Panayır Island ( tr, Panayır Adası), deriving from its Greek name Panagia ( el, Παναγία), is an
Aegean island of
Turkey. It was once known as ''Ziraat Island'' ("Agriculture Island"). It is now also known as ''Altın Adası'' ("Gold Island"). The island is a part of
Didim ilçe (district) of
Aydın Province
Aydın Province ( tr, ) is a province of southwestern Turkey, located in the Aegean Region. The provincial capital is the city of Aydın which has a population of almost 200,000 (2012). Other towns in the province include the summer seaside re ...
at The area of the island is about . Its distance to main land (Altınkum beach of Didim in
Anatolia) is .
Currently the island is uninhabited. But there is an abandoned church, a building of the
Ministry of Agriculture and a lighthouse in the island. The island was used to be officially recognized as a
SIT area (archaeological site). But in 2010,
Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning ended its SIT status. Now there is an intense discussion on the future of the island
Hürriyet newspaper
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References
{{Islands of Turkey
Aegean islands
Islands of Turkey
Islands of Aydın Province
Didim District