Plaka, Arcadia

Plaka (Greek: Πλάκα) is a Greek settlement located around 5 km west-northwest of Megalopoli, 10 km northwest from the nearest interchange with the GR-7/E65 (Kalamata - Megalopoli - Tripoli) and the old road and less than 16 km southeast of Karytaina. Plaka is also in the municipality of Megalopoli. Plaka is connected with a road linking The GR-76 linking Megalopoli with Krestena and Andritsaina, it also serves a road with Theisoa and west to the Lykaio mountain. The Megalopolis Power Plant is located to the west and has a small mine.

Nearest places

*Nea Ekklisoula, northeast
*Megalopoli, south
*Marathoussa, southwest
*Thoknia, west
*Souli, north

Geography

Plaka is situated in a valley area, the Alpheus is 4 km to the west. The geography consists of farmlands covering the central and the western parts, and the eastern part are hilly with some farmlands, the remainder of the area are forested. The Megalopoli Power Plant is to the southwest. The mountains which include the Lykaio can be seen to the west and east.

History

The highest recorded population were in the early to mid-20th century, the population has been falling since the mid-20th century, particularly after the two conflicts, the World War II and the Greek Civil War as people went for a better lifestyle and jobs elsewhere in Greece and the other parts of the world (mainly North America), its decline has rarely slowed in the late-20th century. The census between 1981 and 1991 saw the population double for a brief time, the population lost half of its residents between 1991 and 2001, its median age will rise above 50 and 60, the younger generation only visit Apiditsa making it a summer area along with Choremi and the area.

Population

Other

Plaka has a church, and a square ("plateia"), its nearest school and lyceum (middle school) and gymnasium (secondary school) are in Megalopoli.

External links

* [http://arcadia.ceid.upatras.gr/arkadia/places/plaka.htm History and Information about Plaka]
* [http://www.gtp.gr/LocPage.asp?id=8914 Plaka on GTP Travel Pages]
*Map and aerial photos:
**Street map information from: [http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?latlongtype=decimal&latitude=37.42385&longitude=22.107833&zoom=6 Mapquest] , [http://local.live.com/map.aspx?&lats1=37.42383&lons1=22.107833&alts1=35 LiveLocal] or [http://maps.google.com/maps?||=37.107833,22.42383 Google] or [http://maps.yahoo.com/maps_result?lat=37.42383&lon=22.107833&mag=2 Yahoo! Maps]
**Satellite
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=37.42383,22.107833&spn=0.11,0.18&t=k Google] or [http://virtualearth.msn.com/default.aspx?cp=37.42383|22.107833&style=h&lvl=15&v=1 Microsoft Virtual Earth] - image now available
*Coordinates: coord|37|25|29|N|22|6|29|E|type:city(97)_region:GR

ee also

*List of settlements in the Arcadia prefecture