Continental Greece ( el, Στερεά Ελλάδα, Stereá Elláda; formerly , ''Chérsos Ellás''), colloquially known as Roúmeli (Ρούμελη), is a traditional geographic region of Greece. In English, the area is usually called Central Greece, but the equivalent Greek term (Κεντρική Ελλάδα, ''Kentrikí Elláda'') is more rarely used. It includes the southern part of the Greek mainland (sans the

Peloponnese The Peloponnese (), Peloponnesus (; el, Πελοπόννησος, Pelopónnēsos,(), or Morea is a peninsula and geographic regions of Greece, geographic region in southern Greece. It is connected to the central part of the country by the Isthmu ...

), as well as the offshore island of Euboea. Since 1987, its territory has been divided among the

administrative regions Administrative division, administrative unit,Article 3(1). country subdivision, administrative region, subnational entity, constituent state, as well as many similar terms, are generic names for geographical areas into which a particular, ind ...

of Central Greece and Attica, and the

regional unit 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 ...

(former

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 ...

) of Aetolia-Acarnania in the administrative region of Western Greece.

Etymology

The region has traditionally been known as ''Roúmeli'' (Ρούμελη), a name deriving from the

Turkish Turkish may refer to: *a Turkic language spoken by the Turks * of or about Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities and mi ...

word '' Rūm-eli'', meaning "the land of the Rūm he Romans, i.e. the Byzantine Greeks">Byzantine_Greeks.html" ;"title="he Romans, i.e. the Byzantine Greeks">he Romans, i.e. the Byzantine Greeks and originally encompassing all of the Ottoman Empire's European possessions. The official name ''Stereá Elláda'' ("Continental" or "Mainland" Greece), derives from the juxtaposition with the

peninsula across the

Corinthian Gulf The Gulf of Corinth or the Corinthian Gulf ( el, Κορινθιακός Kόλπος, ''Korinthiakόs Kόlpos'', ) is a deep inlet of the Ionian Sea, separating the Peloponnese from western mainland Greece. It is bounded in the east by the Isth ...

, and the fact that these two territories formed the independent First Hellenic Republic after the

Greek War of Independence The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution or the Greek Revolution of 1821, was a successful war of independence by Greek revolutionaries against the Ottoman Empire between 1821 and 1829. The Greeks were later assisted by ...

(1821–1829).

Geography

Central Greece is the most populous geographical region of Greece, with a population of 4,591,568 people, and covers an area of , making it the second-largest of the country. It is located to the north of the

and to the south of Thessaly and Epirus, bordering the Aegean Sea to the east, the

Ionian Sea The Ionian Sea ( el, Ιόνιο Πέλαγος, ''Iónio Pélagos'' ; it, Mar Ionio ; al, Deti Jon ) is an elongated bay of the Mediterranean Sea. It is connected to the Adriatic Sea to the north, and is bounded by Southern Italy, including C ...

to the west and the

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.

Lakes

Central Greece also has some of the largest lakes in Greece; among the most important is

Mornos The Mornos ( el, Μόρνος) is a river in Phocis and Aetolia-Acarnania in Greece. It is long. Its source is in the southwestern part of the Oiti mountains, near the village Mavrolithari, Phocis. It flows towards the south, and enters the Morn ...

lake in Phocis, which supplies water to Phocis, parts of Phthiotis, Boeotia, and Athens as well.

Rivers

Some important and well-known rivers of Central Greece are the Acheloos in Aetolia-Acarnania, which is the second longest of the country, the

Spercheios The Spercheios (, ''Sperkheiós''), also known as the Spercheus from its Latin name, is a river in Phthiotis in central Greece. It is long, and its drainage area is . It was worshipped as a god in the ancient Greek religion and appears in some c ...

in Phthiotis, the Evenus in Aetolia-Acarnania, and the

in Phocis.

Cities

The principal cities of the region of Central Greece according to the census of 2001 are: * Athens *:3,130,841 (Athens urban area) *::3,761,810 (Athens metropolitan area) * Lamia :58,601 * Agrinio :57,147 *

Chalkida Chalcis ( ; Ancient Greek & Katharevousa: , ) or Chalkida, also spelled Halkida (Modern Greek: , ), is the chief town of the island of Euboea or Evia in Greece, situated on the Euripus Strait at its narrowest point. The name is preserved from ...

:53,584 * Thebes :21,211 *

Livadeia Livadeia ( el, Λιβαδειά ''Livadiá'', ; grc, Λεβάδεια, Lebadeia or , ''Lebadia'') is a town in central Greece. It is the capital of the Boeotia regional district. Livadeia lies north-west of Athens, west of Chalkida, south-ea ...

:20,061

Culture

Roumelian music and dances

Roumelian dances tend to be slow and controlled. The

clarinet The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The instrument has a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell, and uses a single reed to produce sound. Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitches ...

is the main instrument in this region. The main dances of this region are '' tsamikos'' (in which the leader performs energetic leaps) and ''kleftiko'', both influenced by the Arvanites of the region.

Gallery

File:Delphi-2.jpg, The

Athenian Treasury The Athenian Treasury (Greek: Θησαυρός των Αθηναίων) at Delphi was constructed by the Athenians to house dedications and votive offerings made by their city and citizens to the sanctuary of Apollo. The entire treasury including ...

Delphi Delphi (; ), in legend previously called Pytho (Πυθώ), in ancient times was a sacred precinct that served as the seat of Pythia, the major oracle who was consulted about important decisions throughout the ancient classical world. The oracle ...

File:Livadeia general.jpg,

File:Galaxidi-2.jpg,

Galaxidi Galaxidi or Galaxeidi ( el, Γαλαξίδι/Γαλαξείδι), is a town and a former municipality in the southern part of Phocis, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Delphi, of which it is a municipal ...

File:Strandpromenade Chalkida.jpg, Chalkis File:20090803 hosiosloukas36.jpg,

Hosios Loukas Hosios Loukas ( el, Ὅσιος Λουκᾶς) is a historic walled monastery situated near the town of Distomo, in Boeotia, Greece. Founded in the mid-10th century, the monastery is one of the most important monuments of Middle Byzantine archite ...

File:Fustanella Central Greece.JPG, Fustanella from central Greece

External links

ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ - ΠΕΡΙΦΕΡΕΙΑ ΣΤΕΡΕΑΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΑΣ
{{Authority control Central Greece Traditional geographic divisions of Greece