Greece Geography - regions counties rivers lakes and mountains
Greece located in the southern part of the European continent and belongs tot he Balkan Peninsula.The Greek Climate .Greece belongs to the Mediterranean European countries and because of this it has a Mediterranean climate with mild winters and dry summers. However, the climate in Greece varies from region to region. For example, the islands have smaller differences of temperature during the day than the mainland. Western Greece has more rain than the eastern part. Northern Greece has a colder climate than the rest of the country. The Ionian islands and southern Crete have the best climates with very small differences between winter and summer temperatures. The Aegean islands have less rainfall and they experience strong winds in summertime known as the Meltamia.
Regions of Greece: Greece is divided into 13 geographical regions and each region is divided into prefectures. The region of east Macedonia and Thrace have the prefectures of Evros, Xanthi, Rodopi, Drama and Kavala. In the region of central Macedonia are the prefectures of Serres, Thessaloniki, Halkidiki, Kilkis, Pella, Imathia and Pieria. In the west Macedonia region are the prefectures of Kozani, Kastoria, Florina, and Grevenon. In the region of Epirus are the prefectures of Arta, Ioanina, Thessprotia and Preveza. In the region of the Ionian islands are the prefectures of Corfu, Zakynthos, Kefalonia and Lefkada. In the region of western Greece are the prefectures of Aetoloakarnania, Achaia and Ilia. In the regions of Pelopenesse are prefectures of Corinthia (Corinth), Messinia, Arkadia, Lakonia and Argolida. In the region of Thessalia are the prefectures of Larissa, Trikalon, Karditsa and Magnesia. In the region of Sterea Ellas are the prefectures of Fokida, Fthiotida, Evrytania, Viotia and Evia. In the region of Attica is the prefecture of Attica where the capital of Greece, Athens, is located. In the region of the north Aegean are the prefectures of Lesbos, Samos and Chios. In the region of the south Aegean are the prefectures of the Dodecanese and the Cyclades. And finally, in the region of Crete are the prefectures of Heraclion, Chania, Lasithi and Rethymno.
.The Greek seas: The Aegean Sea is actually divided into three
parts, north central and south. In the old days the Greek seamen gave
the different parts of the Aegean sea different names. the area around
the north Aegean Islands was known as the Thrakiko Pelagos. the area
between the Cyclades and the Dodecanese was known as Ikario Pelagos. the
seas south of the Saronic Islands down to the S.E. Cyclades Islands was
called Myrtoon Pelagos. The sea north of Crete was known as the Cretan
Pelagos (Kritiko). Finally, the sea between the S.E.Cyclades Islands,
Rhodes and Karpathos was called Karpathion.
The Ionian Sea stretches between the west coast of Greece and the coast
of Southern Italy. The Ionian sea has some of the deepest waters of the
Mediterranean and in some parts can reach a depth of 5,000 metres.
The seas around Greece cut in and out of the shoreline creating an
interesting lacework coastline with many large and small peninsulas,
gulfs and caves. Because of this geographical morphology Greece has the
longest coastline in the Mediterranean.
From antiquity to the present day the sea has played an important role
in the life of the Greek people. As an island nation the only chance
they had for developing both politically, culturally and economically
was to expand and become proficient at seafaring in order to
communicate, both with each other and with other nations. Still today,
the Greek fleet is one of the largest in the world. Thus, once could
argue that the sea has been paramount to the development of both modern
and ancient Greece.
The mountains of Greece are a continuation of the mountain range of the Balkans, with in turn are a continuation of the Alpine range. The two greatest ranges in Greece are the Pindos and the Rodopi.
Lakes ,Rivers and Valleys of Greece
Most of the lakes of Greece are located in northern Greece, mainly in
the region of Macedonia. Among them the lakes of small and big Prespa
and the lakes of Volvi and Vegoritis. the lake of Trihonis is located in
Sterea Elada
Most of the biggest rivers of Greece have their springs on the
mountain range of Pindos. Among them, the rivers Aliakmon, Pinios,
Acheloos, Kalamas and Arahthos rivers. The rivers of Evros and Nestos
have their sources in Bulgaria. In the Peloponese are the rivers of
Alfios and Eurotas with their sources in the Taygetos Mountains.
The largest valley of Greece lies between the east slopes of Vermion
mount the south slopes Paikon mount and west of Thessaloniki facing to
the south the Aegean sea with the cultivation of cotton ,tobacco ,wheat
,peaches ech. The next largest is the Valley of Thessaly (Kampos
Thessalias) . InTthessaly Valley, at the village of Kileler, was the
first agricultural revolution in Greece in .1910.
There are smaller valleys in many regions of Greece where the main fruit
production of Greece is cultivated. This is especially so in the valleys
of Crete the garden of Greece with the biggest production in oranges
,tomatoes ,olives and olive oil ,cucumbers and many other kind of fruits
and vegetables .In North Peloponese valleys on the northern slops of
Helmos and Kylini mountains with cultivation of sultana grapes in
Corinthia, lemons and grapes in Achaia.
