Achaea Περιφερειακή ενότητα Αχαΐας
—  Regional unit  —
Municipalities of Achaea
Achaea within Greece
Coordinates: 38°05′N 21°50′E / 38.083°N 21.833°E / 38.083; 21.833Coordinates: 38°05′N 21°50′E / 38.083°N 21.833°E / 38.083; 21.833
Country	Greece
Region	West Greece
Capital	Patras
Area
• Total	3,272 km2 (1,263 sq mi)
Population (2005)
• Total	331,316
• Density	100/km2 (260/sq mi)
Postal codes	25x xx, 26x xx
Area codes	261, 269x
ISO 3166 code	GR-13
Car plates	ΑΖ, AX
Website	www.achaia.gr

Achaea (Greek: Αχαΐα Achaïa, [axaˈia]) is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of West Greece. It is situated in the northwestern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. The capital is Patras. The population exceeds 300,000 since 2001.

Geography[link]

Achaea borders on Elis to the southwest, Arcadia to the south and Corinthia to the southeast. The Gulf of Corinth lies to its northeast, and the Gulf of Patras to its northwest. The mountain Panachaiko (1926m), though not the highest of Achaea, dominates the coastal area near Patras. Higher mountains are found in the south, notably Aroania (2341m) and Erymanthos (2224m). Other mountain ranges in Achaea are Omplos and Movri. Its main rivers ordered from west to east are the Larissos, Tytheus, Peiros, Charadros, Selinountas and Vouraikos. Most of the forests are in the mountain ranges, though several are in the plains including the extreme west. There are grasslands around the mid-elevation areas and barren lands in the highest areas.

Achaea has hot summers and mild winters. Sunny days dominate during the summer months in areas near the coast, while the summer can be cloudy and rainy in the mountains. Snow is very common during the winter in the mountains of Erymanthos, Panachaiko and Aroania. Winter high temperatures are around the 10°C mark throughout the low lying areas.

Administration[link]

The regional unit Achaea is subdivided into 5 municipalities. These are (number as in the map in the infobox):^[1]

• Aigialeia (2)
• Erymanthos (4)
• Kalavryta (5)
• Patras (Patra, 1)
• West Achaea (Dytiki Achaia, 3)

Prefecture[link]

As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the regional unit Achaea was created out of the former prefecture Achaea (Greek: Νομός Αχαΐας). The prefecture had the same territory as the present regional unit. At the same time, the municipalities were reorganised, according to the table below.^[1]

Provinces[link]

• Province of Aigialeia - Aigio
• Province of Kalavryta - Kalavryta
• Province of Patras - Patras

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

History[link]

Ancient Achaea[link]

Medieval and modern history[link]

Achaea remained a province of the Byzantine Empire after the fall of the western Roman Empire. In the 6th and 7th centuries, Slavs invaded the Peloponnese, and settled in parts of Achaea as well. By the 9th century, the whole peninsula was under Byzantine control again. However, after the Fourth Crusade several new crusader states were founded in Greece. One of these was the Principality of Achaea, founded in 1205, which like the Roman province covered a much larger area than traditional Achaea. Achaea was recaptured by the Byzantine Empire by 1430, and became part of the Despotate of the Morea.

The Despotate of the Morea fell to the Ottoman Empire in 1460. As a part of the Morean War, the Republic of Venice captured Achaea in 1687, and held it until 1715, when the Ottoman recaptured it as a part of the Ottoman–Venetian War (1714–1718). Under Ottoman rule, it was part of the Morea Eyalet.

In the Greek War of Independence, Aigio was one of the first cities to be liberated by the Greeks and all of Achaea was liberated by the end of 1821. Achaea produced several heroes including Kanaris, Zaimis and Roufos and prime ministers of Greece including Andreas Michalakopoulos as well as some head of states.

In the first administrative subdivision of independent Greece, Achaea was part of the large Achaea and Elis Prefecture. This was divided into the prefectures of Achaea and Elis in 1899. Achaea and Elis were reunited in 1909, and split again in 1930.

Achaea saw an influx of refugees that arrived from Asia Minor during the Greco Turkish War of 1919-1922. Tens of thousands were relocated to their camps in the suburbs of Patras and a few villages mainly within the coastline. One of the camps was named Prosfygika.

Population[link]

Karst field near Kato Loutsi north of Kastria in Achaea, Greece

Achaea today has about one-third of the population of the Peloponnese. Patras, the capital of Achaea, is the third largest city in Greece, behind Athens-Piraeus and Thessaloniki. Two-thirds of the Achaean population live near Patras, and more than half within the city limits. The main industrial areas are around Patras.

Main towns and cities[link]

The main cities and towns of Achaea are (ranked by 2001 census population):

• Patras 161,114
• Aigio 21,255
• Kato Achaia 6,027
• Paralia 6,012
• Ovrya 5,241
• Rio 5,231

Culture[link]

The monastery Agia Lavra is situated a few kilometres west of Kalavryta on the top of a hill. 12 to 20 km east, is Cave Lakes where lakes are inside this brilliant cave. It is open to tourists, and the length is around 300 to 500 m. The mountain hosts the most modern Greek telescope, named Aristarchus (after the ancient Greek astronomer - Aristarchus of Samos) and operated by the National Observatory of Athens A narrow gauge railway track runs for 30 km, mainly as a tourist attraction. The track begins near Kalavryta and ends off Diakopto.

Economy[link]

Patras is one of the main industrial and commerce centers in Greece. Temeni is a place where the famous spring water Avra (Άυρα) is manufactured. It is owned by Tria Epsilon, a division of Coca-Cola Company and a parent. There is a small oil refinery near Rio.

Transport[link]

Roads[link]

Intercity bus transport is provided by KTEL Achaias. The main bus terminal is in the city of Patras.

The main highways are:

• Ionia Odos (A5, part of E55): Rio - Antirrio - Arta - Ioannina
• Greek National Road 8, old road Athens - Corinth - Rio - Patras
• Greek National Road 8A (part of E55 and E65): Athens - Corinth - Rio - Patras
• Greek National Road 9 (part of E55): Patras - Pyrgos - Kyparissia - Pylos
• Greek National Road 31: Aigio - Kalavryta
• Greek National Road 33: Patras - Tritaia - Lampeia - Vlacherna

Railways[link]

Achaea is connected to Corinthia, Elis and Attica by the Piraeus, Athens and Peloponnese Railways line Athens - Corinth - Aigio - Patras - Pyrgos - Kyparissia. Passenger service on the section Patras - Kyparissia has been suspended since 2011. The Diakofto–Kalavryta Railway is a rack railway, offering passenger service as well.

Communications[link]

Newspapers, fanzines and others[link]

Current newspapers[link]

• Achagiotika Nea - Kato Achaia
• Allagi - Patras
• Elliniki Dimokratia - Patras
• Epi ta proso - Patras
• Evdomada - Patras
• Filodimos - Aigio
• Frouros tis Anatolikis Aigialeias - Akrata and eastern Aigaleia
• Ta Gegonota tis Achaias - Achaea
• I Gnomi - Patras
• Imera - Patras [1]
• Imerisios Kyrix - Patras
• Kosmos tis Patras - Patras
• Paraliaki - Patras
• Patraiki Evdomada - Patras
• Politis ton Patron - Patras - political
• Proodos - Patras
• Proti tis Aigaleias - Aigio and Aigaleia
• Simerini - Patras
• Splats - a fanzine based in Patras
• Sport Week - Patras - sports
• Sportivo west - Patras - sports
• Styx - Akrata
• Symvoulos Epocheiriseon - Patras

Ceased and defunct newspapers[link]

• Achaikos Kyrix - an older newspaper of Patras
• Tachydromos tis Anatolis - Patras, one of the few newspapers that were only published in French

Radio[link]

• ERA Patras - Rio
• Super B - Patras
• Top FM - 93 FM
• Ionion FM - 95.8 FM
• Radio Gamma - 96 FM
• MFM
• Radio Aigio - 99.2 FM
• You FM - 100.1 FM (launched in 2006/2007)
• Mojo FM - 107.9 FM

Television[link]

• Achaia Channel - Patrast
• Patra TV - Patras
• Super B - Patras
• Tele Con - extinct
• Tele Time - regional
• AXION - Aigio

Companies[link]

• Achaiki
• Kronos Supermarkets - Patras

Persons[link]

• Actor, mythological legend
• Alexon, ancient figure
• Timoleon Ambelas, a writer
• Anchialus, mythological legend
• Dimitrios Andrikopoulos-Boukaouris, Mayor of Patras
• Antheia, mythological legend
• Argyra, mythological legend
• Autonous, ancient figure
• Bolina, ancient figure
• Bryson of Achaea, ancient figure
• Anastasios Charalambis General and Prime Minister for one day in 1922.
• Vasileios Christopoulos, an artist
• Danielis, ancient figure
• Kostas Davourlis Footballer of Panachaiki
• Theodoros Deligiannis a Prime Minister of Greece
• Ioannis Diakidis
• Rena Dor, actress
• Dymas, ancient figure
• Eperatus, ancient figure
• Eurypylus
• Spyros Fokas, an actor
• Asimakis Fotilas, a revolutionary leader
• Panagiotakis Fotilas, a revolutionary leader
• Giorgos Giannias, a revolutionary leader
• Dimitrios Gounaris a Prime Minister of Greece
• Helike, ancient queen
• Ion, mythological legend
• Antonios Kalamogdartis, a revolutionary leader
• Athanasios Kanakaris-Roufos, a revolutionary leader
• Panagiotis Karatzas, a revolutionary leader
• Kostas Katsouranis Footballer - European Champion (Euro 2004)
• Konstantinos Konstantopoulos a Mayor of Patras and Prime Minister of Greece
• Andreas Kontogouris, a revolutionary leader
• Nikolaos Kontopoulos
• Christos Laskaris
• Afroditi Laoutari, an actress
• Dimitrios Maximos
• Vassilis Makris, an artist
• Memos Makris, an artist
• Dimitrios Maximos a Prime Minister of Greece
• Melanippus, ancient fiture
• Andreas Michalakopoulos a Prime Minister of Greece
• Andreas Mikroutsikos
• Betty Moschona, an actress
• Molurus, ancient figure
• Thanos Mikroutsikos, an artist
• Myscellus
• Kostis Palamas national Greek poet
• George Papandreou (senior) a Prime Minister of Greece
• Georgios Papadopoulos Leader of the military junta
• Georgios Papandreou (historian), an unrelated historian and linguist
• Anagnostis Petimezas, a revolutionary leader
• Konstantinos Petimezas, a revolutionary leader
• Konstantis Petimezas, a revoltuionary leader
• Nikolaos Petimezas (elder)
• Angelos Roufos
• Benizelos Rouphos a Prime Minister of Greece
• Ioannis Roufos
• Selemnus, mythological legend
• Panagiotis Skagiopoulos
• Sokratis Skartsis, poet
• Konstantinos Skourletis, mayor of Patras
• Markos Sklivaniotis
• Socrates of Achaea, ancient figure
• Sostratus of Dyme, an ancient figure
• Sostratus of Pellene, an ancient Greek Olympian
• Konstantinos Stefanopoulos President of Greece
• Epameinondas Thomopoulos, an artist
• Dimitrios Tofalos Olympic Champion
• Spyridon Vassiliadis, poet
• Xenofon Verykios
• Dimitrios Votsis, mayor of Patras
• Spyros Vrettos, poet
• Alexandros Zaimis a Prime Minister and President of Greece

Sports[link]

There are two skiing resorts, one on the Panachaicus west of the mountain top (elevation around 1700 m) east of Patras, it will be Nafpaktos's closest because of the new bridge (mid-2004) and the other on Aroania, sometimes still called Chelmos, near Kalavrita. It is Kalavrita's closest resort.

Sporting teams[link]

Division rankings were as of the 2005-06 season for most teams, for football (soccer), they are run by the Achaea Football Clubs Association:

Teams with multiple sporting clubs

• Achaios Saravali Patras - Saravali - fourth division
• Anagennisi/Aias Sympoliteia - Rododafni
• Apollon Patras
• Atromitos Lappa
• Atromitos Patras - Patras, fourth division
• Diakopto AC - Diakopto - fourth division
• Fostiras Ovrias FC - Ovrya, fourth division
• Iraklis Patras - Patras, fourth division
• A.O. Krini 97
• NO Patras - Patras, fourth division
• Olympiakos Aigio - Aigio, fourth division
• Olympiakos Kamares - Kamares - fourth division
• Olympiakos Patras - Patras - fourth division
• Ormi Patras - Patras - fourth division
• Panachaiki - Patras, second division
• EA Patras - Patras, fourth division
• Spartakos Ovrya - Ovrya - third division (as of 2007)
• A.O. Thea - Thea
• Thyella Aigio - Aigio
• Thyella Patras F.C. - Patras, third division
• A.P.S. Zavlani - fourth division

Basketball only

• A.O. Skagiopouleio

Defunct and historic teams

• Lefkos Asteras - Patras
• Thriamvos Patras - Patras, now part of EPA Patras

Notes[link]

References[link]

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 
• Bunson, Matthew (1994). Encyclopedia of the Roman Empire. New York: Facts on File Inc.

External links[link]

• http://www.geocities.com/world_greek_geografia/Greece/Axaia/Axaia.htm (Archived 2009-10-24)

v t e Administrative division of the West Greece Region Area: 11,350 km² • Population : 740,506 (2001) • Capital: Patras Regional unit of Achaea Aigialeia • Erymanthos • Kalavryta • Patras • West Achaea Regional unit of Aetolia-Acarnania Agrinio • Aktio-Vonitsa • Amfilochia • Missolonghi • Nafpaktia • Thermo • Xiromero Regional unit of Elis Ancient Olympia • Andravida-Kyllini • Andritsaina-Krestena • Ilida • Pineios • Pyrgos • Zacharo Regional governor: Apostolos Katsifaras (el) • Website: www.pde.gov.gr