Report shows 61 out of 74 regional units shrinking

Sixty-one of Greece’s 74 regional units have seen their populations shrink and just 13 have seen them grow, according to a recent report by the Hellenic Agency for Local Development & Local Government (EETAA). 

Processing data from the new national census, EETAA found that the largest contractions in population size were experienced by the regions of Grevena (-16.1%), Serres (-14.3%), Ithaki (-14,1%), Evrytania (-13%), Fthiotida (-12.9%), Florina (-12.2%), Kilkis (-12.2%), Drama (-11.9%), Arcadia (-10.5%), Fokida (-10.2%) and Viotia (-10%). 

Of the 13 regional units that saw their populations rise, three are in Attica, with the biggest boost on the islands of Kos (10.6%) and Rhodes (7.8%). 

The biggest increases in Athens were in the northern suburbs of Vrilissia (5.5%), Agia Paraskevi (4.1%) and Halandri (3.9%), with the biggest drops seen in Egaleo (7.3%) and Peristeri (5.6%), west of the capital.