Administrative divisions of Greece
From 1 January 2011, in accordance with the Kallikratis plan (Law 3852/2010), the administrative system of Greece was drastically overhauled. The former system of 13 regions, 54 prefectures and 1033 municipalities and communities was replaced by 7 decentralized administrations, 13 regions and 325 municipalities. The regions and municipalities are fully self-governed, with the first elections to them having been held on 7 November and 14 November 2010. The decentralized administrations are run by a general secretary appointed by the Greek Government. The Autonomous Monastic State of the Holy Mountain, as an autonomous self-governing entity, is exempt from these reforms.
Administrative divisions
The first level of government is constituted by the municipalities (δήμοι dímoi sing. δήμος dímos), which have resulted from merging several former municipalities and communities (themselves the subject of a previous reform with the 1997 Kapodistrias plan). They are run by a mayor (δήμαρχος dímarchos) and a municipal council (δημοτικό συμβούλιο dimotikó symvoúlio), popularly elected every 5 years. The municipalities are further subdivided into municipal units (δημοτικές ενότητες dimotikés enótites) and finally into communities (κοινότητες koinótites). Although communities have their own councils, their role is purely advisory to the municipal-level government.
The second level is composed of the regions (περιφέρειες, sing. περιφέρεια), run by a regional governor (περιφερειάρχης) and a regional council (περιφερειακό συμβούλιο perifereiakó symvoúlio), popularly elected every 5 years. The regions are divided into regional units (περιφερειακές ενότητες perifereiakó enótites), usually but not always coterminous with the former prefectures. Each regional unit is headed by a vice-regional governor (αντιπεριφερειάρχης antiperifereiárchis), drawn from the same political block as the regional governor.
The third level is composed of the new decentralized administrations (αποκεντρωμένες διοικήσεις apokentroménes dioikíseis), comprising two or three regions (except for Attica and Crete), run by a government-appointed general secretary, assisted by an advisory council drawn from the regional governors and the representatives of the municipalities.
Administration of Attica
- Seat: Athens
- Regions: 1
- General-Secretary: Ilias Liakopoulos
Attica Region
Administrative division of the Attica Region |
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Area: 3,808km² • Population: 3,761,810 (2001) • Capital: Athens |
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- Seat: Thessaloniki
- Regions: 2
- General-Secretary: Thymios Sokos
East Macedonia and Thrace Region
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Area: 14,157km² · Population : 611,067 (2001) · Capital: Komotini |
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Central Macedonia Region
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Area: 18,811 km² • Population : 1,874,214 (2001) • Capital: Thessaloniki |
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Administration of Epirus and Western Macedonia
- Seat: Ioannina
- Regions: 2
- General-Secretary: Dimitra Georgakopoulou-Basta
Epirus Region
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Area: 9,203km² • Population: 353,820 (2001) • Capital: Ioannina |
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West Macedonia Region
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Area: 9,451 km² • Population: 301,522 (2001) • Capital: Kozani |
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Administration of Thessaly and Continental Greece
- Seat: Larissa
- Regions: 2
- General-Secretary: Popi Gerakoudi
Thessaly Region
Administrative division of the Thessaly Region |
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Area: 14,037 km² • Population : 753,888 (2001) • Capital: Larissa |
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Central Greece Region
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Area: 15,549 km² • Population : 605,329 (2001) • Capital: Lamia |
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Administration of the Peloponnese, Western Greece and the Ionian Islands
- Seat: Patras
- Regions: 3
- General-Secretary: Tasos Apostolopoulos
Peloponnese Region
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Area: 15,490 km² • Population : 638,942 (2001) • Capital: Tripoli |
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West Greece Region
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Area: 11,350 km² • Population : 740,506 (2001) • Capital: Patras |
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Ionian Islands Region
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Area: 2,307 km² • Population : 212,984 (2001) • Capital: Corfu |
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Administration of the Aegean
- Seat: Piraeus
- Regions: 2
- General-Secretary: Fotis Hatzimichalis
North Aegean Region
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Area: 3,836km² • Population: 206,121 (2001) • Capital: Mytilini |
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Southern Aegean Region
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Area: 5,286km² • Population: 302,686 (2001) • Capital: Ermoupoli |
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Administration of Crete
- Seat: Heraklion
- Regions: 1
- General-Secretary: Thanasis Karoutzos
Crete Region
Administrative division of the Crete Region |
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Area: 8,336km² • Population : 601,131 (2001) • Capital: Heraklion |
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See also
Regions of Greece