Zante

Zante (anc. Zaeyntnos), one of the principal Ionian Islands, 9 miles from the north-west coast of the Morea, and 8 south of Cephalonia, is about 24 miles long, 12 broad, and has a pop. of 45,522. In the west it attains a maximum altitude of 2486 feet; the centre is fertile, formed by depression, and is mainly devoted to the growing of the dwarf species of vine, originally brought from Corinth, from which currants are produced. Zante is mentioned in Homer with the epithet 'woody,' which is not apt at the present day, although it is justly called in an Italian proverb 'the flower of the Levant.' It is not volcanic, although thought to be so by the natives from the pitch-wells and the not infrequent earthquakes. Currants are largely exported, mostly to England, where, according to Lithgow the traveller, they were first introduced from Zante about 1550.—ZANTE, the capital, the largest town in the Ionian Islands, is situated at the head of a small bay on the east coast. Pop. 17,000. See IONIAN ISLANDS.