The (Northern) Sporades [a] are an archipelago along the east coast of Greece, northeast of the island of Euboea,[2] in the Aegean Sea. They consist of 24 islands, four of which are permanently inhabited: Alonnisos, Skiathos, Skopelos and Skyros.[2] They may also be referred to as the Thessalian Sporades (Θεσσαλικές Σποράδες).

Sporades
Περιφερειακή ενότητα
Σποράδων
Municipalities of Sporades
Municipalities of Sporades
Sporades is located in Greece
Sporades
Sporades
Sporades within Greece
Coordinates: 39°7′N 23°43′E / 39.117°N 23.717°E / 39.117; 23.717
CountryGreece
Administrative regionThessaly
Area
 • Total
275.7 km2 (106.4 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[1]
 • Total
13,458
 • Density49/km2 (130/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)

Etymology

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"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

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The Sporades within the Aegean Sea
 
Northern Sporades

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

Administration

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As 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:[3]

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

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ /ˈspɒrədz/; Greek: Βόρειες Σποράδες, Vóries Sporádhes [ˈvories spoˈraðes]

References

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  1. ^ "Αποτελέσματα Απογραφής Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2021, Μόνιμος Πληθυσμός κατά οικισμό" [Results of the 2021 Population - Housing Census, Permanent population by settlement] (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority. 29 March 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Skyros - Britannica Concise" (description), Britannica Concise, 2006, webpage: EB-Skyros notes "including Skiathos, Skopelos, Skyros, and Alonnisos."
  3. ^ "ΦΕΚ A 87/2010, Kallikratis reform law text" (in Greek). Government Gazette.

Sources

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