Chania Περιφερειακή ενότητα Χανίων | |
|---|---|
 Municipalities of Chania | |
 Chania within Greece | |
  Chania | |
| Coordinates:35°25′N23°55′E / 35.417°N 23.917°E /35.417; 23.917 | |
| Country | Greece |
| Administrative region | Crete |
| Seat | Chania |
| Area | |
• Total | 2,376 km2 (917 sq mi) |
| Population (2021)[1] | |
• Total | 156,706 |
| • Density | 65.95/km2 (170.8/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Postal code | 73x xx, 740 55 |
| Area code | 282x0, 28310 |
| Vehicle registration | ΧΝ |
| Website | www |
Chania (Greek:Περιφερειακή ενότητα Χανίων), also spelledHania, is one of the fourregional units ofCrete; it covers the westernmost quarter of the island. Its capital is the city ofChania. Chania borders only one other regional unit: that ofRethymno to the east. The western part of Crete is bounded to the north by theCretan Sea (part of theAegean Sea) and to the west and south by theMediterranean Sea andLibyan Sea. The regional unit also includes the southernmost island of Europe,Gavdos.
Chania regional unit, often informally termed 'Western Crete', is a part of the island which includes the capitalChania, and the districts ofPlatanias andApokoronas in the north, andSfakia andSelino in the far south west corner. Other towns in the Chania prefecture includeHora Sfakion,Kissamos,Palaiochora,Maleme,Vryses,Vamos,Georgioupolis andKalives.
The natural park ofSamariá Gorge, a tourist attraction and a refuge for the rare Cretan wild goat orkri-kri, is in the South of the regional unit.
The White Mountains orLefka Ori, through which the Samaria, Aradena, Imbros and other gorges run, are the limestone peaks topped by snow until May that occupy much of Chania regional unit. They contain more than 40 peaks over 2,000 meters high. The highest peak in this area is Mt Pachnes, at 2,453 meters above sea level (Crete’s second highest peak). Other prominent peaks are Mt Agkathes (1,511 m) in the eastern Lefka Ori, and Mt Agios Dikaios (1,182 m) in the far west.
The regional unit also includes threeheadlands, known as the "three heads" of Crete. From west to east, they are:Gramvousa peninsula (with a peak of 762 m), Rodopos peninsula, also known as Spatha (with a peak of 749 m), andAkrotiri (with a peak of 523 m). TheApokoronas region also has a prominent peak (527 m).
Western Crete is popular with tourists for its spring flowers that linger on into early May in the mountains. Birdwatching is also common, with thelammergeier andgolden eagle especially sought for. As an island, Crete has manyendemic species of plant and animal.
Crete's only freshwater lake,Lake Kournas, is in the regional unit close to the border with Rethymno regional unit, 47 km from Chania. It is relatively large, with a perimeter of 3.5 km. The lake used to be called 'Korisia' after ancient 'Korion', a city thought to be in the area with a temple toAthena. The lake used to be reportedly full of eels but now is better known for its terrapins and tourists. Tavernas and bicycle rental shops line part of the shore.
There are numerous rivers in the Chania region most flowing from the White Mountains to the north coast. These include, from west to east, the Tavronitis, Keritis (Iardanos), Kladissos, Koiliaris, Almiros, Delfinos and Mouselas rivers.
Chania is the regional unit of Crete that receives the most precipitation. TheExkursionsflora von Kreta by Jahn & Schoenfelder has a precipitation map and text confirming that in general, western Crete (Chania prefecture) has more precipitation than any other region on an average basis.
The regional unit Chania is subdivided into seven municipalities. These are (number as in the map in the infobox):[2]
The Chaniaprefecture (Greek:Νομός Χανίων) was created while Crete was still anautonomous state, and was preserved after the island joined Greece in 1913. As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the Chania regional unit was created out of the former prefecture. The prefecture had the same territory as the present regional unit. At the same time, the municipalities were reorganised, according to the table below.[2]
| New municipality | Old municipalities | Seat |
|---|---|---|
| Apokoronas | Armenoi | Vryses |
| Asi Gonia | ||
| Vamos | ||
| Georgioupoli | ||
| Kryonerida | ||
| Fres | ||
| Chania | Chania | Chania |
| Akrotiri | ||
| Eleftherios Venizelos | ||
| Keramia | ||
| Nea Kydonia | ||
| Souda | ||
| Theriso | ||
| Gavdos | Gavdos | Gavdos |
| Kantanos-Selino | Kantanos | Palaiochora |
| East Selino | ||
| Pelekanos | ||
| Kissamos | Kissamos | Kissamos |
| Inachori | ||
| Mythimna | ||
| Platanias | Platanias | Gerani |
| Voukolies | ||
| Kolymvari | ||
| Mousouroi | ||
| Sfakia | Sfakia | Sfakia |
Theprovinces were:
Administrative division of theCrete Region | ||
|---|---|---|
| Regional unit ofChania |  | |
| Regional unit ofHeraklion | ||
| Regional unit ofLasithi | ||
| Regional unit ofRethymno | ||
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| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
