| Orestiada Ορεστιάδα |
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| Location | |
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Orestiada
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| Coordinates | |
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Location within the region
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| Government | |
| Country: | Greece |
| Region: | East Macedonia and Thrace |
| Regional unit: | Evros |
| Population statistics (as of 2001) | |
| Municipality | |
| - Population: | 39,485 |
| - Area: | 967.5 km2 (374 sq mi) |
| - Density: | 41 /km2 (106 /sq mi) |
| Municipal unit | |
| - Population: | 21,730 |
| Community | |
| - Population: | 17,194 |
| Other | |
| Time zone: | EET/EEST (UTC+2/3) |
| Elevation (center): | 35 m (115 ft) |
| Postal: | 682 00 |
| Telephone: | 25520 |
| Auto: | OP |
| Website | |
| www.orestiada.gr | |
Orestiada (Greek: Ορεστιάδα, formerly Ὀρεστιάς, Orestiás) is the northeasternmost and northernmost city of Greece and the second largest city of the Evros regional unit of Thrace. The population is around 25,000. Orestiada is only 2 km west of the banks of the Evros, which forms a natural border between Greece and Turkey. Orestiada is located 23 km S of Edirne, about 64 km SE of the Greek-Turkish-Bulgarian border, 66 km SE of Svilengrad, about 110 km N of Alexandroupoli, N of Didymoteicho, ENE of Soufli, about 110 km ENE of Alexandroupoli and 460 km ENE of Thessaloniki.
GR-51/E85 once ran through Orestiada, which today is bypassed 1 km to the west.
It is a modern and contemporary city, only 75 years old. In ancient times, there was a small settlement on this site which legends claim was founded by Orestes, the son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. Ancient Orestiada was located in present day Turkey, across the river from the town of Kastanies. Nea Orestias or New Orestiada was founded in 1922 when the population exchange occurred between Turkey and Greece, in which the Evros River became the new border between the two countries. The site of the original Orestiada was founded around 3000 years ago and remains fairly undeveloped as it is near the much larger city of Edirne.
Orestiada has a train station, a Medical Centre, a Philharmonic and a Choir as well as a sugar factory, outside the city which processes locally grown sugar beets. Asparagus, potatoes, tobacco, watermelons and corn are also grown. As well, a cattle breeding fund gives commercial impetus to the city and the whole area which is in such an economically strategic location in Europe.
It is also the site of the Fylakio detention center for illegal immigrants. In November 2010, the European Union sent Frontex forces to Orestiada to help Greek police patrol the local section of the border with Turkey. Some 31,400 people crossed just that portion of the border in the first nine months of 2010.[1]
In 1999, Orestiada became the fourth city to host university departments (faculties) of the Democritus University of Thrace. The faculties based in Orestiada are the Department of Rural Development and the Department of Forestry, Environmental Management and Natural Resources. Both faculties have a five year curriculum. More than 800 students live in the city.
Contents |
The municipality Orestiada was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 4 former municipalities, that became municipal units:[2]
The municipal unit Orestiada is subdivided into the following communities (constituent settlements in brackets):
| Year | Population town | Population municipal district | Population municipality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 14,727 | - | - |
| 1991 | 12,691 | - | 19,669 |
| 2001 | 15,246 | 17,194 | 21,862 |
The population of the settlements within the municipal district Orestiada at the 2001 census was:
| Northwest: Kyprinos | North: Vyssa | |
| West: Kyprinos and Metaxades | Orestiada | East: Turkey |
| Southwest: Metaxades | South: Didymoteicho |
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