Map of "12 Islands" an island group in South Eastern of Aegean Sea
The Dodecanese (literally 'twelve islands') are a group of 15 larger plus 150 smaller Greek islands in the southeastern Aegean Sea, off the coast of Asia Minor (Turkey), of which 26 are inhabited. The most historically important and well-known is Rhodes, which has been the area's dominant island since Antiquity. Of the others, Kos and Patmos are historically the more important.
The most important are:
Rhodes, Kos, Agathonisi, Astypalaia, Kalymnos, Karpathos, Kasos, Leipsoi, Leros, Nisyros, Symi, Tilos, and Kastellorizo. Other islands in the chain include Alimia, Arkoi, Chalki, Farmakonisi, Gyali, Patmos, Kinaros, Levitha, Marathos, Nimos, Pserimos, Saria, Strongyli, Syrna and Telendos.