Šipan
Southern Croatian island in the Dubrovnik-Neretva county / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Šipan?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
Šipan (pronounced [ʃǐpan]) (/ʃipɑːn/) (Italian: Giuppana), nicknamed the Golden Island,[3] is an island located in southern Croatia, more specifically in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County. It is located 17 km (11 mi) northwest of Dubrovnik, and is separated from the mainland coast by the Koločep Channel, which has an area of 16.22 km2 (6.3 sq mi).[4] The island is 9.1 km (5.7 mi) in length, and up to 2.6 km (1.6 mi) in width. It is a part of the Elaphiti Islands, and is the largest island in the archipelago. The name of the archipelago comes from the Ancient Greek word for deer (Greek: ἔλαφος, romanized: elaphos), which, according to Pliny the Elder, used to inhabit the Elaphiti Islands in large numbers. There is, however, no evidence of deer ever inhabiting the archipelago.[1]
Nickname: The Golden Island | |
---|---|
Geography | |
Location | Adriatic Sea |
Archipelago | Elaphiti Islands |
Area | 16.22 km2 (6.26 sq mi) |
Length | 9.1 km (5.65 mi) |
Width | 2.6 km (1.62 mi) |
Highest elevation | 243 m (797 ft)[1] |
Highest point | Velji Vrh[1] |
Administration | |
County | Dubrovnik-Neretva |
Demographics | |
Population | 476[2] (2021) |
Pop. density | 29.34/km2 (75.99/sq mi) |
Šipan's population was 476 as of 2021, an increase from the 416 people in 2011.[2][5] Its highest point, the Velji Vrh, lies at 243 m (797 ft) above sea level, and is located in the northwestern part of the island. The Velji Vrh is one of two limestone crests, the other being the Kameni Luk, located in the southeast, which surround a dolomite depression, on which fruits such as oranges and other citrus are cultivated.[6] It holds the Guinness World Record for the most olive trees relative to an island's size and population.[7]
Šipan can be reached by ferries from Dubrovnik, which also go to Lopud and Koločep (locally known as Kalamota), the latter of which is the southernmost inhabited island in Croatia.[8] There are two ports on the island, Suđurađ (Italian: San Giorgio) in the east, and Šipanska Luka (Italian: Porto Giuppana) in the west.