The peripheries (Περιφέρειες) (more properly "regions", in English) are the official regional administrative divisions of Greece. There are 13 peripheries (nine on the mainland and four island groups), which are further subdivided into 54 prefectures.
Traditionally, and also officially until 1987, there were 10 geographical Regions of Greece, which are still sometimes used in popular discourse. These are not to be confused with the new peripheries, even though the latter are largely based on the former, because there are areas of divergence. For example, the new periphery of the Peloponnese does not include all of the landmass traditionally known as the Peloponnese; the excluded part now finds itself in the periphery of Western Greece.
See also:
List of subnational entities and
Prefectures of Greece
Bordering the periphery of Central Macedonia there is one autonomous region, Mount Athos (Ayion Oros, or "Holy Mountain"), a monastic state under Greek sovereignty. It is located on the easternmost of the three large "fingers" jutting into the Aegean from the Chalcidice peninsula.
See also
Categories: Peripheries of Greece | Subdivisions of Greece | Lists of country subdivisions | Country subdivisions of Europe | First-level administrative country subdivisions | Greece-related lists
