Ionian Islands 4.35

The Ionian Islands are a group of islands in Greece. They are traditionally called the Heptanese, i.e. "the Seven Islands", but the group includes many smaller islands as well as the seven principal ones. As a distinct historic region they date to the centuries-long Venetian rule, which preserved them from becoming part of the Ottoman Empire, and created a distinct cultural identity with many Italian influences. The Ionian Islands became part of the modern Greek state in 1864. Administratively today they belong to the Ionian Islands Region except for Kythera, which belongs to the Attica Region.GeographyThe seven islands are; from north to south:Kerkyra (Κέρκυρα) usually known as Corfu in English and Corfù in ItalianPaxi (Παξοί) also known as Paxos in EnglishLefkada (Λευκάδα) also known as Lefkas in EnglishIthaki (Ιθάκη) usually known as Ithaca in EnglishKefalonia (Κεφαλλονιά) often known as Kefalonia, Cephalonia and Kefallinia in EnglishZakynthos (Ζάκυνθος) sometimes known as Zante in English and ItalianKythira (Κύθηρα) usually known as Cythera in English and sometimes known as Cerigo in English and Italian The six northern islands are off the west coast of Greece, in the Ionian Sea. The seventh island, Kythira, is off the southern tip of the Peloponnese, the southern part of the Greek mainland. Kythira is not part of the region of the Ionian Islands, as it is included in the region of Attica.