Central Greece (geographic region)

Central part of Greece

This article is about the geographic region of Central Greece. For the administrative region, see Central Greece (administrative region). For the NUTS 1 statistical region, see Kentriki Ellada.

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Geographic region of Greece

Continental/Central Greece

Στερεά/Κεντρική Ελλάδα
Stereá/Kentrikí Elláda

Geographic region of Greece

Continental Greece (blue) within Greece

Capital| Athens (until 1987, then abolished)
Subdivisions|

List

* Aetolia-Acarnania
* Attica
* Boeotia
* Euboea
* Evrytania
* Phocis
* Phthiotis

Area

• Total

| 24,818.3 km2 (9,582.4 sq mi)
Population

• Total

| 4,591,568 (2,001 census)
• Density| 185/km2 (480/sq mi)
Demonym(s)| Stereoelladites, Roumeliotes

Continental Greece (Greek: Στερεά Ελλάδα, romanized: Stereá Elláda; formerly Χέρσος Ἑλλάς, Chérsos Ellás), colloquially known as Roumeli (Ρούμελη),[1] is a traditional geographic region of Greece.[2] In English, the area is usually called Central Greece, but the equivalent Greek term (Κεντρική Ελλάδα, Kentrikí Elláda) is more rarely used.

It includes the southern part of the Greek mainland (sans the Peloponnese), as well as the offshore island of Euboea. Since 1987, its territory has been divided among the administrative regions of Central Greece and Attica, and the regional unit (former prefecture) of Aetolia-Acarnania in the administrative region of Western Greece.

## Etymology

[edit]

The region has traditionally been known as Roúmeli (Ρούμελη), a name deriving from the Turkish word Rūm-eli, meaning "the land of the Rūm [the Romans, i.e. the Byzantine Greeks]" and originally encompassing all of the Ottoman Empire's European possessions. The official name Stereá Elláda ("Continental" or "Mainland" Greece) derives from the juxtaposition with the Peloponnese peninsula across the Corinthian Gulf, and the fact that these two territories formed the independent First Hellenic Republic after the Greek War of Independence (1821–1829).

## Geography

[edit]

Mount Parnassus Nafpaktos

Central Greece is the most populous geographical region of Greece, with a population of 4,591,568 people, and covers an area of 24,818.3 km2 (9,582.4 sq mi), making it the second-largest of the country. It is located to the north of the Peloponnese and to the south of Thessaly and Epirus, bordering the Aegean Sea to the east, the Ionian Sea to the west and the Corinthian Gulf to the south. Its climate is temperate along its coastlines, and dry in the interior.[citation needed]

### Mountains

[edit]

The region is one of the most mountainous in Greece, having some of the highest elevations in the country.

Number | Mountain | Height (m) | Ranking
in Greece | Regional unit

|
|
|
|

1 | Giona |

2,510

5th

| Phocis
2 | Vardousia |

2,495

7th

| Phocis
3 | Parnassus |

2,457

9th

| Phocis, Boeotia
4 | Tymfristos |

2,315

16th

| Evrytania, Phthiotis
5 | Oeta |

2,152

22nd

| Phthiotis

### Lakes

[edit]

Central Greece also has some of the largest lakes in Greece; among the most important is Mornos lake in Phocis, which supplies water to Phocis, parts of Phthiotis, Boeotia, and Athens as well.

Number | Lake | Area (km2) | Ranking
in Greece | Regional unit

|
|
|
|

1 | Trichonida |

96.513

1st

| Aetolia-Acarnania
2 | Yliki |

22.731

9th

| Boeotia
3 | Amvrakia |

13.619

13th

| Aetolia-Acarnania
4 | Lysimachia |

13.200

14th

| Aetolia-Acarnania
5 | Ozeros |

10.013

16th

| Aetolia-Acarnania

### Rivers

[edit]

Achelous river

Some important and well-known rivers of Central Greece are the Acheloos in Aetolia-Acarnania, which is the second longest of the country, the Spercheios in Phthiotis, the Evenus in Aetolia-Acarnania, and the Mornos in Phocis.

## Cities

[edit]

Lamia

The principal cities of the region of Central Greece according to the census of 2001 are:

* Athens

3,130,841 (Athens urban area)

3,761,810 (Athens metropolitan area)
* Lamia

58,601

* Agrinio

57,147

* Chalkida

53,584

* Thebes

21,211

* Livadeia

20,061

## Gallery

[edit]

* The Athenian Treasury in Delphi

* Livadeia

* Galaxidi

* Chalkis

* Hosios Loukas

* Fustanella from central Greece

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Ρούμελη". Dictionary of Standard Modern Greek (in Greek). Institute of Modern Greek Studies (Manolis Triantafyllidis Foundation). 1998.
2. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20060202164242/http://www.stereaellada.gr/

## External links

[edit]

* ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ - ΠΕΡΙΦΕΡΕΙΑ ΣΤΕΡΕΑΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΑΣ (in Greek)

* v
* t
* e

Traditional geographic regions of Greece

* Aegean Islands
* Central Greece (Attica)
* Crete
* Epirus
* Ionian Islands
* Macedonia
* Peloponnese
* Thessaly
* Thrace

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* United States

Other|

* Yale LUX

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