Chios (now called by the natives Chio, Italianised into Sçio) is one of the most beautiful and fertile islands in the Ægean Sea, belonging to Turkey, 7 miles off the coast of Asia Minor, at the entrance to the Gulf of Smyrna; about 30 miles long from north to south, by 8 to 15 miles broad, with a coast-line of about 110 miles, an area of 320 sq. m., and a pop. of about 70,000, almost all Greeks. The larger northern part is more mountainous than the southern. The climate is delightful and salubrious. Earthquakes are, however, not rare, and one in 1881 caused the death of 3558 persons, and the destruction of property to the value of three to four millions sterling. The wine produced on the north-west coast, the Vinum Arvisium of ancient times, is still esteemed. Other products are figs, also noted in classical days; mastic, silk, lemons, oranges, and olives. Goats' skins are also exported. The capital, Chios, about the middle of the east coast, contains about 13,000 inhabitants, and has a haven touched by various services of steamers, and doing a good trade. On the west coast is a rich monastery, Nea-Moni, founded in the 11th century. In ancient times excellent marble and potters' clay were quarried in the mountains, and recently pits of antimony and ochre are worked.
Chios is one of the places which contended for the honour of giving birth to Homer. It formed in early times one of the most flourishing of the Ionian States, and contributed 100 ships to the Greek force defeated by the Persians in the sea-fight off Miletus (494 B.C.). After the Persian victory the town and temples of Chios were burnt and many of the people enslaved. In more recent times the island was taken by the Genoese (1346), and by the Turks (1566), in whose hands it has since, except for a short interval, remained. It was conferred as private property on the sultana. After a long period of prosperity, Chios suffered a terrible blow during the war of Greek independence. A number of the Chioters having in 1821 joined the revolted Samians, a Turkish fleet and army in 1822 inflicted dreadful vengeance; 25,000 Chioters fell by the sword, 47,000 were sold into slavery, and only some 5000 escaped. A second rising in 1827 was likewise unsuccessful. The island has since been gradually recovering.