Imathia

Imathia (Ημαθία) is one of the prefectures of Greece. It is located in the Periphery of Central Macedonia. Although provinces no longer have any legal standing in Greece, Imathia has two provinces: Naousa and Alexandreia. The prefecture is boundaries are Pieria to the south, Kozani to the west, Pella to the north and Thessaloniki to the east, while the delta of the Haliacmon, Imathia's shortest boundary, with the coastline of the Thermaic Gulf to the east.

The capital city of Imathia is the city of Veria (Veroia).

Municipalities
See also: List of settlements in the Imathia prefecture and Slavic toponyms of places in Imathia

Geography
Its geography include mountains are parts of Pierian Mountains to the southeast and the Vermion Mountains to the west. Much of the population is in the valley areas. The longest river is the Aliákmon river which flows to the south and east. Its reservoir is partially bounded with Kozani. Imathia's lowest point is the Thermian Gulf and the highest point is Vermio to the west

Imathia is bounded with the Piera prefecture to the south, the Kozani Prefecture (West Macedonia) to the west, the Pella to the north and the Thessaloniki Prefecture to the northeast.

History
The area around Imathia was first under Macedonian rule. Imathia was named from the area of the Thermaic Gulf, during the Macedonian Empire, when the name connoted the district between the Haliacmon and Loudias. The ancient and classical Imathia included Edessa and Aigai, the ancient capital of Beroea, Kitio (Κίτιον, now Naousa), etc.

Later, Imathia was annexed to the Roman rule and later the Byzantine rule. The Ottoman Empire ruled the area from the 1400s until the Balkan Wars of 1913. Unlike southern central and central Greece, it only joined Greece during the Balkan Wars and the treaties of Bucharest and London. The population exploded and farmlands expanded and its streets plans were more gridded and modernized than the south, and Veria received electricity, and its major roads became paved. During the Greco-Turkish War, several refugees from Asia Minor (now in Turkey) arriving in Imathia built refugee camps and houses, as well as several villages modeled after their former villages. Imathia experienced World War II and saw damages to most of the homes and properties. The area suffered again during Greek Civil War, which saw the last fighting in the area. For the first 34 years of being Greek, Imathia belonged to the prefecture of Thessaloniki. In 1947 Imathia became a prefecture, and Veroia was selected the its capital.

Imathia yet again saw a small growth in the 1950s and the 1960s but the growth slowed due to emigration. The villages saw their roads paved, their homes receive electricity, more automobiles, radios and appliances. Television arrived in the 1970s and the 1980s for the rural portion, and the GR-1 was completed in 1972. The 1980s saw the first construction of the Egnatia Odos superhighway, and it became the second superhighway in the prefecture with two undivided lanes. Between 1998 and 2005, the superhighway added two more lanes and became divided. It also extended to the prefectural boundary with Kozani along with some tunnels.

The beginning of the 21st century saw a climbing unemployment rate, a minor population loss and some immigration.

On May 24, 2007, a low pressure system that came from southern and central Europe brought in a hailstorm to Imathia, they were nearly the size of golf balls. It damaged crops including the popular peach crops, tomatoes, potatoes, watermelon, cotton, apples, pears and more.

Agriculture
Farming in the area is rich in peach crops and some strawberries, and the production is large. The jam Naoussa is the most famous production of the native area.

Climate
Imathia's climate is mainly of Mediterranean climate with hot summers and cold winters. In most of the central part and the western part receives winter weather especially in the hills and the Vermio mountains.

Transport

 * GR-1, E, SE (length: 1 to 2 km)
 * GR-4, SW, Cen., NE
 * Via Egnatia/E90, SW, S Cen., SE

Newspapers

 * Agrotikoi Orizontes
 * Elefthero Vima
 * Epikaira Imathias
 * Epta Imathias
 * Imerisia
 * Kerkida
 * Laos
 * Pliroforisi

Sporting clubs

 * AE Alexandreia - Alexandreia
 * Apostolos Pavlos Enosis - Veria