Evrytania

Evrytania (Ευρυτανία, alternative romanization Evritania, Latin: Eurytania) is one of the prefectures of Greece. It is within the administrative region of Central Greece and its capital is Karpenisi (approx. 8,200 inhabitants). The prefecture was created in 1947 out of the Aitolia-Acarnania prefecture. It is almost entirely formed of mountains, including the Tymfristos and the Panaitoliko in the south. It's rivers include the Acheloos in the west, Agrafiotis to the east, and Megdova in the east flowing down to the Ionian Sea. It is one of the least populated prefectures in Greece, and also one of the few prefectures to use only one area code. The area borders Aetolia-Acarnania to the west, southwest and south (west over the Acheloos river), Karditsa to the north, and Phthiotis to the east. Evrytania also features a famous skiing resort located near Karpenisi on the Tymfristos mountain. Since 2004, the 1.4 km-long Tymfristos Tunnel lies to the east.

Transport

 * GR-38, W, Cen., E

Climate
Its climate is a mixture of Mediterranean and mountainous in the western portion. Much of the area receives snow in winter and is warm during the summer months.

History
Evrytania dates to ancient times, the area was first settled around 6000 to 5000 BC. The Eurytans or Evrytans were the first settlers of the area. It then fell into Roman hands, and was later incorporated into the Byzantine Empire. Later it was a Frankish possession but with full autonomy. It was later part of the Despotate of Epirus and lastly the Ottoman Empire. Unlike other parts of Greece at the time, while the eastern and the southern parts were definitively ruled by the Ottomans, the area around Agrafa managed to sustain complete autonomy due to the difficulties experienced in conquest of the region. After 400 years, Evrytania finally became part of Greece following the Greek War of Independence. The economy boomed with agriculture, while its village economy has been poor. As in all of Greece, the area was affected by World War II, and later the Greek Civil War. Peace finally returned to Evrytania at the end of the 1940s and its economy expanded, though there was significant migration from the villages to cities. It received electricity, radio communications, motor transport and fuller roads in the 1950s, the GR-38 became paved, and the prefecture's only ski resort opened. Computer and Internet connections were put in place in the 1990s.

Persons

 * Pavlos Bakoyannis
 * Markos Giolias, artist
 * Demosthenis Goulas, artist
 * Stefanos Granitsas, artist
 * Christos Kagaras, painter
 * Spyros Paliouras, a Greek artist
 * Zacharias Papantoniou, artist
 * Michael Stafylas, artist
 * Lefteris Theodorou, painter