Larissa Prefecture

Larissa (Greek: Λάρισα, Lárisa) is a prefecture of Greece, in the periphery of Thessaly. Its capital is the city of Larissa. The prefecture was created in 1881 after the war when most of Thessaly became a part of Greece and the entire region in 1913 after the Balkan Wars. The prefecture until after the war in 1947 included Magnesia.

Provinces
Note: Provinces no longer hold any legal status in Greece.
 * Province of Larissa - Larissa
 * Province of Tyrnavos - Tyrnavos
 * Province of Agia - Agia
 * Province of Elassona - Elassona
 * Province of Farsala - Farsala

Geography
It is the second largest prefecture in area in Greece, exceeded only by Aetolia-Acarnania. Larissa prefecture features the Tempe Valley, and the NE part of the Pineios River. It is the largest prefecture in Thessaly covering about one-third of the region. It also contains the tallest mountain in Greece, Mount Olympus with an elevation of 2,917 m. The climate is more continental than any other part of Greece. It has a Mediterranean climate with dry hot summers and mild to cool winters, except in the mountain areas which get warm summers and cold winters. The highest temperature ever recorded was 45.2 °C and the coldest was -21.6 °C. In the summer, Larissa is often the warmest area in Greece and often the coldest in winter.

It is bounded by the prefectures of Kozani to the northwest, Pieria to the northeast (both in Macedonia), the Aegean Sea to the east, Magnesia to the southeast, Phthiotis to the south (in Central Greece periphery), Karditsa to the southwest and Trikala to the west. Larissa and Kozani are the prefectures that border the most other prefectures. The southern part, the northern part, and the northwestern part are heavily covered with forests while the central, the southwestern, the western and the southeastern part are covered with fertile land that is called the Thessalian Plain. The barren rocks are to the east and the northeast within the Aegean Sea and in the Olympus area. Lake Voivi is situated in the southeast and is a lagoon dividing the Thessalian Plain and the Pelion ranges, and with the prefecture of Magnesia.

Climate
Its climate is mainly of Mediterranean climate with hot summers and cold winters in the low lying areas. Temperate climates are in area that are elevations that do not exceed 1,500 m. Winter is mainly dominant in the mountains areas as well as the northernmost portion and Mount Olympus.

History
The area of Larissa was home to the Pelasgians until they merged into the broeader Greek culture. The area was invaded and was ruled by the Kingdom of Macedonia a few centuries later, and was conquered by the Roman Republic after the Third Macedonian War. The Roman imperial period was followed by Byzantine rule, which was in turn succeeded by the Ottoman Empire. Parts of Thessaly revolted during the Greek War of Independence, but Thessaly remained under Ottoman Turkish rule. It was awarded to Greece in the Congress of Berlin in 1878, and finally incorporated into the Hellenic Kingdom in 1881, albeit parts of the modern Larissa prefecture, including Tyrnavos, Elassona and Sarantaporo, remained Ottoman. During the Greco-Turkish War of 1897, the area was successfully invaded by the Ottomans, but in the end Greece conceded only minor territorial losses. The northern portions of the prefecture, the Tempe Valley and Mount Olympus, were not taken by Greece until the First Balkan War in 1912-1913.

The economy increased since the annexation in 1881 and later after 1913 for the north. After the Greco-Turkish War in Asia Minor of 1920-1922, some refugees were relocated to the Prefecture and created several villages across the prefecture, some went to towns and cities. The economy was improved until 1940. Electricity arrived in the 1930s as well as pavement of roads and the arrival of automobiles and radio. During World War II, the area was a major scene of partisan activity. The occupation and the subsequent Greek Civil War however destroyed most of the local infrastructure. From the 1950s on, the road network was significantly expanded: The GR-1 was opened in 1957 and extended in the 1960s to the Tempe Valley. Electricity and radio service were provided throughout the prefecture, while television arrived in the 1970s. In 1984, the University of Thessaly opened its doors.

The prefecture was battered by blizzards and floods during the 1990s and the 2000s.

The eastern portion of the prefecture suffered forest fires (See also Summer 2007 Wildfires in Greece) that began on June 27, 2007 and lasted until June 29 and spread for kilometres reaching Agia and Melivoia destroying several trees and houses leaving tens homeless, several others were mainly from larger towns and cities of Greece. It consumed approximately 150 square kilometres on Mavrovouni, one view included the ashes seen as far as the mountain slope and the other unburnt. It saw views of burnt parts.

Another natural disaster not related with fires was a tornado in a form of water spout that happened over the Aegean on June 30 in the prefecture, it collided with cooler air with a system that arrived from Southern and Eastern Europe, the phenomenon lasted for several minutes before it tapered off.

Economy
Its main economy since the 1970s are manufacturing, businesses, communications and services. Agriculture is the second leading industry.

Agriculture
The Thessalian Plain is famous for its crops including fruits (watermelon and melon), vegetables (tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, onions, etc.), cotton, dairy, cattle and other crops.

Television

 * TRT
 * Thessaly

Newspapers

 * ''Agrotikoi Ekfasi - Larissa
 * I Alitheia - Farsala
 * Eleftheria - Larissa
 * I Foni - Farsala
 * Imerisia Kyrikas - Larissa
 * I Nea tis Farsalou - Farsala

Transport
There are a number of highways E75 and the main railway from Athens to Thessaloniki (Salonika) crosses Thessaly. The region is directly linked to the rest of Europe through International Airport of Central Greece located in Nea Anchialos in a small distance from Larisa (26 kilometers).


 * Greece Interstate 1/E75, SE, Cen., E - partially a divided superhighway
 * Greece Interstate 3, S, Cen., NW
 * A3 (GR-3 superhighway) - future
 * Greece Interstate 6, W, Cen., SE
 * Greek National Road 13, NW
 * Greece Interstate 26, NW
 * Greece Interstate 30, S
 * Larissa-Karditsa Road, S, SW
 * Grevena-Elassona Road, NW
 * Larissa-Melivoia Road, S, E

Sports
Sporting clubs include:
 * AE Larissa - the only city in Greece that ever won a championship other than the teams from Athens and Thessaloniki.
 * Olympia Larissa BC
 * AEL 1964 BC

Larisa Νομός Λάρισας Lariso (provinco) Nome de Larissa Prefettura di Larissa Larissa Larissa (departement) ラリサ県 Larissa prefektur Larisa (prefektura) Prefectura Larisa Larissa Префектура Лариса Yenişehir (il) Лариса (ном) 拉里薩州