Arta (regional unit)

Arta Περιφερειακή ενότητα Άρτας
Regional unit
Municipalities of Arta
Arta within Greece
Coordinates: 39°15′N 21°15′E / 39.250°N 21.250°E / 39.250; 21.250Coordinates: 39°15′N 21°15′E / 39.250°N 21.250°E / 39.250; 21.250
Country	Greece
Region	Epirus
Capital	Arta
Area
• Total	1,662 km2 (642 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• Total	67,877
• Density	41/km2 (110/sq mi)
Postal codes	47x xx
Area codes	268x0
ISO 3166 code	GR-31
Car plates	ΑΤ
Website	www.peartas.gov.gr

Arta (Greek: Περιφερειακή ενότητα Άρτας) is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the Epirus region. Its capital is the town of Arta.

The regional unit of Arta is located north of the Ambracian Gulf. The main mountain ranges are the Athamanika in the northeast, the Pindus in the east, and Valtou in the southeast. Only one mountain road links Arta with the Pineios valley and Thessaly. There are low-lying agricultural plains in the west. Arta borders on the regional units of Preveza in the west, Ioannina to the north, Trikala in the east, Karditsa to the east and Aetolia-Acarnania to the south.

The main rivers are the Acheloos in the east, the Arachthos in the centre, and the Louros in the west. Most of the population lives in the west, in the Arachthos valley, south and east of Arta. The Athamanika and Valtou mountains are the least populated.

The regional unit Arta is subdivided into 4 municipalities. These are (number as in the map in the infobox):

Arta was established as a prefecture in 1882 (Greek: Νομός Άρτας). As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the regional unit Arta was created out of the former prefecture Arta. The prefecture had the same territory as the present regional unit. At the same time, the municipalities were reorganised, according to the table below.

Arta was one of the capitals of the Despotate of Epirus in the late Middle Ages. The territory of the regional unit was ceded to Greece in 1881 by the Ottoman Empire, along with Thessaly, in accordance with the 1878 Congress of Berlin. A famous landmark of Arta is the Old Bridge over the Arachthos river.