Chio, or Khiro (anc. Chios), an island belonging to Asiatic Turkey, lying in the Grecian Archipelago, off the coast of Asia Minor, from which it is separated by the Strait of Scio, about 7 miles wide at the narrowest point. N. Lat. (of the capital) 38° 33′; E. Lon. 26° 1′. Length from N. to S. 32 miles, greatest breadth 18; area, 508 square miles. The surface is rocky and uneven, being traversed by several limestone ridges, with rich and beautiful valleys between. It is, indeed, one of the most beautiful of all the Grecian islands; and is abundantly watered by many springs and rivulets, so as to preserve a constant verdure. As only a small portion of the soil is fit for the plough, corn is not raised to any great extent; but the ground is suitable to various other valuable crops. The wine of Chios was one of the most esteemed beverages of the ancient world, and is still held in some repute. In modern times, however, the chief production of the island has been gum mastic, obtained from the juice of a certain shrub. Figs, oranges, lemons, and other fruits, are also raised; and among its other productions are silk, cotton, oil, and wool. The only mineral of importance is marble, of which there is a quarry near the chief town. The chief articles imported into the island are corn, iron, tin, earthenware, and colonial produce. A considerable navigation is carried on, both in the foreign and coasting trade. The port, however, is so choked up with mud as to be difficult and dangerous of entrance. Hence few European vessels anchor here. Scio is connected by ancient tradition with the father of Greek poetry, "the blind old man of Scio's rocky isle;" it was one of the seven places that contended for the honour of having given him birth. Apart from this doubtful renown, the history of the island, both in ancient and modern times, has much interest. The original inhabitants are believed to have been Pelasgians, who came, according to one tradition, from Thessaly. Subsequently Ionian settlers established themselves here, but did not entirely expel the previous occupants. Chios thus became a member of the Ionian confederation of twelve states on the Asiatic islands and coast. Its insular position protected it against the Lydian, and for a time against the Persian power. But in the Ionian revolt, the Chians lent their assistance to their fellow-countrymen by furnishing ships to the fleet, which was totally defeated by the Persians off Miletus, 494 B.C. The conquerors in consequence landed on the island, and ravaged it with fire and sword. The battle of Mycale, in 479, liberated Chios from the Persian yoke, but only to become a dependency of Athens. To this power it remained faithful, till after the outbreak of the Peloponnesian war; but as that disastrous contest proceeded, and the fortune of war began to prove adverse to Athens, the Chians attempted to assert their liberty. They suffered several defeats from the Athenians, who laid waste the island, but could not conquer the capital. At a later period Chios was again subject to Athens, and again revolted, and seems to have maintained its independence for some time. It gave assistance to the Romans in their war with Antiochus, 190 B.C.; and afterwards, when allied with Mithridates, that monarch, suspecting the people of a bearing towards the Romans, sent a lieutenant, who carried the inhabitants away from the island, 86 B.C. They were restored by the Romans; and, in consideration of this calamity, the island was made a free state and an ally of Rome. Under the Roman empire the history of Chios presents no event of importance; but in subsequent times the place appears as the scene of great calamities as before. Early in the fourteenth century, the Turks conquered the capital, and perpetrated a general massacre of its inhabitants; but from 1346 to 1566 Scio was held by the Genoese. In the latter year it was conquered by Soliman the Magnificent; and since that time, with the exception of a short period Scio, when the Venetians possessed it, the island has belonged to the Ottoman empire. In 1822, during the Greek insurrection, a number of Samians landed in Scio, and persuaded or forced its peaceful inhabitants to rise against the Turks. They did not succeed in mastering the castle; and soon an army was landed from Asia, who renewed the ancient calamities of the island. The plunder and massacre that ensued were so unsparing, that in a short time only 2000 Christians were left out of a population of 110,000. Many traces of this disaster may yet be seen in Scio, but it is beginning to recover from its desolation, and the population is estimated at 62,000. The capital, called Khio or Castro, occupies the site of the ancient Chios, near the middle of the east coast. It is generally well built, in the Italian style, and has a castle and a harbour. Some remains of ancient buildings are still to be seen. Previous to 1822 the population was 30,000; it is now not half that number.