Sporades

The (Northern) Sporades (/ˈspɒrədiːz/; Greek: Βόρειες Σποράδες, Vóries Sporádhes, [ˈvories spoˈraðes]) are an archipelago along the east coast of Greece, northeast of the island of Euboea,[1] in the Aegean Sea. They consist of 24 islands, four of which are permanently inhabited: Alonnisos, Skiathos, Skopelos and Skyros.[1] They may also be referred to as the Thessalian Sporades (Θεσσαλικές Σποράδες).

For the genus of beetle, see Sporades (genus).
Sporades

Περιφερειακή ενότητα
Σποράδων
Regional unit
The Sporades
The Sporades within the Aegean Sea
Coordinates: 39°7′N 23°43′E
CountryGreece
RegionThessaly Central Greece
Area
 • Total275.7 km2 (106.4 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total13,798
 • Density50/km2 (130/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+2
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)

Etymology

"Sporades" means "those scattered" (compare with "sporadic"). From Classical Antiquity the name has referred to the Aegean island groups outside the central archipelago of the Cyclades.

Geography

In modern geographical parlance, there are five different Sporades groups:

Administration
Sporades regional unit

As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the Sporades Regional Unit (Περιφερειακή Ενότητα Σποράδων) was created out of part of the former Magnesia Prefecture, region of Thessaly. The regional unit is subdivided into 3 municipalities. These are:[2]

The island of Skyros with a few uninhabited islets in its area are part of the Euboea regional unit and the administrative region of Central Greece.

References
  1. "Skyros - Britannica Concise" (description), Britannica Concise, 2006, webpage: EB-Skyros notes "including Skiathos, Skopelos, Skyros, and Alonnisos."
  2. "Kallikratis reform law text" (PDF).

Sources
  • "Skyros – Britannica Concise" (description), Britannica Concise, 2006, webpage: EB-Skyros.


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