Kastoria ( el, Περιφερειακή Ενότητα Καστοριάς, ''Perifereiakí Enótita Kastoriás'') is one of the 74

regional units of Greece The 74 regional units of Greece ( el, περιφερειακές ενότητες, ; sing. , ) are the country's Seventy-four second-level administrative units. They are divisions of the country's 13 regions, and are further divided into municipa ...

and is part of the

region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...

Western Macedonia Western Macedonia ( el, Δυτική Μακεδονία, translit=Ditikí Makedonía, ) is one of the thirteen Modern regions of Greece, regions of Greece, consisting of the western part of Macedonia (Greece), Macedonia. Located in north-western ...

. Its capital is the homonymous city of

Kastoria Kastoria ( el, Καστοριά, ''Kastoriá'' ) is a city in northern Greece in the modern regions of Greece, region of Western Macedonia. It is the capital of Kastoria (regional unit), Kastoria regional unit, in the Geographic regions of Gree ...

Geography

Kastoria is situated at the western end of Macedonia in the far north of the country. It borders the regional units of

Florina Florina ( el, Φλώρινα, ''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 F ...

to the north,

Kozani Kozani ( el, Κοζάνη, ) is a city in northern Greece, capital of Kozani (regional unit), Kozani regional unit and of Western Macedonia. It is located in the western part of Macedonia (Greece), Macedonia, in the northern part of the Aliakmona ...

to the southeast,

Grevena Grevena ( el, Γρεβενά, ''Grevená'', , rup, Grebini) is a town and municipality in Western Macedonia, northern Greece, capital of the Grevena regional unit. The town's current population is 13,374 citizens (2011). It lies about from Athe ...

to the south and

Ioannina Ioannina ( el, Ιωάννινα ' ), often called Yannena ( ' ) within Greece, is the capital and largest city of the Ioannina regional unit and of Epirus, an administrative region in north-western Greece. According to the 2011 census, the c ...

to the southwest. The area of the regional unit roughly corresponds to the ancient Greek region of Orestis of Upper Macedonia. The international border with the

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...

n district of

Korçë Korçë (; sq-definite, Korça) is the eighth most populous city of the Republic of Albania and the seat of Korçë County and Korçë Municipality. The total population is 75,994 (2011 census), in a total area of . It stands on a plateau some ...

lies on the western edge of the regional unit. The main mountain ranges are

Gramos Gramos ( sq, Gramoz, Mali i Gramozit; rup, Gramosta, Gramusta; el, Γράμος or Γράμμος) is a mountain range on the border of Albania and Greece. The mountain is part of the northern Pindus mountain range. Its highest peak, at the ...

and

Voio Voio ( el, Βόιο, ''Vóio''; grc, Βόιον - ''Boeon'') is a mountain range in the southwestern Kastoria and western Kozani regional units in Greece. The mountain is part of the Pindus mountains. Its highest elevation is 1,805 m. It is a d ...

in the west (both part of the

Pindus The Pindus (also Pindos or Pindhos; el, Πίνδος, Píndos; sq, Pindet; rup, Pindu) is a mountain range located in Northern Greece and Southern Albania. It is roughly 160 km (100 miles) long, with a maximum elevation of 2,637 metres ...

range) and

Verno Verno ( el, Βέρνο) or Vitsi ( el, Βίτσι) is a forested mountain range in the southern part of the Florina and the northeastern part of the Kastoria regional units in Western Macedonia, northern Greece. The elevation of its highest peak ...

in the northeast. The Haliacmon river flows through the area.

Lake Orestiada Lake Orestiada or Lake of Kastoria ( el, Λίμνη Ορεστιάδα) is a lake in the Kastoria regional unit of Macedonia, northwestern Greece. Sitting at an altitude of 630 metres, the lake covers an area of 28 square kilometres. Nine rivul ...

is the largest lake. The regional unit is mountainous with a pronounced continental climate, characterised by cold winters and hot summers.

Administration

The regional unit Kastoria is subdivided into 3 municipalities. These are (number as in the map in the infobox): *

(1) *

Nestorio Nestorio ( el, Νεστόριο, ''Nestório''; Ancient Greek: Βάττυν; mk, Нестрам and bg, Нестрам, ''Nestram'' or Нѐсрам, ''Nésram'') is a village and a municipality in the Kastoria regional unit of Macedonia, Gre ...

(2) * Orestida (3)

Prefecture

Kastoria was created as a

prefecture A prefecture (from the Latin ''Praefectura'') is an administrative jurisdiction traditionally governed by an appointed prefect. This can be a regional or local government subdivision in various countries, or a subdivision in certain international ...

( el, Νομός Καστοριάς) in 1941. As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the regional unit Kastoria was created out of the former prefecture Kastoria. The prefecture had the same territory as the present regional unit. At the same time, the municipalities were reorganised, according to the table below.

Transport

* GR-15, S, Cen., NE * GR-20/ E90, S, only passes through Eptachori

References

{{Authority control Prefectures of Greece Regional units of Western Macedonia

Geography

Administration

Prefecture

Transport

See also

References