Stories of a mysterious island called Atlantis date from around 400 BC. Ever since then people have been searching all over the world for it. It was Plato, a Greek philosopher, who first wrote about the long-lost civilization. He said that more than 9,000 years before, Atlantis had been a great and wealthy nation. He described Atlantis as a beautiful place where all the people were happy. Herds of elephants and horses lived on the island. There was enough money and food for everyone, and the people spent their time building temples and gardens. Sadly for the people of Atlantis, this happy life did not last forever. Plato described how a huge earthquake destroyed the island, the following flood covered it with water and Atlantis disappeared beneath the sea. It is an amazing story of a beautiful city hidden for thousands of years beneath the sea. Unfortunately, apart from Plato’s writing, there is no evidence to suggest that Atlantis ever existed. Plato said that it was in the Atlantic Ocean near Gibraltar, but after hundreds of years of searching, nothing has been found. However, this has not discouraged many researchers and historians who are sure that Atlantis does exist. Hundreds of books have been written on the lost island and there are now and then new ideas about possible locations. Some people think it is really the Greek island of Thera, which was destroyed by a volcano in 1500 BC. Others believe Atlantis was in Turkey, Spain, America or Africa. One 17th century expert was sure that Atlantis was part of Sweden. Another believed it was in the Arctic Ocean. Only one thing is certain: until someone actually finds a ruined city somewhere under the sea, the existence of Atlantis will remain a mystery.