Corinthia

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For other uses, see Corinthia (disambiguation).
GreeceCorinthia Prefecture
Νομός Κορινθίας
Location of Corinthia Prefecture in Greece
Periphery Peloponnese
Capital Corinth
Population 794,999 (2005)Ranked 17th
Area 2,290 km² Ranked 29th
Population density 69.8/km²Ranked 16th
Number of provinces none
Number of municipalities 15
Postal codes 20x xx
Area codes 274x0
Licence plate code ΚΡ
ISO 3166-2 code GR-15

Corinthia (Greek: Κορινθία, Korinthía) is the area around the city of Corinth. Presently, it is a prefecture of Greece, part of the periphery of Peloponnese. It is the third-most populated prefecture on the Peloponnese peninsula and the largest in the region since the 1980s when it surpassed the neighboring Arcadia's population in which it is now placed below. Currently (2001 census) the population stands at 144,527 persons, while the 1991 figures showed a population of 132,139 people.

The Corinth Canal, carrying ship traffic between the northern Mediterranean and the Aegean, is about 4 km east of Corinth, cutting through the Isthmus of Corinth. Agioi Theodoroi is the easternmost Corinthian community and is considered a suburb of Athens.

The area around Corinth and the western Saronic including the southeastern part are made up of fault lines including the Corinth Fault and the Poseidon Fault and includes one running from Perahcora to Agioi Theodoroi. More faults are near Kiras Vrysi and Sofiko.

Contents

[edit] Municipalities

Municipality Municipal code Seat (if different) Postal code
Agioi Theodoroi 3001 200 03
Assos-Lechaio 3002 Perigiali 200 11
Corinth 3006 201 00
Evrostini 3005 Derveni 200 09
Feneos 3015 Gkoura 200 14
Loutraki-Perachora 3007 Loutraki 203 00
Nemea 3008 205 00
Saronikos 3010 Athikia 200 05
Sikyona 3011 Kiato 202 00
Solygeia 3012 Sofiko 200 04
Stymfalia 3013 Kalianoi 200 16
Tenea 3014 Chiliomodi 200 08
Velo 3003 200 02
Vocha 3004 Zevgolateio 200 01
Xylokastro 3009 204 00

[edit] Communities and municipal districts

See also: List of settlements in the Korinthia prefecture

[edit] Towns of significance

  • Corinth (Gr. Κόρινθος) pop. 1991: 28,071 - 2001: 30,434
  • Loutraki (Λουτράκι) pop. 1991: 8,876 - 2001: 10,673
  • Kiato (Κιάτο) pop. 1991: 9,212 - 2001: 9,655
  • Xylokastro (Ξυλόκαστρο) pop. 1991: 5,633 - 2001: 5,173
  • Agioi Theodoroi (Άγιοι Θεόδωροι) pop. 1991: 3,550 - 2001: 4,963
  • Zevgolatio (Ζευγολατείο) pop. 1991: 3,604 - 2001: 4,119
  • Nemea (Νεμέα) pop. 1991: 4,001 - 2001: 4,078
  • Lechaio (Λέχαιο) pop. 1991: 2,276 - 2001: 3,726
  • Velo (Βέλο) pop. 1991: 3,179 - 2001: 3,017
  • Vrahati (Βραχάτι)pop. 1991: 2,224 - 2001: 2,656
  • Assos (Άσσος) pop. 1991: 1,858 - 2001: 2,372

[edit] Population

Year Population Change
1991 132,129 - - -
2001 144,527 12,398/9.38% 14.07% 4.53%

[edit] History

From 1833 to 1899, it included Argolis and was known as Argolidocorinthia and included Hydra, Spetses and Kythira. Argolis joined Corinthia to re-form Argolidocorinthia again in 1909. Forty years later, in 1949, the prefecture was finally separated from Argolis, then Argolidocorinthia.

The highway was first paved in the 19th to the 20th century. The mid to late-20th century saw the population shifting from agriculture to other jobs as people moved to larger towns and cities as well as other parts of the world. In the 1960s, the superhighway which is mainly designated as a highway was under construction to handle increasing traffic and higher speed limits (60 km/h to 80 km/h) was added, it is the GR-8A, partly E65 and E94 and the highway is tolled. The section from the old Corinth interchange eastward in Korinthia was opened in 1962 and the section west of Korinthia was added on December 1969, It also improved the prefecture's industry. A refinery suppling a part of the national oil production was later added. Later, secondary roads linking to towns became paved between the 1970s and the 1980s as more vehicles were added to its local roads. Construction of another superhighway was added, the E65 with no national number was under construction in the 1980s and opened to traffic in the mid-1980s with about four to five interchanges in the prefecture, the speed limit on the superhighway is mainly 120 km/h the first in the prefecture. Construction in between 1994 and the spring of 1997 saw the section from near the Ancient Corinth interchange to the old toll booth which was moved 2 km east near Kalamaki and became divided with three lanes at its opening. Heavy rains hampered the prefecture in the 20th century causing flooding and one report of cars flowing from a residential street.

The mayor of the area and the prefecture in late-2006 has announced a new dam about 5 to 7 km south of Kiato and south of Sicyon and near Stimanika over the Elissos River and will be in the mountain and valley areas or not far from the heart of the prefecture that will reduce flooding in the valley area which has been hampered in recent times. It will become the second largest body of water (lakes, reservoirs) in the prefecture and also the next prefecture in the Peloponnese region and peninsula ever to have reservoirs in its history. The dam's structure will withstand earthquakes and natural disasters including flooding.

On Tuesday July 17, 2007, a forest fire struck the area around the historic Acrocorinth and its castle. It started on a slope near Acrocorinth and the fires included with 80 km/h winds spread quickly enough to burn several Greek Fir, pine and cypress trees in hours enough to close the new GR-7 (E65) superhighway and rerouted traffic, the fire started during the late-day hours. It took several firefighters, fire trucks, two helicopters and a few planes to contain and stop the blaze from spreading. After sunset, its flames were on the hill, it was to be seen in Corinth and the area. Smoke was seen from one of the forested hills over the superhighway at the time was congested with traffic. The smoke was disentegrated in the night and the fires calmed town on July 18. This dramatic event did not finish, on July 19, two more fires sparked near Chiliomodi and Mapsos resulted in large spreading of the fire and some damages. It started in the late afternoon hours and burnt by the hilly areas next to its farmlands and in Mapsos, it was in a hillier and mountainous setting that it lost several forests and groves in that area. The fire lasted several hours and continued into the evening hours.

[edit] Geography

The area is made up of many farmlands to the north and the west where it has olives, tomatoes, vegetables, pasture lands while the small mountains dominate the west, and some in the east and mountains dominate the south and northeast. Its tallest mountain is Kyllini to its west and the largest lake is Lake Stymphalus situated in the southwest, the reservoir will become one of the largest after its completion.

[edit] Climate

The climate of Corinthia has hot summers and mild winters. Most of the snow are founded in the mountains. In 2003, a torrential downpour devastated tens of cars on a local street and flooded properties.

[edit] Economy

The main source of industry are goods and services, manufacturing, tourism and agriculture. Until the 1950s, agriculture was the primary industry but tourism has been the industry since the 1900s.

[edit] Transport

The area are connected by highways:

[edit] Communications

[edit] Television

[edit] Sites of Interest

Famous attractions includes the Acrocorinth or the Ancient Corinth, thermal springs of Loutraki, the Corinth Canal and Nemea.

[edit] External links