is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the Region of
. Its capital is the city of
. It is the second most populous regional unit in Greece, behind Central Athens.
. The Thermaic Gulf is to the southwest while the Strymon Gulf is in the east. Two bodies of water stretch to the north,
to the east. There are farmlands in the western and the southwestern part and also a few in the northeast, the north and along the Axios valley. The mountains include the
to the north and parts of the Kerdylio mountains to the northeast. The regional unit borders on the Imathia regional unit to the southwest, Pella to the west, Kilkis to the north, Serres to the east and Chalkidiki to the south.
Its climate includes hot Mediterranean summers and cool to mild winters in low lying areas and its plains. Winter weather is very common in areas 500 m above sea level and into the mountains.
The area of the Thessaloniki regional unit joined the rest of Greece during the
in 1913. The area was struck by an earthquake in the 1970s, and by flooding due to rainfall in October 2006.
The Thessaloniki regional unit is subdivided into 14 municipalities. These are (number as in the map in the infobox):
The Thessaloniki Prefecture was created when the area joined with the rest of Greece during the
in 1913. Its area then was the largest in the country covering about 7% of all of Greece. The prefectures of Pella and Kilkis were split off in 1930 and 1937 respectively, and after
As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the prefecture was transformed into a regional unit within the Central Macedonia region, without any change in boundaries. At the same time, the municipalities were reorganised, according to the table below.
| New municipality | Old municipalities | Seat |
| Ampelokipoi-Menemeni |
Ampelokipoi Ampelokipoi is a suburb of the Thessaloniki Urban Area and was a former municipality of the regional unit of Thessaloniki, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality of Ampelokipoi-Menemeni, of which it is a municipal unit. The population is 40,959, as of 2001,... |
Ampelokipoi |
| Menemeni Menemeni is a suburb of the Thessaloniki Urban Area and a former municipality of the regional unit of Thessaloniki, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Ampelokipoi-Menemeni, of which it is a municipal unit. It neighbors Evosmos, Ampelokipoi, Thessaloniki...
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| Chalkidona -Municipality:The municipality Chalkidona was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 3 former municipalities, that became municipal units:*Agios Athanasios*Chalkidona*Koufalia...
|
Chalkidona -Municipality:The municipality Chalkidona was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 3 former municipalities, that became municipal units:*Agios Athanasios*Chalkidona*Koufalia... |
Koufalia |
| Agios Athanasios |
| Koufalia Koufalia is a former municipality and a city in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Chalkidona, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. It is located 40 kilometres North-West of the City of Thessaloniki, and virtually...
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| Delta Delta is a municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Central Macedonia, Greece. The seat of the municipality is the town Sindos.-Municipality:...
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Axios Axios was a former municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform, the town is part of the municipality Delta, of which it is a municipal unit. It is named after the river Axios. Population 6,780 . The seat of the municipality was in Kymina.... |
Sindos |
| Echedoros Echedoros was a former municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Delta, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 23,924 . The seat of the municipality was in Sindos. In antiquity Echedorus was a river rising in...
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| Chalastra Chalastra is a town and was a former municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Delta, of which it is a municipal unit. The town is located 20 km west from the city of Thessaloniki, on the north side of Greek...
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KalamariaKalamariá is a municipality of the Thessaloniki Urban Area, located about 7 km southeast of downtown Thessaloniki. It is the second largest municipality of the Thessaloniki Urban Area as well as one of the largest in Greece, with a population increase of 8% since the 1991...
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KalamariaKalamariá is a municipality of the Thessaloniki Urban Area, located about 7 km southeast of downtown Thessaloniki. It is the second largest municipality of the Thessaloniki Urban Area as well as one of the largest in Greece, with a population increase of 8% since the 1991... |
Kalamaria |
| Kordelio-Evosmos |
Eleftherio-Kordelio Eleftherio-Kordelio is a suburb of the Thessaloniki Urban Area and was a former municipality of the regional unit of Thessaloniki, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Kordelio-Evosmos, of which it is a municipal unit. It gained its present form in 1982,... |
Evosmos |
| Evosmos Evosmos is a suburb of the Thessaloniki Urban Area and was a former municipality in the regional unit of Thessaloniki, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Kordelio-Evosmos, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. It has a land area of 9.927 km²...
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| Lagkadas Lagadas ; is a town and a municipality in the northeast part of Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Population 16,836 .-Historic Facts:Zübeyde Hanım , Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's mother, was born in Lagadas in 1857.-Municipality:...
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Lagkadas Lagadas ; is a town and a municipality in the northeast part of Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Population 16,836 .-Historic Facts:Zübeyde Hanım , Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's mother, was born in Lagadas in 1857.-Municipality:... |
Lagkadas |
| Assiros Assiros is a village and a former municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Lagkadas, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 3,861 ....
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| Vertiskos Vertiskos is a village and a former municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Lagkadas, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 3,350 ....
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| Kallindoia Kallindoia is a former municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Lagkadas, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 4,689 . The seat of the municipality was in Zagkliveri....
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| Koroneia Koroneia is a former municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Lagkadas, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 4,286 . The seat of the municipality was in Gerakarou....
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| Lachanas Lachanas is a village and a former municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Lagkadas, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 3,779 . The seat of the municipality was in Xylopoli....
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| Sochos Sochos is a village and a former municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Lagkadas, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 5,773 .-Subdivisions:...
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| Neapoli-Sykies |
Neapoli Neapoli is a suburb of the Thessaloniki Urban Area and was former municipality in the regional unit of Thessaloniki, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Neapoli-Sykies, of which it is a municipal unit... |
Sykies |
| Agios Pavlos Agios Pavlos is a suburb of the Thessaloniki Urban Area and was a former municipality in the regional unit of Thessaloniki, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality of Neapoli-Sykies, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 7,978 ....
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| Pefka Pefka is a suburb and a former municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Neapoli-Sykies, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 6,434 . It has a land area of 1.800 km² and a population density of 3,574...
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| Sykies Sykies is a suburb of the Thessaloniki Urban Area and was a former municipality in the regional unit of Thessaloniki, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Neapoli-Sykies, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. The municipal unit population is 41,726...
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| Oraiokastro Oraiokastro is a municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece and a suburb of Thessaloniki.-Municipality:The municipality Oraiokastro was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 3 former municipalities, that became municipal...
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Oraiokastro Oraiokastro is a municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece and a suburb of Thessaloniki.-Municipality:The municipality Oraiokastro was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 3 former municipalities, that became municipal... |
Oraiokastro |
| Kallithea Kallithea is a suburb and a former municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Oraiokastro, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 6,096 ....
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| Mygdonia Mygdonia is a suburb and a former municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Oraiokastro, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 7,239 . The municipal unit of Mygdonia includes three communities, Drymos , Liti ...
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| Pavlos Melas Pavlos Melas is a municipality of the Thessaloniki Urban Area in the regional unit of Thessaloniki, Central Macedonia, Greece. It was named after the Greek hero of the Macedonian Struggle, Pavlos Melas. The seat of the municipality is in Stavroupoli...
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Efkarpia Efkarpia is a suburb of the Thessaloniki Urban Area and a former municipality in the regional unit of Thessaloniki, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Pavlos Melas, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 6,598 .... |
Stavroupoli |
| Polichni Polichni is a suburb of the Thessaloniki Urban Area and was a former municipality in the regional unit of Thessaloniki, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Pavlos Melas, of which it is a municipal unit. The population is 36,146 , and it has a land area of...
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| Stavroupoli Stavroupoli is a suburb of the Thessaloniki Urban Area and was a former municipality in the regional unit of Thessaloniki, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Pavlos Melas, of which it is the seat of it and is a municipal unit...
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| Pylaia-Chortiatis |
PanoramaPanorama is an affluent suburb and a former municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Pylaia-Chortiatis, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. Panorama has a population of 20,000 and is located at the foot... |
Panorama |
| Pylaia Pylaia is a suburb of the Thessaloniki Urban Area and was former municipality in the regional unit of Thessaloniki, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Pylaia-Chortiatis, of which it is a municipal unit...
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| Chortiatis Chortiatis is a suburb and a former municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 Kallikratis local government reform it is part of the municipality Pylaia-Chortiatis, of which it is a municipal unit...
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| Thermaikos Thermaikos was a municipality of the regional unit of Thessaloniki, Greece. It compirised of the suburbs of Peraia, Neoi Epivates and Agia Triada, of which had a population of 20,253...
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Thermaikos Thermaikos was a municipality of the regional unit of Thessaloniki, Greece. It compirised of the suburbs of Peraia, Neoi Epivates and Agia Triada, of which had a population of 20,253... |
Peraia |
| Epanomi Epanomi is a town and was a former municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality of Thermaikos, of which it is a municipal unit. It is located 25 km away from the city center of Thessaloniki...
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| Michaniona Michaniona was a former municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform, the town/suburb is part of the municipality of Thermaikos, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 9,425 . The seat of the municipality was in Nea Michaniona and included the...
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| Thermi Thermi is a municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece.-Municipality:The municipality Thermi was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 3 former municipalities, that became municipal units:*Mikra*Thermi...
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Thermi Thermi is a municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece.-Municipality:The municipality Thermi was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 3 former municipalities, that became municipal units:*Mikra*Thermi... |
Thermi |
| Vasilika Vasilika is a town and a former municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Thermi, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 9,303 ....
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| Mikra Mikra is a former municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Thermi, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 10,427 . The seat of the municipality was in Trilofo....
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ThessalonikiThessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
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ThessalonikiThessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace... |
Thessaloniki |
| Triandria Triandria is a suburb of the Thessaloniki Urban Area and was a former municipality in the regional unit of Thessaloniki, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Thessaloniki, of which it is a municipal unit. It is located east of Thessaloniki's city centre at...
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| Volvi Volvi is a municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Central Macedonia, Greece. The seat of the municipality is the town Stavros. It was named after Lake Volvi.-Municipality:...
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Rentina Rentina is a former municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it has been a municipal unit within the municipality of Volvi. Its population was 6,364 in 2001. The seat of the municipality was in Stavros.... |
Stavros |
| Agios Georgios Agios Georgios is a former municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volvi, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 5,466 . The seat of the municipality was in Asprovalta....
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| Apollonia Apollonia is an ancient town and a former municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volvi, of which it is a municipal unit. It is located along the Via Egnatia in Macedonia, about midway between Thessaloniki and...
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| Arethousa Arethousa is a former municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volvi, of which it is a municipal unit. Population of the municipality - 3,522 . The population of the village is 929 ....
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| Egnatia Egnatia is a former municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volvi, of which it is a municipal unit. The seat of the municipality was in Profitis....
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| Madytos Madytos is a former municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volvi, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 3,456 . The seat of the municipality was in Nea Madytos. The town takes its name from the ancient...
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link with Thessaloniki and the superhighway in 1973, the Thessaloniki Ring and the Diagonal Road (
superhighway between 1997 and 2005 and currently, the GR-12 will be converted to a superhighway standard in the late-2000s and the early-2010s.
Most of the stations are in the city (see Thessaloniki#Communications). Here are list of stations outside the city: