Florina

Florina (Greek: Φλώρινα, known also by several alternative names) is a town and municipality in mountainous northwestern Macedonia, Greece. Its motto is, 'Where Greece begins'. It is also the Metropolitan seat for the region. It lies in the central part of Florina regional unit, of which it is the capital. Florina belongs to the region of West Macedonia. The town's population is 16,771 people (2001 census). It is in a wooded valley about 13 km (8 mi) south of the international border of Greece with the Republic of Macedonia.

Geography

It is the gateway to the Prespa Lakes and, until the modernisation of the road system, of the old town of Kastoria. It is located west of Edessa, northwest of Kozani, and northeast of Ioannina and Kastoria cities. Outside the Greek borders it is in proximity to Korçë in Albania and Bitola in Macedonia. The nearest airport is situated to the east. The mountains of Verno lie to the southwest and Varnous to the northwest.

Winters bring heavy snow and long periods of temperature below freezing point. During the hot summer months it becomes a busy market town.

Florina (regional unit)

Florina (Greek: Περιφερειακή ενότητα Φλώρινας) is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of West Macedonia. Its capital is the town of Florina.

Geography

Florina borders the regional units of Pella to the east, Kozani to the south and Kastoriá to the southwest. At the Greek international borders, it is adjacent to Albania (Korçë County) to the west, the Republic of Macedonia (Bitola and Resen municipalities) to the north and Lake Prespa to the northwest, where the two borders cross each other. Lake Vegoritida is situated in the east.

Mountains in the regional unit include Verno (2,128 m or 6,982 ft), Varnous (2,117 m or 6,946 ft) and Voras (2,524 m or 8,281 ft).

Administration

The regional unit Florina is subdivided into 3 municipalities. These are (number as in the map in the infobox):

Prefecture

Florina was created as a prefecture (Greek: Νομός Φλώρινας) in 1915. As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the regional unit Florina was created out of the former prefecture Florina. The prefecture had the same territory as the present regional unit. At the same time, the municipalities were reorganised, according to the table below.

Florina (apple)

Florina which is also called Querina, is a French cultivar of domesticated apple, that has combined traits of the Jonathan, Golden Delicious and Rome Beauty apples, and was developed in Angers, France by the "Station de Recherches d'Arboriculture Fruitiere". Although developed in France its ancestry is entirely American.

Florina bears medium to large fruit, skin very attractive, purple red covering almost completely the yellow background. Flesh is medium firm and aromatic, a blend of sweet and tart, uses mainly for fresh eating. Fruits keeps well for approximately three months. As most apples it is self-incompatible and needs out-cross pollination, Florina is a good pollinator for other.

See also

References