Agria
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Agria Αγριά |
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 Agria
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Location within the regional unit
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| Coordinates: 39°22′N 23°02′E / 39.367°N 23.033°ECoordinates: 39°22′N 23°02′E / 39.367°N 23.033°E | |
| Country | Greece |
| Administrative region | Thessaly |
| Regional unit | Magnesia |
| Municipality | Volos |
| • Municipal unit | 25.2 km2 (9.7 sq mi) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Municipal unit | 5,632 |
| • Municipal unit density | 220/km2 (580/sq mi) |
| Community | |
| • Population | 5,191 (2011) |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) |
| • Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) |
| Postal code | 373 00 |
| Area code(s) | 2428 |
| Vehicle registration | ΒΟ |
Agria (Greek: Αγριά) is a town and a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Volos, of which it is a municipal unit. The municipal unit has an area of 25.227 km2. It lies on the Pelion peninsula about 7 km from Volos.
There are some different opinions about the town's name. Some believe that the name comes from wild olive trees (Agrielies) (Αγριελιές), or a small plant named "Agriada" (Greek: Αγριάδα). A scholar named Patroklos Palamidas from the nearby village of Lechonia said that the name originated from an ancient temple, which existed in the region and was dedicated to Agrea Dimitra (Greek: Αγραία Δήμητρα).
During the Turkish occupation in Agria there were few settlements such as a hostel for caravans and a toll station. However, houses were built in the early 19th century, before the Revolution of 1821. It is relatively new town (the community was established in 1912). The area formerly belonged to the villages of Drakia and Agios Laurentios, a port from which these and other villages distributed agricultural and craft products.
From 1809 - 1860 companies were created that exported local crafts and copper to Western Europe, Romania, and Russia.
Agria started to grow rapidly after the annexation of Thessaly from the Turks, and with the construction of a coastal road and rail network during 1895 that connected Volos to the southwestern villages of Pelion, which exported sea fruit, oil, and black olives from the bay.
In 1911 the international cement plant A.G.E.T HERCULES (Greek: Α.Γ.Ε.Τ ΗΡΑΚΛΗΣ) was founded there. The plant occupies a natural harbor and is among the largest cement producers in Europe, Asia, and America.
In 1920 an English commercial paper stated that Agria was «the largest port in the world» with reference to their exports of olives and oil. Around two hundred thousand kilos (200 tons) of table olives are exported annually from Agria.
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Wikipedia