Serres Prefecture

Serres prefecture (Greek: Νομός Σερρών Nomos Serron) is a prefecture located in Central Macedonia Periphery, Greece. The total population reaches just over 200,000. The capital is Serres.

Geography
The mountains are Orvelos are to the north, Menoikio to the east, Pangaio to the southeast, Kerdylio to the southwest, Vertiskos to the west, parts of Krousi to the west and portions of the Kerkini lies to the northwest. The bounding prefectures and one district of another state (nation) are Thessaloniki to the southwest, Kilkis to the west, the Republic of Macedonia with the district of Strumica to the northwest, Bulgaria to the north, Drama to the northeast and the Kavala to the east. The Strymonian Gulf lies to the south along with the Strymonas delta. Lake Kerkini was a lake located in the southern portion which is now drained. The prefecture covers 3% of all of Greece. 41% of the prefecture are arable and most of the lands are near the Strymonas river which flows from Bulgaria and empties into the Strymonian Gulf. Another river is the Angitis in the eastern portion of the prefecture, with the ravine and caves near Alistrati.

History
In modern times, Serres, like the rest of Macedonia was contested territory between Greece, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and the Ottoman Empire. After its liberation from the Turks by the Bulgarians in the First Balkan War, Serres became a part of Greece at the end of the Second Balkan War. During the National Schism, it was occupied by Bulgaria again only to form part of Greece at the end of the war. During the Second World War Bulgaria occupied Serres and launched a campaign of Bulgarisation. It was liberated in 1944.

Information
A substantial portion of the population of the prefecture are descendants of refugees which came from Eastern Thrace which is now Northwestern Turkey, Asia Minor and from Pontus during the Greco-Turkish War.

The prefecture has a lot of archaeological and historical features including Serres, Amphipolis, several monasteries, and Metaxa near the border with Bulgaria. The prefectre is also a tourist attraction including Lailia, rich in forests, a skiing resort in the central portion, lake Kerkini which is a reservoir supplying water to the farmlands, fishing is common within Ano Poroia especially during the summer months and famous Alistrati's caves and the nearby Aggitis ravine.

It is also famous for being the place of origin of Konstantinos Karamanlis.

Climate
The areas that mainly get Mediterranean climate is at the southern portion by the Strymonas valley. Its climate is mainly continental with cold winters in higher elevations.

Transport

 * GR-2/E75, Via Egnatia, old and new, SW, S
 * GR-12/E90, SW, Cen., SE
 * GR-63/E75, Cen., N
 * GR-65, NW

Television

 * TV Serres
 * Diktyo TV

Persons

 * Angelos Charisteas Soccer Player
 * Constantine Karamanlis (8 March 1907 in Proti - 23 April 1998), a former Greek prime minister and president
 * Emmanouel Pappas, hero of the Greek Independence Struggle
 * Glykeria, famous Greek singer
 * Ioannis Melissanidis, a Greek gymnast athlete
 * Nansy Stergiopoulou, of the all girl band Hi-5, family originally from Serres.

Provinces
Note: Provinces no longer hold any legal status in Greece.
 * Province of Serres - Serres
 * Province of Visaltia - Nigrita
 * Province of Philida - Nea Zichni
 * Province of Sintice - Sidirokastron

Municipalities and communities
See also: List of settlements in the Serres prefecture

Secondary and Tertiary divisions B' and G' Ethniki

 * Panserraikos, (Superleague)

Junior division

 * Agkistro
 * Ano Poroia
 * Heraklia
 * Lithotopos
 * Nigrita FC
 * Pontismeno
 * Rodopoli
 * Sidirokastro FC
 * Vyroneia