,printed for J. Walker;W. J. and J. Richardson;by R. Faulder Press,1807., Vol. V., pp 357-358.(in English)
- ^"Text fromancientlibrary.com".Archivedfrom the original on 2006-10-06.Retrieved2006-10-08.
- ^"Mungos - ljuti neprijatelj prirode".Zadarskilist.hr(in Croatian). 17 March 2009.Archivedfrom the original on 17 April 2012.Retrieved8 June2012.
- ^"Priručnik o kartama staništa Dalmacije"(PDF)(in Croatian and English). June 2009. p. 97.Archived(PDF)from the original on 21 July 2011.Retrieved14 February2011.
- ^"Nacionalni park".mljet.hr(in Croatian). Mljet Tourist Board.Archivedfrom the original on 16 July 2018.Retrieved16 July2018.
- This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:Chisholm, Hugh,ed. (1911). "Meleda".Encyclopædia Britannica.Vol. 18 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 93.
External links
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