Prefectures of Greece - History

History

The following prefectures were part of the Greek state since independence:

Notes:

1. Many of the prefectures were originally combined in pairs:
   1. Attica and Boeotia formed the Attica and Boeotia Prefecture
   2. Phthiotis Prefecture and Phocis Prefecture formed the Phthiotis and Phocis Prefecture (in 1833–1836 the Phocis and Locris Prefecture)
   3. Corinthia Prefecture and Argolis Prefecture formed Argolis and Corinthia Prefecture
   4. Achaea Prefecture and Elis Prefecture formed the Achaea and Elis Prefecture
2. Aetolia-Acarnania originally also included Evrytania. Unlike the rest mentioned above, the prefecture never broke up into two prefectures, thus being the only one left with a composite appellation.
3. Messenia originally included the southern half of what is now Elis.
4. Laconia originally included the southern-eastern half of what is now Messinia.
5. Euboea originally included the Sporades, which now belong to Magnesia.
6. The territory of Phthiotis Prefecture did not originally include the Domokos Province, which was part of Thessaly (under Ottoman rule until 1881). The area currently constituting the Domokos Province of the Fthiotis Prefecture only became a part of the Greek state in general, and of Phthiotis in particular, after the annexation of Thessaly to Greece in 1881.
7. Arcadia Prefecture and the Cyclades Prefecture are the only prefectures to have their borders unchanged since independence.
8. The capital of Argolis Prefecture, Nafplion was the first capital of the modern Greek state (1828–1834), before the move of the capital to Athens by King Otto.

There were several short-lived prefectures in areas of present Albania and Turkey during the Greek occupation of those areas during resp. World War I and the Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922):

• Argyrokastron (1915–1916), in Northern Epirus (southern Albania)
• Korytsa (1915–1916), in Northern Epirus (southern Albania)
• Adrianople (1920–1922), in Eastern Thrace (European Turkey)
• Kallipolis (1920–1922), in Eastern Thrace (European Turkey)
• Rhaedestos (1920–1922), in Eastern Thrace (European Turkey)
• Saranta Ekklisies (1920–1922), in Eastern Thrace (European Turkey)