Ischia

Ischia (ancient Aenaria), island, west central Italy, in the Tyrrhenian Sea between the gulfs of Gaeta and Salerno, forming part of Naples Province. Mountainous and of volcanic origin, the island, with an area of 47 sq km (18 sq mi), is dominated by the quiescent volcano Mount Epomeo, which rises to 789 m (2,589 ft). Agriculture and fishing are the chief occupations, and wine is produced. Numerous mineral springs on the island have made Ischia a popular health resort; the population (1990 estimate) is 17,600. The chief town, Ischia, on the north-eastern coast, is the site of a 15th-century castle built on the ruins of a 5th-century structure. The island was colonized by Greeks during the 5th century bc. After 474 bc it was successively a possession of Syracuse, Naples, and Rome. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions have devastated Ischia on several occasions; more than 1,500 people were killed in an earthquake in 1883.