Decentralized Administration of Thessaly and Central Greece

The Thessalian plain functions as Greece's breadbasket—a fertile lowland where 28.1% of the workforce farms cotton, wheat, maize, and fruits, contributing 12.2% of national agricultural value. Larissa, the capital and fifth-largest Greek city (148,562 people), serves as the transport hub linking Athens, Thessaloniki, and the port of Volos. This agricultural dominance proved catastrophic in September 2023: Storm Daniel dumped over 500mm of rain in four days, causing the Pineios River to overwhelm Larissa and submerge 820km² of prime farmland. The floods destroyed 282km² of cotton fields and killed over 14,000 poultry and 21,500 sheep and goats. Recovery remains ongoing into 2025, with €300 million allocated through a new development law for border regions. Central Greece—the southern portion of this administrative unit—includes Euboea island and cities like Lamia and Chalcis. Meteora's monasteries, perched on sandstone pillars, attract tourists distinct from the agricultural economy of the plain. The tertiary sector generates 60.9% of regional GDP despite agriculture's workforce dominance, reflecting low agricultural wages. The University of Thessaly and Stavros Niarchos Foundation investments have begun diversifying the knowledge economy. By 2026, Thessaly's trajectory hinges on rebuilding flood-devastated farmland, whether EU agricultural subsidies sustain the cotton economy, and whether climate adaptation can prevent Storm Daniel from becoming a recurring disaster.