Zakynthos (Zante) is the Greek island, third largest of the Ionian island. It lies in the eastern part of the Ionian Sea, around 20 kilometres west of the Greek (Peloponnese) mainland.
Zakynthos is about 40 kilometres long and 20 kilometres wide, and covers an area of 405.55 km2 . Its coastline is approximately 123 km in length.
In Greek mythology the island was said to be named after Zakynthos, the son of the legendary Arcadian chief Dardanus.
Island is a tourist destination, with an international airport served by charter flights from northern Europe.
The capital has the same name as the island, the town of Zakynthos.
The mild Mediterranean climate and plentiful winter rainfall endow the island with dense vegetation. The principal agricultural products are olive oil, currants, grapes and citrus fruit. The Zante currant is a small sweet seedless grape that is native to the island.
The Bay of Laganas is the site of the first National Marine Park and the prime nesting area for loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) in the Mediterranean

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