Thessaloniki ( ''Mitropolitiki enotita Thessaloníkis'', ''Metropolitan unit of Thessaloniki'') is one of the
regional units of Greece
The 74 regional units of Greece (, ; singular , ) are the country's third-level administrative units (counting decentralized administrations as first-level). They are subdivisions of the country's 13 regions, and are further divided into munici ...
. It is part of the
Region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
of
Central Macedonia
Central Macedonia ( ; , ) is one of the thirteen Regions of Greece, administrative regions of Greece, consisting the central part of the Geographic regions of Greece, geographical and historical region of Macedonia (Greece), Macedonia. With a ...
and its capital is the city of
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki (; ), also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, Salonika, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece (with slightly over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area) and the capital cit ...
.
Geography

The regional unit stretches from the
Thermaic Gulf
The Thermaic Gulf (, ), also called the Gulf of Thessaloniki and the Macedonian Gulf, is a Gulf (geography), gulf constituting the northwest corner of the Aegean Sea. The city of Thessaloniki is at its northeastern tip, and it is bounded by Pie ...
in the southwest to the
Strymonic Gulf in the east. Two bodies of water are located in the north,
Lake Koroneia in the heart of the regional unit and
Lake Volvi
Lake Volvi ( - ''Límni Vólvi'') is located at the root of the Chalkidiki peninsula, in the Thessaloniki regional unit of Greece. It is the second largest lake in the country at length and width. Its area is 68 km² and its depth is 20 m ...
in the east. There are farmlands throughout the west and southwest, with fewer in the northeast, north and along the
Axios River valley. Mountainous areas include the
Chortiatis in the west-central part, the
Vertiskos in the north and parts of the Kerdylio mountains in the northeast. The regional unit borders on the
Imathia regional unit to the southwest,
Pella
Pella () is an ancient city located in Central Macedonia, Greece. It served as the capital of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedon. Currently, it is located 1 km outside the modern town of Pella ...
to the west,
Kilkis to the north,
Serres
Serres ( ) is a city in Macedonia, Greece, capital of the Serres regional unit and second largest city in the region of Central Macedonia, after Thessaloniki.
Serres is one of the administrative and economic centers of Northern Greece. The c ...
to the east and
Chalkidiki
Chalkidiki (; , alternatively Halkidiki), also known as Chalcidice, is a peninsula and regional unit of Greece, part of the region of Central Macedonia, in the geographic region of Macedonia in Northern Greece. The autonomous Mount Athos reg ...
to the south.
Its climate includes hot Mediterranean summers and cool to mild winters in low-lying areas and plains. Winter weather is very common in areas 500m above sea level and into the mountains.
History
The area that was to become the Thessaloniki regional unit was annexed by Greece in 1912, during the
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War lasted from October 1912 to May 1913 and involved actions of the Balkan League (the Kingdoms of Kingdom of Bulgaria, Bulgaria, Kingdom of Serbia, Serbia, Kingdom of Greece, Greece and Kingdom of Montenegro, Montenegro) agai ...
. The area was struck by
an earthquake in 1978, and by flooding due to rainfall in October 2006.
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk ( 1881 – 10 November 1938) was a Turkish field marshal and revolutionary statesman who was the founding father of the Republic of Turkey, serving as its first President of Turkey, president from 1923 until Death an ...
, founder of modern Turkey, was born in ''Salonica'', the name for the city of Thessaloniki when it was part of the Ottoman Empire.
Administration
Municipalities
The Thessaloniki regional unit is subdivided into 14 municipalities. These are:
(Number corresponds to the map in the infobox.)
*
Ampelokipoi-Menemeni (2)
*
Chalkidona (13)
*
Delta
Delta commonly refers to:
* Delta (letter) (Δ or δ), the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet
* D (NATO phonetic alphabet: "Delta"), the fourth letter in the Latin alphabet
* River delta, at a river mouth
* Delta Air Lines, a major US carrier ...
(4)
*
Kalamaria (7)
*
Kordelio-Evosmos (8)
*
Lagkadas (9)
*
Neapoli-Sykies (10)
*
Oraiokastro
Oraiokastro (, also Oreokastro) is a municipality in the Thessaloniki (regional unit), Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece, and a suburb of Thessaloniki.
Municipality
The municipality Oraiokastro was formed at the 2011 local government reform by t ...
(14)
*
Pavlos Melas (11)
*
Pylaia-Chortiatis (12)
*
Thermaikos (5)
*
Thermi (6)
*
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki (; ), also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, Salonika, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece (with slightly over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area) and the capital cit ...
(1)
*
Volvi (3)
Prefecture
The Thessaloniki Prefecture () was created when the area was annexed by Greece during the
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War lasted from October 1912 to May 1913 and involved actions of the Balkan League (the Kingdoms of Kingdom of Bulgaria, Bulgaria, Kingdom of Serbia, Serbia, Kingdom of Greece, Greece and Kingdom of Montenegro, Montenegro) agai ...
in 1913. At that time. its area was the largest prefecture in the country, covering about 7% of the total land. The prefectures of
Pella
Pella () is an ancient city located in Central Macedonia, Greece. It served as the capital of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedon. Currently, it is located 1 km outside the modern town of Pella ...
and
Kilkis were split off in 1930 and 1937 respectively, and after
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
in 1947,
Imathia and
Pieria were additionally created from land belonging to the Thessaloniki Prefecture.
As a part of the
2011 Kallikratis administrative reform, the prefecture was transformed into a regional unit within the
Central Macedonia
Central Macedonia ( ; , ) is one of the thirteen Regions of Greece, administrative regions of Greece, consisting the central part of the Geographic regions of Greece, geographical and historical region of Macedonia (Greece), Macedonia. With a ...
region, without any change in boundaries. At the same time, the municipalities were reorganized, according to the table below.
[
]
Provinces
*Province of Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki (; ), also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, Salonika, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece (with slightly over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area) and the capital cit ...
*Province of Lagkadas
''Note:'' Provinces no longer hold any legal status in Greece
Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
.
Transport
Roads and highways
The regional unit of Thessaloniki is connected with the following roads and highways.
*Motorways:
** A1/ E75 ''(Republic of North Macedonia
North Macedonia, officially the Republic of North Macedonia, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe. It shares land borders with Greece to the south, Albania to the west, Bulgaria to the east, Kosovo to the northwest and Serbia to the n ...
, Larissa
Larissa (; , , ) is the capital and largest city of the Thessaly region in Greece. It is the fifth-most populous city in Greece with a population of 148,562 in the city proper, according to the 2021 census. It is also the capital of the Larissa ...
, Athens
Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...
)''
** A2/ E90 ''( Kozani, Ioannina
Ioannina ( ' ), often called Yannena ( ' ) within Greece, is the capital and largest city of the Ioannina (regional unit), Ioannina regional unit and of Epirus (region), Epirus, an Modern regions of Greece, administrative region in northwester ...
, Igoumenitsa
Igoumenitsa () is a coastal city in northwestern Greece. It is the capital of the regional unit of Thesprotia.
Igoumenitsa is the chief port of Thesprotia and Epirus, and one of the largest passenger ports of Greece, connecting northwestern Main ...
)'' ''( Kavala, Xanthi
Xanthi is a city in the region of Western Thrace, northeastern Greece. It is the capital of the Xanthi regional unit of the region of East Macedonia and Thrace.
Amphitheatrically built on the foot of Rhodope mountain chain, the city is divided ...
, Alexandroupolis
Alexandroupolis (, ) or Alexandroupoli (, ) is a city in Greece and the capital of the Evros (regional unit), Evros regional unit. It is the largest city in Greek Thrace and the region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, with a population of 71,75 ...
, Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
)''
** A24 ''( Macedonia International Airport, Nea Moudania
Nea Moudania (, ''Néa Moudaniá''; often referred to as Moudania (Μουδανιά, ''Moudaniá''), the name of the municipal unit to which the town belongs, is the seat of the municipality of Nea Propontida, Chalkidiki, Greece. The town is 60&n ...
)''
** A25/ Ε79 ''(Serres
Serres ( ) is a city in Macedonia, Greece, capital of the Serres regional unit and second largest city in the region of Central Macedonia, after Thessaloniki.
Serres is one of the administrative and economic centers of Northern Greece. The c ...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...
)''
*National Roads:
** ΕΟ2/ Ε86 W ''(Edessa
Edessa (; ) was an ancient city (''polis'') in Upper Mesopotamia, in what is now Urfa or Şanlıurfa, Turkey. It was founded during the Hellenistic period by Macedonian general and self proclaimed king Seleucus I Nicator (), founder of the Sel ...
, Florina
Florina (, ''Flórina''; known also by some alternative names) is a town and municipality in the mountainous northwestern Macedonia, Greece. Its motto is, 'Where Greece begins'.
The town of Florina is the capital of the Florina regional uni ...
)''
** ΕΟ12/ Ε79 Ν ''(Serres
Serres ( ) is a city in Macedonia, Greece, capital of the Serres regional unit and second largest city in the region of Central Macedonia, after Thessaloniki.
Serres is one of the administrative and economic centers of Northern Greece. The c ...
, Drama
Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...
)''
** ΕΟ16, SW ''( Polygyros, Ouranopolis)''
** ΕΟ65, Ν ''( Kilkis, Doirani)''
History
Until the A1/ E75 motorway (constructed during the 1970s) and the A2/ E90 motorway (constructed during the 1990s) were constructed, GR-1 and GR-2 were the main road links connecting the regional unit of Thessaloniki with other parts of the country.
Furthermore, parts of GR-67 (in the near future to form part of the A25) linking Chalkidiki
Chalkidiki (; , alternatively Halkidiki), also known as Chalcidice, is a peninsula and regional unit of Greece, part of the region of Central Macedonia, in the geographic region of Macedonia in Northern Greece. The autonomous Mount Athos reg ...
, and GR-65 linking Kilkis, were converted into motorways during the 2000s.
Mass transit
*Public transport services are provided by the Thessaloniki Urban Transport Organization
*Thessaloniki Metro
Thessaloniki Metro (, ) is an underground Rapid transit, rapid-transit system in Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city. The system consists of a single line with List of Thessaloniki Metro stations, 13 stations; a further 5 stations are ...
Communications
Most of the stations are in the city (see Thessaloniki#Communications). Here are list of stations outside the city:
* Thermi TV - Thermi
Major Sport Clubs
* Iraklis ''(founded in 1908)''
*Aris Aris or ARIS may refer to:
People
* Aris (surname)
Given name
* Aris Alexandrou, Greek writer
* Aris Brimanis, ice hockey player
* Aris Christofellis, Greek male soprano
* Aris Gavelas, Greek sprinter
* Aris Konstantinidis, Greek architect
* ...
''(founded in 1914)''
*PAOK
PAOK (, Πανθεσσαλονίκειος Αθλητικός Όμιλος Κωνσταντινοπολιτών, ''Panthessalonikeios Athlitikós Ómilos Constantinopoliton'', ''Pan-Thessalonian Athletic Club of Constantinopolitans''), commonly ...
''(founded in 1926)''
* Apollon Kalamarias ''(founded in 1926)''
* Agrotikos Asteras ''(founded in 1932)''
See also
* List of settlements in the Thessaloniki regional unit
* Macedonia (Greece)
Macedonia ( ; , ) is a geographic regions of Greece, geographic and former administrative region of Greece, in the southern Balkans. Macedonia is the largest and geographic region in Greece, with a population of 2.36 million (as of 2020). ...
References
{{Authority control
Prefectures of Greece
1914 establishments in Greece
Regional units of Central Macedonia