Biggest Greek islands by Population

The biggest Greek islands by population are led by Crete, followed by Euboea, Rhodes, Lesvos, and Corfu. Other highly populated islands include Chios, Kefalonia, Zakynthos, Samos, and Kos, all of which support significant permanent communities alongside tourism. Expect more populated islands to have stronger infrastructure, larger towns, year-round economies, and a more urbanised feel compared to sparsely populated or highly seasonal destinations. Here you will find Greek islands by population, which naturally includes the most populated Greek islands. This list of greek islands by population primarily focuses on the biggest isles. For the seperate ALL greek islands ranked by population, click here.

 

Greek Islands by Population

If you are looking at Greek islands by population, Crete is comfortably the most populated Greek island, followed by Evia, Rhodes, Corfu and Lesbos. The population of Greek islands varies enormously, from Crete’s 624,408 residents and Evia’s 191,206 down through much smaller permanent communities, so Greek island populations can give you a very different picture from rankings based purely on physical size.

A list of Greek islands by population is useful for understanding where the largest permanent communities are concentrated, with Chios, Zakynthos, Kos, Kefalonia and Samos also appearing among the more populated islands. Looking at Greek islands population figures rather than tourist numbers gives a better indication of the islands with substantial year-round populations and established local communities.

 

FAQ

 

Is Rhodes Bigger Than Corfu?

Yes, Rhodes is bigger than Corfu by land area. Rhodes covers approximately 1,401 km², compared with about 592.9 km² for Corfu, making Rhodes more than twice the size of Corfu.

 

Is Corfu Bigger Than Rhodes?

No. Corfu covers approximately 592.9 km², while Rhodes covers about 1,401 km², making Rhodes more than twice as large as Corfu by land area.

 

Is Rhodes the Biggest Greek Island?

No. Crete is the biggest Greek island at approximately 8,336 km², while Rhodes ranks fourth at about 1,401 km², behind Crete, Evia and Lesvos.

 

Is Crete Bigger Than Corfu?

Yes. Crete covers approximately 8,336 km², while Corfu covers about 592.9 km², making Crete more than fourteen times larger by land area.

 

Is Kefalonia Bigger Than Corfu?

Yes. Kefalonia covers approximately 781 km², compared with about 592.9 km² for Corfu, so Kefalonia is roughly 188 km² larger by land area.

Most Populated Greek Islands

The most populated Greek islands are led by Crete, which has 624,408 residents, followed by Evia with 191,206, Rhodes with 125,113, Corfu with 99,134 and Lesbos with 83,755. These are also the largest Greek islands by population, while the wider ranking continues with Chios, Zakynthos, Kos, Kefalonia and Samos.

Crete is therefore the most populated Greek island by a very large margin, with more than three times the population of Evia, the second-most populated island. The biggest Greek islands by population then become progressively smaller, but even islands such as Chios, Zakynthos, Kos, Kefalonia and Samos maintain substantial permanent populations compared with the many smaller Greek islands.

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Last Updated on September 4, 2026 by admin