Greece: Travel Guide: Dodecanese Islands: Rhodes

It lies approximately 11 miles (18 km) to the west of the Turkish shores, situated between the Greek mainland and the island of Cyprus. As of 2007, it has a population that exceeds 130,000, of whom roughly 80,000 reside in the City of Rhodes, the island's capital.

Historically, Rhodes was famous worldwide for the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The medieval Old Town of the City of Rhodes has been declared a World Heritage Site. Today Rhodes is a major international tourist destination.The island of Rhodes is shaped like a spearhead, 79.7 km long and 38 km wide with a total area of approximately 1,398 km² (540 square miles) and a coastline of approximately 220 km. The city of Rhodes is located at the far northern end of the island, including the site of the ancient and modern commercial harbor. The main air gateway (Diagoras International Airport, IATA code: RHO) is located 14 km to the southwest of the city in Paradisi. The road network radiates from the city along the east and west coasts.

In terms of flora and fauna, Rhodes is closer to Asia Minor than to the rest of Greece. The interior of the country is mountainous, sparsely inhabited and covered with forests of Pine (Pinus brutia) and Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens). The island is home to Rhodian deer. In Petaludes (Petaloudes) Valley, known in English as the Valley of the Butterflies, large numbers of tiger moths gather in the summer. Mount Attavyros, at 3,986 ft (1,215 m), is the island's highest point of elevation. While the shores are stony, the island has arable strips of land where citrus fruit, wine grapes, vegetables, olives and other crops are grown.

Outside of the city of Rhodes, the island is dotted with small villages and beach resorts, among them Faliraki, Lindos, Kremasti, Haraki, Pefkos, Archangelos, Afandou, Koskinou, Embona (Attavyros), Paradisi, and Trianta (Ialysos). Tourism is the island's primary source of income.