Chania (regional unit)

Chania Περιφερειακή ενότητα Χανίων
—  Peripheral unit  —
Municipalities of Chania periph. unit
Chania periph. unit within Greece
Coordinates: 35°25′N 23°55′E / 35.417°N 23.917°E / 35.417; 23.917Coordinates: 35°25′N 23°55′E / 35.417°N 23.917°E / 35.417; 23.917
Country	Greece
Periphery	Crete
Capital	Chania
Area
- Total	2,376 km2 (917.4 sq mi)
Population (2005)
- Total	156,371
- Density	65.8/km2 (170.5/sq mi)
Postal codes	73x xx, 740 55
Area codes	282x0, 28310
ISO 3166 code	GR-94
Car plates	ΧΝ
Website	chania.eu

Chania (Greek: Περιφερειακή ενότητα Χανίων) is one of the four peripheral units of Crete; it covers the westernmost quarter of the island. Its capital is the city of Chania. Chania borders only one other peripheral unit: that of Rethymno to the east. The western part of Crete is bounded to the north by the Cretan Sea, and to the west and south by the Mediterranean Sea. The peripheral unit also includes the southernmost island in Europe, Gavdos.

Geography

Chania peripheral unit, often informally termed 'Western Crete', is a beautiful and in many parts unspoilt part of the island. Districts include verdant Apokoronas, mountainous Sfakia, and Selino in the far South West corner. Some other notable towns in the Chania prefecture are: Hora Sfakion, Kastelli-Kissamos, Palaiochora, Maleme, Vryses, Vamos, Georgioupolis and Kalives.

The natural park of Samaria Gorge, a major tourist attraction and a refuge for the rare Cretan wild goat or kri kri, is in the South of the peripheral unit. The White Mountains or Lefka Ori, through which the Samaria, Aradena, Imbros and other gorges run, are the limestone peaks topped by snow until May that occupy much of Chania peripheral unit. They contain more than 40 peaks over 2,000 meters high. The highest peak in this area is Pachnes, at 2,453 meters above sea level.

Western Crete is popular with tourists for its spring flowers that linger on into early May in the mountains. Birdwatching is also popular, with the lammergeier and golden eagle especially sought for. As an island, Crete has many endemic species of plant and animal.

Crete's only freshwater lake, Lake Kournas, is in the peripheral unit close to the border with Rethymno peripheral unit, 47 km from Chania. It is relatively large, with a perimeter of 3.5 km. The lake used to be called 'Korisia' after ancient 'Korion', a city thought to be in the area with a temple to Athena. The lake used to be reportedly full of eels but now is better known for its terrapins and tourists. Tavernas and pedalo rental shops line part of the shore. Overall, however, the lake retains its beauty, the White Mountains reflected in the mirror-like waters.

Administration

The peripheral unit Chania is subdivided into 7 municipalities. These are (number as in the map in the infobox):^[1]

• Apokoronas (2)
• Chania (1)
• Gavdos (3)
• Kantanos-Selino (4)
• Kissamos (5)
• Platanias (6)
• Sfakia (7)

Prefecture

The Chania prefecture (Greek: Νομός Χανίων) was created while Crete was still an autonomous state, and was preserved after the island joined Greece in 1913. As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the Chania peripheral unit was created out of the former prefecture. The prefecture had the same territory as the present peripheral unit. At the same time, the municipalities were reorganised, according to the table below.^[1]

New municipality	Old municipalities	Seat
Apokoronas	Armenoi	Vryses
	Asi Gonia
	Vamos
	Georgioupoli
	Kryonerida
	Fres
Chania	Chania	Chania
	Akrotiri
	Eleftherios Venizelos
	Keramia
	Nea Kydonia
	Souda
	Theriso
Gavdos	Gavdos	Gavdos
Kantanos-Selino	Kantanos	Palaiochora
	East Selino
	Pelekanos
Kissamos	Kissamos	Kissamos
	Innachori
	Mythimna
Platanias	Platanias	Gerani
	Voukolies
	Kolymvari
	Mousouroi
Sfakia	Sfakia	Sfakia

Provinces

The provinces were:

• Apokoronas Province - Vamos
• Kissamos Province - Kissamos
• Kydonia Province - Chania
• Selino Province - Kandanos
• Sfakia Province - Chora Sfakion

Communications

• Kydon TV

Persons

• Eleftherios Venizelos (1864-1936), prime minister of Greece
• Michael Bletsas , Director of Computing at the MIT Media Lab
• Angelos Bletsas , MIT alumni
• Constantinos Daskalakis, Assistant Professor at MIT

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Kallikratis reform law textPDF

See also

• List of settlements in the Chania prefecture

External links

• aera.gr από τα Χανιά με αγάπη – Καθημερινή ενημέρωση για τα Χανιά, την Κρήτη, την Ελλάδα και όλο τον κόσμο από το aera.gr