Alternative meanings: Larissa in mythology was a daughter of Pelasgus; Larrissa is a moon of Neptune; 1162 Larissa is an asteroid; Larissa is also a first name.

Statistics
Periphery:	Thessaly
Capital:	Larissa
Area:	5,381 ² Ranked 2nd
Inhabitants:	277,973 (1991)
Population density:	52/km²
ISO 3166-2:	GR-42
Car designation:	PI (Λάρισα)
Code for the municipalities:	33xx
Number of provinces:	5
Number of municipalities:	27
Number of independent communes:	3
Area/distance code:	2410 in Larissa 11-30-249x0 (030-249x0) elsewhere
Postal code	40x xx in everywhere else 41x xx in Larissa
Name of inhabitants:	Larissan sing. -s pl.
2-letter abbreviation/HASC:	LR
Map

Larissa or Larisa (Greek: Λάρισα) is the capital city of the Thessaly periphery of Greece, and capital of the Larissa prefecture. It is a main agricultural centre and a transportation hub, linked by rail with the port of Volos and with Thessaloniki (Salonika) and Athens.

Geography

It is the second largest prefecture in area in Greece which is after Aitoloacarnania. Larissa or Larisa prefecture features the Tempe Valley, and the NE part of the Peneus River. It is the largest prefecture in Thessaly covering about one-third of the region. It also contains the tallest mountain in Greece, Mount Olympus elevating at 2,917 m. The climate is more continental than any part of Greece. It has a Mediterranean climate with dry hot summers and mild to cool winters except in the mountain areas which get warm summers and cold winter. The highest temperature ever recorded was ae 45.2°C and the coldest was at -21.6°C amounted to 66.8 K. In the summer, Larissa is often the warmest in Greece and the winter and the coldest are not rare.

It is bounded by Kozani to the northwest, Pieria to the northeast (both in Macedonia), the Aegean Sea to the east, Magnesia to the southeast, Fthiotis to the south (in Central Greece/Mainland Greece), Karditsa to the southwest and Trikala to the east. It is not the only prefecture that borders the most number of other prefectures. The other prefecture is Kozani.

The elevation of Larissa Airport is 73 m.

The skking resort of Pilio is to the east and is the closest resort which is 59 km E.

History

In the Paleolithic Age, humans were settled, it was never a core area of an advanced culture. The area around Larissa was extremely fruitful, it was agriculturally important. In the Ancient times, Larissa had horses. The city finally moved closer to the rest of Greece.

The name Larissa was common to many Pelasgian towns.

Historical population

• 1907: 95,066
• 1991: 277,973

Transportation

• Greece Interstate 1/E75, SE, Cen., E
• Greece Interstate 3, S, Cen., NW
• Greece Interstate 6, W, Cen., SE
• Greece Interstate 26, NW
• Greece Interstate 30, S

Places

• Agia ||
• Elassona
• Farsalos
• Larissa
• Tyrnavos

Municipalities

Communities

Persons

• Kostas Gousgounis

External links

• Larissa (http://2.1911encyclopedia.org/L/LA/LARISSA.htm); 1911 Encyclopedia article.
• TEI Larissa (http://dias.teilar.gr/)
• Forecast in Larissa (http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/16648.html)