Chalkidiki

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Chalkidiki Prefecture
Νομός Χαλκιδικής
Location of Chalkidiki Prefecture in Greece
Country:  Greece
Capital: Polygyros
Periphery: Central Macedonia Flag of Greek Macedonia.svg
Population: 109,587 (2005)Ranked 33rd
Area: 2,917.877 km² 
(1,127 sq.mi.) Ranked 17th
Density: 38 /km² 
(97 /sq.mi.)
Number of municipalities: 14
Number of communities: none
Postal codes: 63x xx
Area codes: 237 (some 2377 numbers

reserved for Mount Athos), 2399

Licence plate code: ΧΚ
ISO 3166-2 code: GR-59
Website: www.halkidiki.gov.gr

Chalkidiki, also Halkidiki or Chalcidice, less often Khalkidiki and rarely the inconsistent Chalkidice (Greek: Χαλκιδική, IPA: [xalkiðiˈki]), is one of the prefectures of Greece. It is located in the southeastern portion of Central Macedonia. The Cholomontas mountains lie in the northcentral part. It consists of a large peninsula in the northwestern Aegean Sea, resembling a hand with three "fingers" (though in Greek these peninsulas are often referred to as "legs") – Pallene (now Kassandra), Sithonia, and Agion Oros (the ancient Acte), which contains Mount Athos and its monasteries.

In ancient times, Chalkidiki was part of Thrace. The first Greek settlers in this area came from Chalcis (Halkis) and Eretria, cities in Euboea, around the eighth century BC who founded cities such as Mende, Toroni and Scioni; a second wave came from Andros in the sixth century BC. The ancient city of Stageira was the birthplace of the great philosopher Aristotle.

The capital of Chalkidiki is the main town of Polygyros, located in the center of the peninsula. Its most populous municipalities are Moudania, Kallikrateia, Polygyros, and Kassandra. Its largest towns are Nea Moudania,(Νέα Μουδανιά) Nea Kallikrateia, (Νέα Καλλικράτεια) and the main town of Polygyros.

There are many summer resorts on the beaches of all three fingers where other minor towns and villages are located, such as at Yerakini (Gerakina Beach), Neos Marmaras (Porto Carras) Ouranoupolis, Nikiti, Psakoudia, Kallithea (Pallene/Pallini, Athos), Sani Resort and more.

In June 2003, at the holiday resort Porto Carras located in Neos Marmaras, Sithonia, European Union leaders presented the first draft of the European constitution. See History of the European Constitution for developments after this point.

The only prefectural boundary is with the Thessaloniki prefecture located to the north.

Contents

[edit] Television

[edit] Transport

  • GR-18, NW, W, SW, Cen., NE
  • Chalkidiki has no railroads or airports.
  • A bus system, KTEL, serves major municipalities.

[edit] Ancient sites

Map of ancient Chalcidice

[edit] Municipalities

Municipalities of Chalkidiki
View upon Neos Marmaras,Chalcidice
Municipality YPES code Seat (if different) Postal code Area code
Anthemountas 5201 Galatista 630 73 2371
Arnaia 5202 630 47 2372
Kallikrateia 5204 Nea Kallikrateia 630 80 2399
Kassandra 5205 Kassandreia 630 77 2399
Moudania 5206 Nea Moudania 632 00 2373
Ormylia 5207 630 71 2371
Pallini 5208 Chaniotis 630 85 2374
Panagia 5209 Megali Panagia 620 76 2373
Polygyros 5210 631 00 2371
Sithonia 5211 Nikiti 630 88 2375
Stagira-Akanthos 5212 Ierissos 630 72 2377
Toroni 5213 Sykia 630 72 2375
Triglia 5214 Nea Triglia 630 79 2375
Zervochoria 5203 Palaiochora 630 73 2371

See also: list of settlements in the Chalkidiki prefecture

[edit] Provinces

Zografou Beach in Sithonia,Chalcidice
  • Province of Chalkidiki - Polygyros
  • Province of Arnaia

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

[edit] Notable Chalkidikians

[edit] References

Coordinates: 40°25′N 23°30′E / 40.417°N 23.5°E / 40.417; 23.5