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Larissa (regional unit)

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Larissa ( Greek : Περιφερειακή ενότητα Λάρισας ) is one of the regional units of Greece . It is part of the region of Thessaly . Its capital is the city of Larissa . Total population 268,963 (2021).

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23-519: Larissa is the second largest regional unit in Greece, exceeded only by Aetolia-Acarnania . It covers about one-third of Thessaly. It borders the regional units of Kozani to the northwest, Pieria to the northeast, the Aegean Sea to the east, Magnesia to the southeast, Phthiotis to the south, Karditsa to the southwest and Trikala to the west. The tallest mountain in Greece, Mount Olympus (2,917 m)

46-533: A prefecture and merged to form Aetolia-Acarnania after the Greek War of Independence in the late-1820s; the prefecture included Evrytania at the time, and it ranked second largest in Greece. Evrytania separated from the prefecture in 1948. In the 20th century, ferry services between Rio and the Peloponnese began. and in the 1950s and the 1960s ferry services began to incorporate vehicles. Following World War II and

69-449: A small distance from Larisa (26 kilometers). Sporting clubs include: Aetolia-Acarnania Aetolia-Acarnania ( Greek : Αιτωλοακαρνανία , Aitoloakarnanía , Greek pronunciation: [etolo.akarnaˈni.a] ) is one of the regional units of Greece . It is part of the geographic region of Central Greece and the administrative region of West Greece . A combination of the historical regions of Aetolia and Acarnania , it

92-407: Is harsher in the mountains areas, notably the north and Mount Olympus. Larissa is often the warmest area in Greece in summer and the coldest in winter. The highest temperature ever recorded was 45.4 °C (2000) and the coldest was -21.6 °C (1968). The city experiences very often temperatures over 40 °C. The regional unit Larissa is subdivided into 7 municipalities. These are (number as in

115-579: Is situated in the northeastern part of the regional unit. Mount Ossa is situated in the east, at the Aegean coast. The lower stretch of the river Pineios flows through the Vale of Tempe , between Olympus and Ossa. The northern part is covered with forests , but most of the regional unit is fertile land, the Thessalian Plain . Larissa has a mainly Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters. Winter

138-579: Is the country's largest regional unit. Its capital is Missolonghi for historical reasons, with its biggest city and economic centre at Agrinio . The area is now connected with the Peloponnese peninsula via the Rio-Antirio Bridge . The surrounding regional units take in Arta in Epirus , a narrow length bordering Karditsa of Thessaly , Evrytania to the northeast, and Phocis to the east. Mountains dominate

161-643: Is the dominant geographical feature of the Greek region of Thessaly . The plain is formed by the Pineios River and its tributaries and is surrounded by mountains: the Pindus mountain range to the west, which separates Thessaly from Epirus ; Mount Othrys and its outliers in the south; Mount Pelion to the east; Mount Ossa and Mount Olympus to the northeast, with the pass of the Tempe Valley leading to Macedonia ; and

184-533: Is the second leading industry. The Thessalian Plain is famous for its crops including fruits ( watermelon and melon ), vegetables ( tomatoes , potatoes , cucumbers , onions , etc.), cotton , dairy, cattle and other crops. There are a number of highways E75 and the main railway from Athens to Thessaloniki crosses Thessaly . The region is directly linked to the rest of Europe through International Airport of Central Greece located in Nea Anchialos in

207-567: The Chasia and Kamvounia mountains to the north. The plain was extremely fertile, and up until the early 20th century the area was a breadbasket for Greece. The existence of the plain also made Thessaly one of the few areas in ancient Greece that could field large numbers of cavalry; the Thessalian cavalry was an important component in the Ancient Macedonian army of Philip II and Alexander

230-568: The Greek Civil War a number of buildings needed to be repaired. A drawbridge linking the island of Lefkada was built in the 1960s. The prefecture's first reservoir, created by the Acheloos Dam over the Acheloos , was under construction in 1967 and completed in the early 1970s, delivering water and hydropower to western part of Greece. Villages were relocated at the time. Two more dams were added,

253-980: The Kefalonia and Ithaca regional units. There is one reservoir and a lake in its central part. The many mountains of the area span the Panaitoliko toward the northeast and the Acarnanian Mountains , the Valtos and the Makrynoros mountains in the north, the Nafpaktia Mountains in the southeast, the Arakynthos and Kravara in the south. Lakes include the Amvrakia , the Lysimachia , Ozeros , and Trichonida , and artificial lakes and reservoirs include Kastraki , Kremasta ,

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276-505: The Stratos Hydroelectric Dam in the 1980s and another in the late 1980s. The following years, GR-5 bypassed Messolonghi and Agrinion and GR-38 became connected with paved road with Eurytania and Phthiotida. In the late-1980s, the by-pass of Naupaktos began construction but after paving the road, the signs did not appear and until 1998, it was left unopened. In 1999, the road was re-repaired and finally opened to traffic. In 2000,

299-683: The construction of the Rio-Antirio or the Charilaos Trikoupis Bridge connecting the Peloponnese began construction and was opened to traffic in August 2004. The superhighway, the Ionia Odos (Ionian Motorway) which will run centrally bypassing communities began construction in 2001 at a part between Messolonghi and the curve, this section remains to be unpaved, the rest of the highway is in plan but

322-504: The largest lake in Greece since its creation in 1970, and Stratos . Two lagoons are found in the southern part of the regional unit: the Messolongi and the Aitoliko . The lowest altitude in Greece is found in west Aetolia-Acarnania at about -10 meters from the sea level. Its climate ranges from hot and humid summers, with temperatures often surpassing 40 °C, to mild and short winters in

345-569: The low-lying areas, with cool winters dominating in the mountain areas. At the highest elevations, summers are cool, and snow and cold weather dominate the winter months in the Panaitoliko. During the Ottoman period , between the 16th century until the Greek War of Independence , the region was called Karleli and formed a province ( sanjak ) in the Rumelia Eyalet . Aetolia and Acarnania became

368-548: The map in the infobox): Larissa was created as a prefecture ( Greek : Νομός Λάρισας ) in 1882. As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform , the regional unit Larissa was created out of the former prefecture Larissa. The prefecture had the same territory as the present regional unit. At the same time, the municipalities were reorganised, according to the table below. Note: Provinces no longer hold any legal status in Greece , they were abolished in 2006. The area of Larissa

391-551: The north, northeast, west and southeast, especially the Acarnanian Mountains . The longest and main river is the Acheloos , which ends as a delta in wetlands to the southwest on a rich fertile valley. The second longest is Evinos ; others include the Ermitsa , the Inachos , and the Mornos (on the border with Phocis). The regional unit excludes the islands lying to its west, since they belong to

414-429: The opening date is not yet set. A railway formerly served the places from Kryoneri and Agrinio and served with the ferry with Rio . In the 1980s, the service came to an end. The regional unit Aetolia-Acarnania is subdivided into 7 municipalities. These are (number in parentheses corresponds to number in the infobox's map): As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform , the regional unit Aetolia-Acarnania

437-681: The prefecture, the Tempe Valley and Mount Olympus , were taken by Greece during the First Balkan War in 1912-1913. The economy increased since the annexation in 1881 and later after 1913 for the north. After the Greco-Turkish War in Asia Minor of 1920-1922, refugees were relocated to the Prefecture. Several villages were created for them across the prefecture. During World War II , the area

460-603: Was a major scene of partisan activity. The occupation and the subsequent Greek Civil War however destroyed most of the local infrastructure. From the 1950s on, the road network was significantly expanded: the GR-1 was opened in 1957 and extended in the 1960s to the Tempe Valley. In 1984, the University of Thessaly opened its doors. Its main economy since the 1970s are manufacturing, businesses, communications and services. Agriculture

483-574: Was awarded to Greece in the Congress of Berlin in 1878, and finally incorporated into the Hellenic Kingdom in 1881, albeit parts of the modern Larissa prefecture, including Tyrnavos , Elassona and Sarantaporo , remained Ottoman. During the Greco-Turkish War of 1897 , the area was successfully invaded by the Ottomans, but in the end Greece conceded only minor territorial losses. The northern portions of

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506-473: Was created out of the former prefecture Aetolia-Acarnania ( Greek : Νομός Αιτωλοακαρνανίας ). The prefecture had the same territory as the present regional unit. At the same time, the municipalities were reorganised, according to the table below. Note: Provinces no longer hold any legal status in Greece . Thessalian Plain The Thessalian plain ( Greek : Θεσσαλική πεδιάδα, Θεσσαλικός κάμπος )

529-754: Was home to the Pelasgians until they merged into the broader Greek culture . The area was invaded and was ruled by the Kingdom of Macedonia a few centuries later, and was conquered by the Roman Republic after the Third Macedonian War . The Roman imperial period was followed by Byzantine rule , which was in turn succeeded by the Ottoman Empire . Parts of Thessaly revolted during the Greek War of Independence , but Thessaly remained under Ottoman Turkish rule. It

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