Pityusic Islands

Pityusic Islands

Islas Pitiusas • Illes Pitiüses
Etymology	Greek: Πιτυοῦσσαι, romanized: Pityûssai, lit. 'pine-covered' (islands)
Geography
Location	Mediterranean Sea
Coordinates
Archipelago	Balearic Islands
Area	655.8 km2 (253.2 sq mi)
Highest elevation	475 m (1558 ft)
Highest point	Sa Talaiassa
Administration
Spain
Autonomous Community	Balearic Islands
Province	Balearic Islands
Largest settlement	Ibiza (pop. 49,783)
Demographics
Population	160,025 (1 January 2019)
Pop. density	244.0/km2 (632/sq mi)

The Pityusic Islands, often referenced simply as the Pityuses (Catalan: Pitiüses [pitiˈuzəs], Spanish: Pitiusas [pitiˈusas]; from the Greek πιτύα pitýa, pine tree), or commonly but informally (and ambiguously) as the Pine Islands, is the name given collectively to the Balearic Islands of Ibiza (Catalan: Eivissa), Formentera, S'Espalmador and other small islets in the Mediterranean Sea.

Geography

Enlargeable, detailed map of Eivissa and Formentera

The islands are situated approximately 100 kilometres (62 miles) southwest of the island of Majorca, and approximately 80 km (50 mi) east of the Cap de la Nau in the Iberian Peninsula.

History

The first known name of the islands was the Ancient Greek geonym Πιτυοῦσσαι Pityûssai ("covered in pine trees").

From about 200 BCE, the islands were used as a base by Cilician pirates. They and a renegade Roman general, Quintus Sertorius, who had formed an alliance with the pirates, were driven out by a large Roman fleet, commanded by Caius Annius Luscus.

The two largest of the islands, under the names Ebyssus (Ibiza) and Ophiusis (Formentera), were listed in Claudius Ptolemy's Geography (2nd century CE). Ptolemy noted that Ebyssus had a town by the same name.

Administration

The Pine Islands are sometimes grouped together as part of the Balearic Islands, or else considered separate with the Balearics proper being Mallorca and Menorca (which together with their islets form the Gymnesian Islands). Politically, they are part of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands.

Initially, they were administratively part of the same insular council (of Ibiza and Formentera), but since 2007 they are now separated between the insular council of Ibiza and the insular council of Formentera (each one is also assimilated to a single comarca), which are two of the four main administrative subdivisions of the province (and autonomous community) of the Balearic Islands.

Gallery

• 
  Beach on Ibiza
• 
  Ibiza Town
• 
  Beach on Formentera

Flags and coats of arms

• 
  Flag of Ibiza
• 
  Flag of Formentera
• 
  Emblem of the Island Council of Ibiza
• 
  Coat of arms of Sant Antoni de Portmany
• 
  Coat of arms of Sant Joan de Labritja
• 
  Coat of arms of Santa Eulària des Riu
• 
  Coat of arms of Ibiza

See also

• Gymnesian Islands (Illes Gimnèsies)

Further reading

• Kuhbier, Heinrich; Alcover, Josep Antoni; Guerau d'Arellano Tur, Cristòfol, eds. (1984). Biogeography and Ecology of the Pityusic Islands. Monographiae Biologicae, Volume 52. The Hague, The Netherlands: Dr. W. Junk (Kluwer). ISBN 978-90-6193-105-8.