View source for Corinthia

{{Other uses}}
{{distinguish|text=[[Carinthia]], an Austrian state}}
{{Infobox Greece place
| name                    = Corinthia
| name_local              = <small>Περιφερειακή ενότητα</small><br/>Κορινθίας
| type                    = regional unit
| image_skyline           = 2010 Dimi Korinthias numbered.svg
| caption_skyline         = Municipalities of Corinthia
| image_map               = Nomos Korinthias.png
| map_caption             = Corinthia within Greece
| coordinates             = {{coord|37|57|N|22|50|E|display=inline,title}}
| periph                  = [[Peloponnese (region)|Peloponnese]]
| seat                    = [[Corinth]]
| area                    = 2290
| elevation               = 
| population              = 138310
| population_as_of        = 2021
| demonym                 = 
| postal_code             = 20x xx
| area_code               = 274x0
| licence                 = ΚΡ
| website                 = 
}}
'''Corinthia''' ({{langx|el|Κορινθία|Korinthía}}; {{IPA|el|korinˈθia|label=[[Modern Greek]] pronunciation:}}) is one of the [[regional units of Greece]]. It is part of the [[modern regions of Greece|region]] of [[Peloponnese (region)|Peloponnese]]. It is situated around the city of [[Corinth]], in the north-eastern part of the [[Peloponnese]] peninsula.

==Geography==
{{multiple image |align=right |direction=vertical |width=
 |image1=Corinth Canal by Frank van Mierlo.jpg |caption1=View of the [[Corinth Canal]]
 |image2=Stymfalia-north 2006.jpg |caption2=Landscape of [[Stymfalia]] with [[Mount Kyllini]]
}}{{More citations needed|date=November 2023}}
Corinthia borders on [[Achaea]] to the west and southwest, the [[Gulf of Corinth]] and [[Attica]] to the north, the [[Saronic Gulf]] to the east, [[Argolis]] to the south and [[Arcadia (regional unit)|Arcadia]] to the southwest. The [[Corinth Canal]], carrying ship traffic between the [[Ionian Sea|Ionian]] and the [[Aegean Sea|Aegean]] seas, is about {{convert|4|km|mile|abbr=on}} east of [[Corinth]], cutting through the [[Isthmus of Corinth]]. Corinthia is increasingly seen as part of the wider metropolitan area of [[Athens]], with municipalities, such as [[Agioi Theodoroi]] in the easternmost part of the regional unit, being considered suburbs of Athens. The area around Corinth and the western [[Saronic Gulf|Saronic]] including the southeastern part are made up of fault lines including the [[Corinth Fault]], the [[Poseidon Fault]] and a fault running from Perahcora to Agioi Theodoroi. More faults are near [[Kiras Vrysi]] and Sofiko. The eastern coastlands of Corinthia are made up of pastures and farmlands where olives, grapes, tomatoes and vegetables are cultivated. The rest of Corinthia is mountainous. Its tallest mountain is [[Mount Cyllene|Kyllini]] in its west and the largest lake is [[Stymfalia|Lake Stymphalos]], (important in Greek mythology and a bird resort, protected by [[Natura 2000]]) situated in the southwest. The reservoir will become one of the largest lakes after its completion. The climate of Corinthia consists of hot summers and mild winters in the coastal areas and somewhat colder winters with occasional snowfalls in the mountainous areas.

==Administration==
The regional unit Corinthia is subdivided into six municipalities. These are (number as in the map in the infobox):<ref name=Kallikratis>{{Cite web|url=http://www.et.gr/idocs-nph/search/pdfViewerForm.html?args=5C7QrtC22wGYK2xFpSwMnXdtvSoClrL8-SrPzKAEPjjtIl9LGdkF53UIxsx942CdyqxSQYNuqAGCF0IfB9HI6hq6ZkZV96FIukI0UzcPsWCK0LpLhpa7rhiWB4R5ntTnoWw7U8E1Amg.|title=ΦΕΚ A 87/2010, Kallikratis reform law text|language=el|publisher=[[Government Gazette (Greece)|Government Gazette]]}}</ref>
*[[Corinth (municipality)|Corinth]] (''Korinthos'', 1)
*[[Loutraki-Perachora-Agioi Theodoroi]] (3)
*[[Nemea (town)|Nemea]] (4)
*[[Sikyona]] (6)
*[[Velo-Vocha]] (2)
*[[Xylokastro-Evrostina]] (5)

===Prefecture===
[[File:Loutraki01.jpg|thumb|[[Loutraki]]]]

As a part of the 2011 [[Kallikratis Programme|Kallikratis government reform]], the regional unit Corinthia was created out of the former [[prefectures of Greece|prefecture]] Corinthia ({{langx|el|Νομός Κορινθίας}}). The prefecture had the same territory as the present regional unit. At the same time, the municipalities were reorganised, according to the table below.<ref name="Kallikratis" />

{| class="wikitable"
! New municipality !! Old municipalities !! Seat 
|-
| rowspan=5|[[Corinth (municipality)|Corinth]] (''Korinthos'')|| [[Assos-Lechaio]] || rowspan=5|Corinth
|-
| [[Corinth]]
|-
| [[Saronikos, Corinthia|Saronikos]] 
|-
| [[Solygeia]] 
|-
| [[Tenea]]
|-
| rowspan=2|[[Loutraki-Perachora-Agioi Theodoroi]]|| [[Agioi Theodoroi]] || rowspan=2 | [[Loutraki]]
|-
| [[Loutraki-Perachora]] 
|-
| [[Nemea (town)|Nemea]]|| [[Nemea (town)|Nemea]] || Nemea
|-
| rowspan=3|[[Sikyona]]|| [[Feneos]]||  rowspan=3|[[Kiato]]
|-
| [[Sikyona]]
|-
| [[Stymfalia]] 
|-
| rowspan=2|[[Velo-Vocha]]|| [[Velo, Greece|Velo]]||  rowspan=2|[[Zevgolateio]]
|-
| [[Vocha]] 
|-
| rowspan=2|[[Xylokastro-Evrostina]]|| [[Evrostina]]  || rowspan=2|Xylokastro
|-
| [[Xylokastro]] 
|}

==Population==

Most of the modern inhabitants of the Corinthia are descendants of [[Arvanites]]. Large concentrations of those descendants live especially in mountainous regions, including Xylokeriza, [[Examilia]], Sophiko and Kyras Vryse.<ref>{{cite book|author1=William R. Caraher|author2=Linda Jones Hall|author3= R. Scott Moore|title= Archaeology and History in Roman, Medieval and Post-Medieval Greece|publisher= [[Routledge]]|year = 2008|page=330|isbn=9780754664420 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U2KXRCJ3gq8C&q=arvanites}}</ref>

{{Historical populations
|align = none
|1991<ref name = elstat>{{cite web |title=Απογραφές πληθυσμού 1991,2001,2011 σύμφωνα με την κωδικοποίηση της Απογραφής 2011 |url=https://www.statistics.gr/documents/20181/1210503/Kallikratis_me_plithismous_1991_2011.xls |publisher=[[Hellenic Statistical Authority]] |lang=el|access-date=17 April 2024}}</ref>|132238
|2001<ref name=elstat/>|144527
|2011<ref name=elstat/>|145082
|2021<ref name="census21"/>|138310
}}

===Main towns and cities===
The main cities and towns of Corinthia are (ranked by 2021 census population):<ref name="census21" />
*[[Corinth]] 30,816
*[[Loutraki]] 12,212
*[[Kiato]] 9,907
*[[Xylokastro]] 5,378

==History==
{{Main|Corinthia (ancient region)}}
{{multiple image |align=right |direction=vertical |width=
 |image1=Nemea Stadion 2008-09-12.jpg |caption1=The ancient stadion of [[Nemea]]
 |image2=Sikyon ancient theatre.jpg |caption2=The ancient theatre of [[Sicyon]]
}}

From 1833 to 1899, the Corinthia prefecture included [[Argolis]] and was known as [[Argolidocorinthia]]. It included [[Hydra, Saronic Islands|Hydra]], [[Spetses]] and [[Kythira]]. Argolis joined Corinthia to reform Argolidocorinthia again in 1909.  Forty years later, in 1949, the prefecture was finally separated from Argolis.

The highway was first paved at the turn of the 20th century. The mid to late-20th century saw the population shifting from agriculture to other jobs, as people migrated to larger towns and cities as well as other parts of the world. In the 1960s, the motorway [[Greek National Road 8A|GR-8A]] was constructed to handle the increasing traffic between Corinth and Athens and allow higher speed limits ({{cvt|60|to|80|km/h}}). The section from the old Corinth interchange eastward in Corinthia was opened in 1962 and the section west of Corinth was added in 1969. The new highway had a significant effect on the local industry, as it lowered the cost of transportation of goods between Corinthia and the Athens metropolitan area.

In late 2006, the prefect of Corinthia announced the construction of a new dam, to be located {{convert|5|to|7|km|mile|abbr=on}} south of [[Kiato]] and [[Sicyon]], near [[Stimanika]], over the [[Elissonas (Corinthia)|Elissos River]]. It will be the second largest body of water (lakes, reservoirs) in Corinthia. The dam will be designed to withstand earthquakes and natural disasters, including flooding. On July 17, 2007, a forest fire struck the area around the historic [[Acrocorinth]] and its castle.

==Economy==
The main sources of income are goods and services, manufacturing, tourism and agriculture.

==Transport==
Several major roadways are situated within Corinthia.

*Motorways:
**[[A8 motorway (Greece)|A8 motorway]] ([[Olympia Odos]], which integrates [[Greek National Road 8A]])
**[[A7 motorway (Greece)|A7 motorway]]
*Highways – national roads:
**[[Greek National Road 7]]
**[[Greek National Road 8]]
**[[Greek National Road 66]]

==Communications==
*Top Channel – Corinth

==Culture==
Notable attractions include [[Ancient Corinth]] with its acropolis, [[Acrocorinth]], the [[Corinth Canal]], the thermal springs of [[Loutraki]], the archaeological sites of [[Nemea]], [[Sicyon]] and the [[Heraion of Perachora]].

==See also==
*[[List of settlements in Corinthia]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050715030702/http://www.korinthia.net/ korinthia.net The Ultimate guide for Corinthia]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20040928113813/http://eleftheria.stcloudstate.edu/eks/1998season/98geomorph.pdf Geomorphological Survey of Eastern Korinthia]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20040922031036/http://eleftheria.stcloudstate.edu/eks/1997season/97gmorph.pdf  KRRC Geomorphology]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050922005526/http://www.xeniosmagazine.gr/prefectures/corinthia/index1.html Xenios Magazine articles on Corinthia]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090225175427/http://knol.google.com/k/antonios-vytiniotis/kiato-greece/2vhu8nuc70txl/10 Kiato]

{{Kallikratis-Peloponnese}}
{{Prefectures of Greece}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Corinthia| ]]
[[Category:Prefectures of Greece]]
[[Category:1899 establishments in Greece]]
[[Category:Regional units of Peloponnese (region)]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1899]]