Central Greece
Encyclopedia
Continental Greece or Central Greece ( - Kentrikí Elláda), colloquially known as Roúmeli
(Ρούμελη), is a geographical region of Greece
. Its territory is divided into the administrative regions of Central Greece, Attica, and part of West Greece
(Aetolia-Acarnania
). Although Attica is part of the geographical region of Central Greece, it has recently been considered a separate region in itself.
word Rumelia
or Rumeli, meaning "the land of the Rum [the Romans, i.e. the Byzantine
Greeks
]". 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 Greek state in 1832.
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.
lake in Phocis
, which supplies water around the prefecture, parts of the Phthiotis
and Boeotia
prefectures and Athens
as well.
in Aetolia-Acarnania
which is the second longest of the country, Spercheios
in Phthiotis
, Evenus
in Aetolia-Acarnania and Mornos
in Phocis
.
tend to be slow and controlled. The clarinet
is the main instrument in this region. The main dances of this region are tsamiko
s (an ancient warrior dance, in which the leader performs energetic leaps), mazochto and kangeli.
Rumelia
Rumelia was an historical region comprising the territories of the Ottoman Empire in Europe...
(Ρούμελη), is a geographical region of Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Its territory is divided into the administrative regions of Central Greece, Attica, and part of West Greece
West Greece
West Greece is one of the thirteen regions of Greece. It comprises the western part of continental Greece and the northwestern part of the Peloponnese peninsula.- Administration :...
(Aetolia-Acarnania
Aetolia-Acarnania
Aetolia-Acarnania is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of West Greece. It is located in the western part of Greece; the regional unit is a combination of the geographic regions Aetolia and Acarnania. Its capital is Missolonghi for historical reasons, with its biggest...
). Although Attica is part of the geographical region of Central Greece, it has recently been considered a separate region in itself.
Etymology
The region has traditionally been known as Roúmeli (Ρούμελη), a name deriving from the TurkishTurkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
word Rumelia
Rumelia
Rumelia was an historical region comprising the territories of the Ottoman Empire in Europe...
or Rumeli, meaning "the land of the Rum [the Romans, i.e. the Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
Greeks
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
]". The official name Stereá Elláda ("Continental" or "Mainland" Greece), derives from the juxtaposition with the Peloponnese
Peloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
peninsula across the Corinthian Gulf, and the fact that these two territories formed the independent Greek state in 1832.
Geography
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, making it the second largest of the country. It is located to the north of the PeloponnesePeloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
and to the south of Thessaly
Thessaly
Thessaly is a traditional geographical region and an administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, and appears thus in Homer's Odyssey....
and Epirus
Epirus (region)
Epirus is a geographical and historical region in southeastern Europe, shared between Greece and Albania. It lies between the Pindus Mountains and the Ionian Sea, stretching from the Bay of Vlorë in the north to the Ambracian Gulf in the south...
, bordering the Aegean Sea
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
to the east, the Ionian Sea
Ionian Sea
The Ionian Sea , is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula to the west, southern Albania to the north, and a large number of Greek islands, including Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and...
to the west and the Corinthian Gulf to the south. Its climate is temperate along its coastlines, and dry in the interior.
Mountains
The region is one of the most mountainous in Greece, having some of the highest elevations in the country.| Number Number A number is a mathematical object used to count and measure. In mathematics, the definition of number has been extended over the years to include such numbers as zero, negative numbers, rational numbers, irrational numbers, and complex numbers.... | Mountain Mountain Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River... | Height Height Height is the measurement of vertical distance, but has two meanings in common use. It can either indicate how "tall" something is, or how "high up" it is. For example "The height of the building is 50 m" or "The height of the airplane is 10,000 m"... (m) | Placed in Greece | Prefecture Prefecture A prefecture is an administrative jurisdiction or subdivision in any of various countries and within some international church structures, and in antiquity a Roman district governed by an appointed prefect.-Antiquity:... |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Giona | |
|
Phocis Phocis Phocis is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Central Greece. It stretches from the western mountainsides of Parnassus on the east to the mountain range of Vardousia on the west, upon the Gulf of Corinth... |
| 2 | Vardousia Vardousia Vardousia is a former municipality in Phocis, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Dorida, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 2,216 . The seat of the municipality was in Krokyleio... |
|
|
Phocis Phocis Phocis is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Central Greece. It stretches from the western mountainsides of Parnassus on the east to the mountain range of Vardousia on the west, upon the Gulf of Corinth... |
| 3 | Parnassus Mount Parnassus Mount Parnassus, also Parnassos , is a mountain of limestone in central Greece that towers above Delphi, north of the Gulf of Corinth, and offers scenic views of the surrounding olive groves and countryside. According to Greek mythology, this mountain was sacred to Apollo and the Corycian nymphs,... |
|
|
Phocis Phocis Phocis is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Central Greece. It stretches from the western mountainsides of Parnassus on the east to the mountain range of Vardousia on the west, upon the Gulf of Corinth... , Boeotia |
| 4 | Tymfristos Tymfristos Tymfristos is a village and a former community in Phthiotis, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Makrakomi, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 566 .... |
|
|
Evrytania Evrytania Evrytania is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Central Greece. Its capital is Karpenisi .-Geography:... , Phthiotis Phthiotis Phthiotis is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Central Greece. The capital is the city of Lamia. It is bordered by the Malian Gulf to the east, Boeotia in the south, Phocis in the south, Aetolia-Acarnania in the southwest, Evrytania in the west,... |
| 5 | Oeta Mount Oeta Mount Oeta is a mountain to the south of Central Greece, in Greece, forming a boundary between the valleys of the Spercheius and the Boeotian Cephissus. It is an offshoot of the Pindus range, high. In its eastern portion, called Callidromus, it comes close to the sea, leaving only a narrow... |
|
|
Phthiotis Phthiotis Phthiotis is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Central Greece. The capital is the city of Lamia. It is bordered by the Malian Gulf to the east, Boeotia in the south, Phocis in the south, Aetolia-Acarnania in the southwest, Evrytania in the west,... |
Lakes
Central Greece has also some of the largest lakes in Greece, while amongst the most important is MornosMornos
The Mornos is a river that flows in the Fokida and Aitoloakarnania prefectures in Greece. Its source is in the Oiti mountains-Geography:The river begins in the Oiti mountains near the Fthiotida prefecture to the north, it flows through the village of Marmarolithi and into several villages in a...
lake in Phocis
Phocis
Phocis is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Central Greece. It stretches from the western mountainsides of Parnassus on the east to the mountain range of Vardousia on the west, upon the Gulf of Corinth...
, which supplies water around the prefecture, parts of the Phthiotis
Phthiotis
Phthiotis is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Central Greece. The capital is the city of Lamia. It is bordered by the Malian Gulf to the east, Boeotia in the south, Phocis in the south, Aetolia-Acarnania in the southwest, Evrytania in the west,...
and Boeotia
Boeotia
Boeotia, also spelled Beotia and Bœotia , is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Central Greece. It was also a region of ancient Greece. Its capital is Livadeia, the second largest city being Thebes.-Geography:...
prefectures and Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
as well.
| Number Number A number is a mathematical object used to count and measure. In mathematics, the definition of number has been extended over the years to include such numbers as zero, negative numbers, rational numbers, irrational numbers, and complex numbers.... | Lake Lake A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,... | Area Area Area is a quantity that expresses the extent of a two-dimensional surface or shape in the plane. Area can be understood as the amount of material with a given thickness that would be necessary to fashion a model of the shape, or the amount of paint necessary to cover the surface with a single coat... (km²) | Placed in Greece | Prefecture Prefecture A prefecture is an administrative jurisdiction or subdivision in any of various countries and within some international church structures, and in antiquity a Roman district governed by an appointed prefect.-Antiquity:... |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trichonida Lake Trichonida Lake Trichonida, also Trihonida , older forms: Trihonis ancient: Trichonis is the largest natural lake in Greece. It is located in the eastern part of the Aitoloakarnania prefecture, in the east of Agrinio, south of Evrytania and northwest of Nafpaktos. It covers an area of with a maximum length... |
|
|
Aetolia-Acarnania Aetolia-Acarnania Aetolia-Acarnania is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of West Greece. It is located in the western part of Greece; the regional unit is a combination of the geographic regions Aetolia and Acarnania. Its capital is Missolonghi for historical reasons, with its biggest... |
| 2 | Yliki | |
|
Boeotia |
| 3 | Amvrakia | |
|
Aetolia-Acarnania Aetolia-Acarnania Aetolia-Acarnania is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of West Greece. It is located in the western part of Greece; the regional unit is a combination of the geographic regions Aetolia and Acarnania. Its capital is Missolonghi for historical reasons, with its biggest... |
| 4 | Lysimachia Lake Lysimachia Lysimachia, Lisimachia, Lysimahia or Lisimahia is a lake located west of Agrinio. The Acheloos river flows to the northwest with an artificial flow now to the east and an old natural flow near the lake. The area is 13.2 km², it is 17 km in length, its depth is around 9 m... |
|
|
Aetolia-Acarnania Aetolia-Acarnania Aetolia-Acarnania is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of West Greece. It is located in the western part of Greece; the regional unit is a combination of the geographic regions Aetolia and Acarnania. Its capital is Missolonghi for historical reasons, with its biggest... |
| 5 | Ozeros Ozeros Lake Ozeros is a lake located west of Agrinio. The Acheloos river flows to the northwest. The lake is about 5 km in length and 3 km in width. The lake offers a view of the city of Agrinio and the neighbouring mountains. The GR-5/E55 runs to the northeastern side... |
|
|
Aetolia-Acarnania Aetolia-Acarnania Aetolia-Acarnania is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of West Greece. It is located in the western part of Greece; the regional unit is a combination of the geographic regions Aetolia and Acarnania. Its capital is Missolonghi for historical reasons, with its biggest... |
Rivers
Some important and well known rivers of Central Greece are AcheloosAcheloos River
The Achelous , also Acheloos, is a river in western Greece. It formed the boundary between Acarnania and Aetolia of antiquity. It empties into the Ionian Sea...
in Aetolia-Acarnania
Aetolia-Acarnania
Aetolia-Acarnania is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of West Greece. It is located in the western part of Greece; the regional unit is a combination of the geographic regions Aetolia and Acarnania. Its capital is Missolonghi for historical reasons, with its biggest...
which is the second longest of the country, Spercheios
Spercheios River
The Spercheios is a river in the Central Greece geographical region, of Greece. The river begins in Eurytania Prefecture in the Panaitoliko mountains and flows northeast from near Megalo Chorio and into Karpenisi and flows within GR-38 and through Agios Georgios Tymfistos south of the Tymfistos...
in Phthiotis
Phthiotis
Phthiotis is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Central Greece. The capital is the city of Lamia. It is bordered by the Malian Gulf to the east, Boeotia in the south, Phocis in the south, Aetolia-Acarnania in the southwest, Evrytania in the west,...
, Evenus
Evenus
Evenus, Euenos or Evinos may refer to:*Evinos, a river in western Greece*Evenus , a river god and two mythological kings in ancient Greece*Evenus , a butterfly genus...
in Aetolia-Acarnania and Mornos
Mornos
The Mornos is a river that flows in the Fokida and Aitoloakarnania prefectures in Greece. Its source is in the Oiti mountains-Geography:The river begins in the Oiti mountains near the Fthiotida prefecture to the north, it flows through the village of Marmarolithi and into several villages in a...
in Phocis
Phocis
Phocis is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Central Greece. It stretches from the western mountainsides of Parnassus on the east to the mountain range of Vardousia on the west, upon the Gulf of Corinth...
.
Cities
The principal cities of the region of Central Greece according to the census of 2001 are:- AthensAthensAthens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
- 3,130,841 (Athens metropolitan area)
- including all the towns around Athens urban area
-
- 3,761,810)
- LamiaLamia (city)Lamia is a city in central Greece. The city has a continuous history since antiquity, and is today the capital of the regional unit of Phthiotis and of the Central Greece region .-Name:...
- 58,601
- AgrinioAgrinioAgrinion is the largest city and municipality of the Aetolia-Acarnania peripheral unit of Greece, with 96,321 inhabitants. It is the economical center of Aetolia-Acarnania, although its capital is the town of Mesolonghi. The settlement dates back to ancient times...
- Agrinio
- 57,147
- Chalkida
- 53,584
- ThebesThebes, GreeceThebes is a city in Greece, situated to the north of the Cithaeron range, which divides Boeotia from Attica, and on the southern edge of the Boeotian plain. It played an important role in Greek myth, as the site of the stories of Cadmus, Oedipus, Dionysus and others...
- Thebes
- 21,211
- LivadeiaLivadeiaLivadeia is a city in central Greece. It is the capital of the prefecture Boeotia. Livadeia is located 130 km NW of Athens, E of Nafpaktos, ESE of Amfissa and Desfina, SE of Lamia and west of Chalkida. Livadeia is linked with GR-48 and several kilometres west of GR-3. The area around Livadeia...
- Livadeia
- 20,061
Roumelian music and dances
Roumelian dancesGreek dances
Greek dance is a very old tradition, being referred to by authors such as Plato, Aristotle, Plutarch and Lucian. There are different styles and interpretations from all of the islands and surrounding mainland areas. Each region formed its own choreography and style to fit in with their own ways...
tend to be slow and controlled. The clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
is the main instrument in this region. The main dances of this region are tsamiko
Tsamiko
The Tsamiko is a popular traditional dance of Greece. The name literally means dance of the Chams. It is also known as Kleftikos , literally meaning dance of the Klephts .-The dance:...
s (an ancient warrior dance, in which the leader performs energetic leaps), mazochto and kangeli.