Lesbos (Greek: Lesvos (Λέσβος)), is a Greek
island located in the northeastern Aegean Sea. Lesbos is part of the
Lesbos Prefecture, the third largest Greek island and the eighth
largest in the Mediterranean Sea. It has an area of 1,630 km²
(630 square miles) with 320 kilometres (almost 200 miles) of
coastline. Its population is approximately 90,000, a third of which
lives in its capital, Mytilene, in the southeastern part of the
island. The remaining population is distributed in small towns and
villages. The largest towns are Kalloni, Gera Villages, Plomari,
Agiasos, Eresos and Molyvos, the ancient Mythymna. Mytilene was
founded in the 11th century BC by the family Penthilidae, who
arrived from Thessaly, and ruled until the popular revolt (590–580
BC) led by Pittacus of Mytilene.
The word "lesbian" is derived from the poems of
Sappho, which contain powerful emotional content directed toward
other women and have frequently been interpreted as expressing
homosexual love. Because of this association, Lesbos and especially
the town of Eresos, birthplace of Sappho, are visited frequently by
lesbian tourists.