Paranesti

Paranesti Παρανέστι
Municipality
Paranesti railway station, November 2016
Paranesti Location within the region
Coordinates: 41°16′N 24°30′E
Country	Greece
Administrative region	East Macedonia and Thrace
Regional unit	Drama
Area
• Municipality	1,029.4 km^2 (397.5 sq mi)
• Municipal unit	788.4 km^2 (304.4 sq mi)
Population  (2021)[1]
• Municipality	2,843
• Density	2.8/km^2 (7.2/sq mi)
• Municipal unit	994
• Municipal unit density	1.3/km^2 (3.3/sq mi)
• Community	824
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Vehicle registration	ΡΜ

Paranesti (Greek: Παρανέστι, romanized: Paranésti) is a municipality in the Rhodope Mountains of northeastern Drama regional unit, Greece. It consists of two municipal units: Paranesti and Nikoforos. The largest villages of the municipal unit Paranesti are Paranésti (the municipal seat, pop. 625), Mesochório (105), Káto Thólos (123), Χágnanto (43), and Prasináda (32).

The Natural History Museum of Paranesti is located in Paranesti.

Transport

The settlement has a railway station on the Thessaloniki–Alexandroupoli Line[2]

Paranesti lies on the Greek National Road 14 (Drama to Xanthi). A rough unpaved (gravel and dirt) road connects Paranesti directly with the Bulgarian village of Gorna Arda and thus to the paved Bulgarian road network of Smolyan Province. The full length of the road became usable after Bulgaria's full accession to the Schengen Area in 2025 and locals have called for its improvement.[3][4]

Municipality

The municipality Paranesti was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 2 former municipalities, that became municipal units (constituent communities in brackets):[5]

• Nikiforos (Adriani, Ano Pyxari, Nikiforos, Platania, Platanovrysi, Ptelea, Ypsili Rachi)
• Paranesti (Paranesti, Sili, Tholos)

The municipality has an area of 1029.392 km^2, the municipal unit 788.394 km^2.[6]

References

1. "Αποτελέσματα Απογραφής Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2021, Μόνιμος Πληθυσμός κατά οικισμό" [Results of the 2021 Population - Housing Census, Permanent population by settlement] (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority. 29 March 2024.
2. "Annexes". Network Statement (PDF) (2023 ed.). Athens: Hellenic Railways Organization. 17 January 2023. pp. 5–6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
3. "Родопчани тръгнаха по офроуд трасета на кафе в Паранести през отворената граница". www.bta.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 13 January 2025.
4. "Жители на Смилян искат път до Гърция". bnr.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 13 January 2025.
5. "ΦΕΚ B 1292/2010, Kallikratis reform municipalities" (in Greek). Government Gazette.
6. "Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation)" (PDF) (in Greek). National Statistical Service of Greece.

External links

• Official website (in Greek)