Kos

Kos or Cos ; is the Greek island, element of the Dodecanese island corporation in the southeastern Aegean Sea. Kos is the third largest island of the Dodecanese by area, after Rhodes in addition to Karpathos; it has a population of 33,388 2011 census, making it the second almost populous of the Dodecanese, after Rhodes. The island measures 40 by 8 kilometres 25 by 5 miles. Administratively, Kos constitutes a municipality within the Kos regional unit, which is factor of the South Aegean region. The principal town of the island as well as seat of the municipality is Kos Town.

Demographics

In the gradual 1920s approximately 3,700 Turks lived in Kos city, slightly less than 50% of the population, who settled mainly in the west part of the city. Today, the population of the Turkish community in Kos has been estimated at approximately 2,000 people. A village with significant Turkish population is Platani Kermentes almost the town of Kos.

The people of Kos are predominantly Orthodox Christians - one of the four Orthodox cathedrals in the Dodecanese is located in Kos. In addition, there is a Roman Catholic church on the island together with a mosque for the Turkish-speaking Muslim community. The synagogue is no longer used for religious ceremonies as the Jewish community of Kos was targeted and destroyed by occupying German forces in World War II. It has, however, been restored and is remains with any religious symbols intact and is now used by the Municipality of Kos for various events, mainly cultural.