Larissa Prefecture

Larissa Prefecture Νομός Λαρίσας
Country:	Greece
Capital:	Larissa
Periphery:	Thessaly
Population:	282,447 (2005)Ranked 7th
Area:	5,381 km²  (2,078 sq.mi.) Ranked 2nd
Density:	52 /km²  (136 /sq.mi.)
Number of municipalities:	28
Number of communities:	4
Postal codes:	40x xx - 41x xx
Area codes:	2410, 249x0
Licence plate code:	ΡΙ
ISO 3166-2 code:	GR-42

Larissa (Greek: Λάρισα, Lárisa) is a prefecture of Greece, in the periphery of Thessaly. Its capital is the city of Larissa. The prefecture was created in 1881 after the war when most of Thessaly became a part of Greece and the entire region in 1913 after the Balkan Wars. The prefecture until after the war in 1947 included Magnesia.

Municipalities and communities

Map	Municipality	YPES code	Seat (if different)	Postal code	Area Number	N.
	Agia	3301		400 03	24940-2	2
	Ampelonas	3303		404 00	24920-31	3
	Antichasia	3304	Kranea	400 01	24930-51	4
	Armenio	3305		415 00	2410-7	5
	Elassona	3309		402 00	24930-2	8
	Enippeas	3310	Megalo Evydrio	403 00	24910-71	9
	Evrymenes	3311	Stomio	400 07	24950-91	10
	Farsala	3331		403 00	24910-2	28
	Giannouli	3307		415 00	2410-59	6
	Gonnoi	3308		400 04	24950-31	7
	Kato Olympos	3313	Pyrgetos	400 07	24950-4	11
	Kileler	3314		415 00	2410-73	12
	Koilada	3315		415 00	2410-81	13
	Krannonas	3316	Agioi Anargyroi	415 00	2410-75	14
	Lakereia	3317	Dimitra	400 03	24940-71	15
	Larissa	3318		410 through 414	2410 - 2 through 6	1
	Livadi	3319		400 02	24930-41	16
	Makrychori	3320		400 06	24950-2	17
	Melivoia	3321	Sotiritsa	400 03	24940-51	18
	Narthaki	3322		403 00	24910-93	19
	Nessonas	3323	Sykourio	400 06	24950-51	20
	Nikaia	3324		415 00	2410-9	21
	Olympos	3325	Kallithea	402 00	24930-61	22
	Platykampos	3326		400 09	2410-54 and 97	23
	Polydamantas	3327	Vamvakou	403 00	24910-9	24
	Potamia	3328	Vlachogiannio	401 00	24920-91	25
	Sarantaporo	3329		402 00	24930-93	26
	Tyrnavos	3330		401 00	24920-2	27
	Community	YPES code	Seat (if different)	Postal code	Area Number	N.
	Ampelakia	3302		400 04	24950-93	29
	Karya	3312		402 00	24920-91	31
	Tsaritsani			402 00		32
	Verdikousa	3306		400 05	24920-81	30

Provinces

• Province of Larissa - Larissa
• Province of Tyrnavos - Tyrnavos
• Province of Agia - Agia
• Province of Elassona - Elassona
• Province of Farsala - Farsala

Note: Provinces no longer hold any legal status in Greece.

Geography

It is the second largest prefecture in area in Greece, exceeded only by Aetolia-Acarnania. Larissa prefecture features the Tempe Valley, and the NE part of the Pineios River. It is the largest prefecture in Thessaly covering about one-third of the region. It also contains the tallest mountain in Greece, Mount Olympus with an elevation of 2,917 m. The climate is more continental than any other part of Greece. It has a Mediterranean climate with dry hot summers and mild to cool winters, except in the mountain areas which get warm summers and cold winters. The highest temperature ever recorded was 45.2 °C and the coldest was -21.6 °C. In the summer, Larissa is often the warmest area in Greece and often the coldest in winter.

It is bounded by the prefectures of Kozani to the northwest, Pieria to the northeast (both in Macedonia), the Aegean Sea to the east, Magnesia to the southeast, Phthiotis to the south (in Central Greece periphery), Karditsa to the southwest and Trikala to the west. Larissa and Kozani are the prefectures that border the most other prefectures. The southern part, the northern part, and the northwestern part are heavily covered with forests while the central, the southwestern, the western and the southeastern part are covered with fertile land that is called the Thessalian Plain. The barren rocks are to the east and the northeast within the Aegean Sea and in the Olympus area. Lake Voivi is situated in the southeast and is a lagoon dividing the Thessalian Plain and the Pelion ranges, and with the prefecture of Magnesia.

Climate

Its climate is mainly of Mediterranean climate with hot summers and cold winters in the low lying areas. Temperate climates are in area that are elevations that do not exceed 1,500 m. Winter is mainly dominant in the mountains areas as well as the northernmost portion and Mount Olympus.

History

The area of Larissa was home to the Pelasgians until they merged into the broeader 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 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 the prefecture, the Tempe Valley and Mount Olympus, were not taken by Greece until 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, some refugees were relocated to the Prefecture and created several villages across the prefecture, some went to towns and cities. The economy was improved until 1940. Electricity arrived in the 1930s as well as pavement of roads and the arrival of automobiles and radio. During World War II, the area 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. Electricity and radio service were provided throughout the prefecture, while television arrived in the 1970s. In 1984, the University of Thessaly opened its doors.

The prefecture was battered by blizzards and floods during the 1990s and the 2000s.

The eastern portion of the prefecture suffered forest fires (See also Summer 2007 Wildfires in Greece) that began on June 27, 2007 and lasted until June 29 and spread for kilometres reaching Agia and Melivoia destroying several trees and houses leaving tens homeless, several others were mainly from larger towns and cities of Greece. It consumed approximately 150 square kilometres on Mavrovouni, one view included the ashes seen as far as the mountain slope and the other unburnt. It saw views of burnt parts.

Another natural disaster not related with fires was a tornado in a form of water spout that happened over the Aegean on June 30 in the prefecture, it collided with cooler air with a system that arrived from Southern and Eastern Europe, the phenomenon lasted for several minutes before it tapered off.

Economy

Its main economy since the 1970s are manufacturing, businesses, communications and services. Agriculture is the second leading industry.

Agriculture

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.

Communications

Television

• TRT
• Thessaly

Newspapers

• Agrotikoi Ekfasi - Larissa
• I Alitheia - Farsala
• Eleftheria - Larissa
• I Foni - Farsala
• Imerisia Kyrikas - Larissa
• I Nea tis Farsalou - Farsala

Transport

There are a number of highways E75 and the main railway from Athens to Thessaloniki (Salonika) crosses Thessaly. The region is directly linked to the rest of Europe through International Airport of Central Greece located in Nea Anchialos in a small distance from Larisa (26 kilometers).

• Greece Interstate 1/E75, SE, Cen., E - partially a divided superhighway
• Greece Interstate 3, S, Cen., NW
• A3 (GR-3 superhighway) - future
• Greece Interstate 6, W, Cen., SE
• Greek National Road 13, NW
• Greece Interstate 26, NW
• Greece Interstate 30, S
• Larissa-Karditsa Road, S, SW
• Grevena-Elassona Road, NW
• Larissa-Melivoia Road, S, E

Sports

Sporting clubs include:

• AE Larissa - the only city in Greece that ever won a championship other than the teams from Athens and Thessaloniki.
• Olympia Larissa BC
• AEL 1964 BC

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Coordinates: 39°37′28″N 22°26′18″E / 39.62447°N 22.43820°E / 39.62447; 22.43820