Chania Regional Unit

The Regional Unit of Chania is one of the 74 Regional Units of Greece and specifically one of the four regional units of the Region of Crete. Until 2010 it was divided into 23 Municipalities and 2 Communities. From 1997 and earlier it was divided into five Provinces: Kydonia Province with headquarters in Chania, Apokoronas Province with headquarters in Vamos, Sfakion Province with headquarters in Chora Sfakion, Selino Province with headquarters in Kantano and Kissamos Province with headquarters in Kissamos.

The Prefecture of Chania, between the Prefecture of Rethymno to the east, the Cretan Sea to the west and north and the Libyan Sea (South Cretan Sea) to the south, constitutes, after the implementation of the "Kallikratis" Program, one of the four Regional Units of the Region of Crete and includes the municipalities of Apokoronas, Gavdos, Kantanos-Selinos, Kissamos, Platanias, Sfakion and Chania.

In addition to the islands of Gavdos and Gavdopoula, the prefecture also includes several islets (Elafonisi, Souda, Prasonisi, etc.) and rocky islets near its coast. The capital of the prefecture is Chania and the second largest city is Souda. Its population is 156,585 inhabitants (2011 Census), while its area is 2,376 sq. km. Its terrain is 1/5 almost flat (plains of Chania, Kissamos, Apokoronas), 1/5 almost semi-mountainous and 3/5 almost mountainous. There are no large watercourses in the prefecture. However, there are many springs, connected to the huge watershed of the White Mountains (800 sq. km.), while Lake Kournas, at the northwestern edge of the prefecture, is an appearance of the underground aquifer. Its relief is dominated by the White Mountains (or Madares), with the highest peak being Pachnes (2,453 m.).

In the White Mountains is also the Samaria Gorge, which extends from north to south, east of Volakia, and ends at the village of Agia Roumeli. Further west is the second major gorge of Crete, Nimbros or Imbros. In the semi-mountainous areas there are small plateaus and valleys, such as the Omalos plateau (1,100 m.), northwest of the White Mountains, the Askifos plateau to the east, the Kantanos valley and the coastal plateau of Chora Sfakia. On the northern coast of the prefecture there are two bays (Kissamos and Chania), as well as the deep bay of Souda.