Imathia

For the ancient Greek plain, see Emathia.

Imathia Περιφερειακή ενότητα Ημαθίας
Regional unit
Municipalities of Imathia
Imathia Imathia within Greece
Coordinates: 40°35′N 22°15′E
Country	Greece
Administrative region	Central Macedonia
Seat	Veroia
Area
• Total	1,701 km^2 (657 sq mi)
Population  (2021)[1]
• Total	131,001
• Density	77/km^2 (200/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code	59x xx
Area code(s)	233x0
Vehicle registration	HM
Website	imathia.pkm.gov.gr

Imathia (Greek: Ημαθία [imaˈθia]) is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Central Macedonia, within the geographic region of Macedonia. The capital of Imathia is the city of Veroia.

Administration

Veria

Naousa

Alexandreia

The regional unit Imathia is subdivided into 3 municipalities. These are (number as in the map in the infobox):^[2]

• Alexandreia (2)
• Naousa (3)
• Veroia (1)

Prefecture

As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the regional unit Imathia was created out of the former Imathia prefecture (Greek: Νομός Ημαθίας). The prefecture had the same territory as the present regional unit. At the same time, the municipalities were reorganised, according to the table below.^[2]

New municipality	Old municipalities	Seat
Alexandreia	Alexandreia	Alexandreia
	Antigonides
	Meliki
	Platy
Naousa	Naousa	Naousa
	Anthemia
	Eirinoupoli
Veroia	Veroia	Veroia
	Apostolos Pavlos
	Vergina
	Dovras
	Makedonida

Provinces

The former prefecture of Imathia was subdivided into the following provinces:^[3]

Provinces of Imathia Prefecture	Seat
Imathia Province	Veroia
Naousa Province	Naousa

Note: Provinces no longer hold any legal status in Greece since 2006.

Geography

The northeastern part of Imathia, along the lower course of the river Aliakmonas, is a vast agricultural plain known as Kampania or Roumlouki. The area is known for the production of fruit crops, such as peaches and strawberries. Much of the population lives in this plain, where the towns Alexandreia and Veroia are situated. Imathia has a short shoreline on the Thermaic Gulf, around the mouth of the Aliakmonas. The mountainous western part of Imathia is covered by the Vermio Mountains, reaching 2,052 metres near the city of Naousa. The Pierian Mountains reach into the southern part of Imathia, south of the Aliakmonas. The regional unit borders on Pieria to the south, Kozani to the west, Pella to the north and Thessaloniki to the east. Imathia has a mainly Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters.

Transport

The railway from Thessaloniki to Florina and the important railway from Thessaloniki to Athens pass through Imathia, with main stations at Platy, Veroia and Alexandreia. The A1 and A2 (Egnatia Odos) motorways, and the EO1, EO4 and EO4a national roads pass through Imathia. The Alexandreia Airport is a military airport.

History

The entrance to the "Great Tumulus" at Vergina.

Imathia was named after the historic region Emathia, which was used by several classical authors as a synonym for Bottiaea or even all of Macedon. Important ancient towns in the area of present Imathia were Aegae and Beroea. As a part of the Macedonia region, it was ruled by the kingdom of Macedonia, the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire and from early 15th century by the Ottoman Empire. In 1913, as a result of the Second Balkan War, it became part of Greece. During and after the Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922), several refugees from Turkey settled in Imathia. Initially part of the prefecture of Thessaloniki, Imathia became a prefecture in 1946, and Veroia was selected as its capital.^[4]

Media

Newspapers

• Agrotikoi Orizontes
• Elefthero Vima
• Epikaira Imathias
• Epta Imathias
• Imerisia
• Kerkida
• Laos
• Pliroforisi
• Macedonika Nea

Culture

Museums

• Wine and Vine Museum (Naoussa)
• Archaeological Museum of Veroia
• Byzantine Museum of Veroia
• Folklore Museum of the Lyceum of Hellenic Women (Naoussa)

Sports clubs

• Veria F.C. - Veroia
• Pontioi Veria F.C. - Veroia
• Naoussa F.C. - Naousa
• Alexandria F.C. - Alexandria

See also

• Emathus
• List of settlements in Imathia
• Former toponyms in Imathia Prefecture

References

1. "Αποτελέσματα Απογραφής Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2021, Μόνιμος Πληθυσμός κατά οικισμό" [Results of the 2021 Population - Housing Census, Permanent population by settlement] (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority. 29 March 2024.
2. "ΦΕΚ A 87/2010, Kallikratis reform law text" (in Greek). Government Gazette.
3. "Detailed census results 1991" (PDF). (39 MB) (in Greek and French)
4. FEK 1946 nr. 35

External links

• Asyrmato Mitropolitiko Dyktio Hmathias, The local wireless network
• Official website
• Veroia 11th Public School