Pieria

Pieria (Πιερία) is one of the prefectures of Greece. It is located in the southern part of Macedonia, in the Periphery of Central Macedonia. Its capital is the town of Katerini. Pieria is the smallest prefecture within Macedonia. The name Pieria originates from the ancient tribe and the ancient country of Pieris. In Pieria, there are many sites of archeological interest, such as Dion, Pydna and Platamonas. Pieria is also home to Mt. Pierus, home to Orpheus and the Muses, as well as the Pierian Spring. Mt. Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece and throne of the ancient Greek gods, is located in the southern part of Pieria. Other ancient cities included Leibethra and Pimpleia or Pimplia.

Geography
The Pieria prefecture is bordered by Larissa by Thessaly to the south and west, Kozani to the west and Imathia to the north. Until the late-20th century, it surrounded the village of Elafos in which it was part of the Imatha prefecture.

The Pierian Mountains lie to the west. The Thermian Gulf lies to the east. It also has a valley by the GR-13. Most of the population live within the Olympian Riviera. The lowest point is the Thermian Gulf and the highest point is Mount Olympus.

It combines extensive plains, high mountains and sandy beaches. The region's amazing beauty gives it a great potential for further tourist development.

Climate
Its climate is mainly of Mediterranean climate with hot summers and cool winters. Severe winter weather is common in the central and western parts of Pieria, especially in the Pierian Mountains and on Mount Olympus.

History
The region (Ancient Greek,"Πιερία") or Pieris(Ancient Greek,"Πιερίς") took its name from the Pieres (Ancient Greek,"Πίερες"), Thracian tribe that was expelled by the Macedonians in the 8th century BC from their original seats, and driven to the North beyond the Strymon river and Mount Pangaeus, where they formed a new settlement.

Since the before the archaic period Pieria was incorporated in the Kingdom of Macedon (808 BC,see below) whereas it was the second province of the ancient kingdom.Then Cassander the Antipatrid dynasty (302 BC - 277 BC) the Antigonid dynasty (306 BC - 168 BC), part of the Roman Empire(Macedon was conquered by the Roman Republic in the Fourth Macedonian War,146 BC) and part of the Byzantine Empire.

It was later invaded and became a part of the Ottoman Empire. During the Greek War of Independence in 1821, Pieria took up arms along with the rest of Greece, but their struggle failed and Pieria did not join the rest of Greece until the Balkan Wars in 1913. Until 1947, Pieria was part of the Thessaloniki Prefecture and at that time was the largest Greek prefecture, it was then a province. Pieria saw an economic boom in agriculture and business. During the Greco-Turkish War, it saw an influx of refugees from Asia Minor, now a part of Turkey, and several places were named after their former homelands including Nea Trapezounta from Trezibond (now Trabzon) and Nea Efesos from Ephesus (now Efes). Roads were being paved, Katerini saw electricity. After World War II and the Greek Civil War, Pieria was rebuilt and its population was emigrating. Electricity were introduced to the rest of the prefecture in the 1960s, television in the 1970s and the 1980s and also more pavement of roads.

The GR-1 was under construction in the late-1960s and was opened to traffic in 1972 with two lanes, in the 1980s, it became two-laned in the northern part, in the 1990s, it became two laned as far as the prefectural boundary with Larissa in the early-2000s.

On June 8, 2007, a low pressure weather system from Southern and Central Europe resulted in heavy rainfall that ravaged the prefecture and caused great damage in fruit and vegetable production. The worst hit area was Korinos.

Transport

 * GR-1/E75, both the old and the new highways
 * GR-13

Persons
According to various sources, Alexis Zorba (1867-1942), the person who inspired the Greek novelist Nikos Kazantzakis to write the famous novel Zorba the Greek, was born in the village of Katafigi, near Kolindros. His original name was Georgios Zorbas.
 * Patriarch Callinicus of Alexandria
 * Giorgakis Olympios

Sporting teams

 * Pierikos - Greek Second Division (North Club)