Grekas
Encyclopedia
Graikas is a small village in the municipal unit of Skillounta
, Elis, Greece
. Its 2001 population was 406.
, west-southwest of the capital city of Athens
, south-southeast of Pyrgos, southeast of Krestena
, north of Zacharo
, northwest of Kalamata
and north of Kyparissia
. The GR-76
(Megalopoli - Andritsaina - Krestena) is around 3 to 4 km to the north and the GR-9
(E55
, Patras - Pyrgos - Kyparissia) is 2 to 3 km to the northwest.
Turks
, it became a part of Greece
after the Greek War of Independence
. It adopted its current name in the early 20th century. After World War II
and the Greek Civil War
, its buildings were rebuilt. Vrina became connected with asphalt in the 1960s. More pavement was accessed in the late 20th century. Electricity, radio and automobiles were introduced in the mid-20th century, television in the late-20th century and computer and internet at the turn of the millennium.
Graika was devastated and hampered by a tremendous fire
that happened in the afternoon and evening hours on Saturday August 25, 2007, it dramatically spread quickly and burnt about 10 km² of land in hours. The fire reached the olive groves and some forests in the early evening hours, then into the farmlands during the evening newscasts, it hit the national highway an hour and two later and hours later, the village. Electricity and phone lines were disrupted and then cut off, the rest occurred in Graika. Firefighters, choppers and planes battled the blaze well into several days, several were on rural roads. The weather reported high winds and dry weather conditions which made the flames difficult to stop and ease. Some homes were burnt, most of them were safe, forests will be replanted and recently, vegetable farming has been restored.
Skillounta
Skillounta is a former municipality in Elis, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Andritsaina-Krestena, of which it is a municipal unit. It is named after Scillus, an ancient name for the area. Its seat of administration was in the town...
, Elis, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Its 2001 population was 406.
Population
| Year | Population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 420 | - |
| 1991 | 338 | -82 or -19.52% |
| 2001 | 406 | +68 or +20.12% |
Location and transportation
Graika is located south of PatrasPatras
Patras , ) is Greece's third largest urban area and the regional capital of West Greece, located in northern Peloponnese, 215 kilometers west of Athens...
, west-southwest of the capital city of 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...
, south-southeast of Pyrgos, southeast of Krestena
Krestena
Krestena is a town in Elis, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Andritsaina-Krestena, of which it is the seat of administration....
, north of Zacharo
Zacharo
Zacharo is a town and municipality in southwestern Greece. Administratively, it belongs to the Elis peripheral unit, in the Periphery of West Greece. Zacharo is situated on the Ionian Sea coast, in the area of the Gulf of Kyparissia. The town is crossed by the highway named GR-9/E55, that links...
, northwest of Kalamata
Kalamata
Kalamata is the second-largest city of the Peloponnese in southern Greece. The capital and chief port of the Messenia prefecture, it lies along the Nedon River at the head of the Messenian Gulf...
and north of Kyparissia
Kyparissia
Kyparissia is a town and a former municipality in Messenia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Trifylia, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. The town proper has around 5,708 inhabitants. The town is located on Greek National Road 9,...
. The GR-76
Greek National Road 76
Greek National Road 76 is a west to east highway linking 2 km W of Krestena with GR-9/E55, Andritsaina and SE of Megalopoli . The highway west to Andritsaina is unofficially designated as GR-76 The west to east highway runs in the western and the central part of the Peloponnese...
(Megalopoli - Andritsaina - Krestena) is around 3 to 4 km to the north and the GR-9
Greek National Road 9
Greek National Road 9 is the second-longest national highway of Greece. It runs through the western Peloponnese, from Patras to Pylos. Its length is around .This highway travels near:*Bypasses:*Patras and Area, since 2002*Vrachneika*Alissos*Kato Achaia...
(E55
European route E55
European route E 55 is a E-route. It passes through the following cities:Helsingborg … Helsingør – Copenhagen – Køge – Vordingborg – Nykøbing Falster – Gedser … Rostock – Berlin – Lübbenau – Dresden – Teplice – Prague – Tábor – Linz – Salzburg – Villach – Tarvisio – Udine – Palmanova – Mestre...
, Patras - Pyrgos - Kyparissia) is 2 to 3 km to the northwest.
Geography
Its geography consists of forests that dominate the area with a few bushes and grasslands around the area, much of the area are mountainous, farmlands dominate the area.History
Graika was ruled by the OttomanOttoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
Turks
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
, it became a part of Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
after the Greek War of Independence
Greek War of Independence
The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between...
. It adopted its current name in the early 20th century. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the Greek Civil War
Greek Civil War
The Greek Civil War was fought from 1946 to 1949 between the Greek governmental army, backed by the United Kingdom and United States, and the Democratic Army of Greece , the military branch of the Greek Communist Party , backed by Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Albania...
, its buildings were rebuilt. Vrina became connected with asphalt in the 1960s. More pavement was accessed in the late 20th century. Electricity, radio and automobiles were introduced in the mid-20th century, television in the late-20th century and computer and internet at the turn of the millennium.
Graika was devastated and hampered by a tremendous fire
2007 Greek forest fires
The 2007 Greek forest fires were a series of massive forest fires that broke out in several areas across Greece throughout the summer of 2007. The most destructive and lethal infernos broke out on August 23, expanded rapidly and raged out of control until August 27, until they were put out in early...
that happened in the afternoon and evening hours on Saturday August 25, 2007, it dramatically spread quickly and burnt about 10 km² of land in hours. The fire reached the olive groves and some forests in the early evening hours, then into the farmlands during the evening newscasts, it hit the national highway an hour and two later and hours later, the village. Electricity and phone lines were disrupted and then cut off, the rest occurred in Graika. Firefighters, choppers and planes battled the blaze well into several days, several were on rural roads. The weather reported high winds and dry weather conditions which made the flames difficult to stop and ease. Some homes were burnt, most of them were safe, forests will be replanted and recently, vegetable farming has been restored.