Loudias

Giannitsa Γιαννιτσά
Alexander the Great Statue
Giannitsa
Location within the regional unit
Coordinates: 40°47′N 22°24′E / 40.783°N 22.400°E / 40.783; 22.400Coordinates: 40°47′N 22°24′E / 40.783°N 22.400°E / 40.783; 22.400
Country	Greece
Administrative region	Central Macedonia
Regional unit	Pella
Municipality	Pella
• Municipal unit	208.1 km2 (80.3 sq mi)
Elevation	42 m (138 ft)
Population (2011)
• Municipality	63,122
• Municipal unit	33,775
• Municipal unit density	160/km2 (420/sq mi)
Community
• Population	29,789 (2011)
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Postal code	581 00
Area code(s)	23820-2
Vehicle registration	EE
Website	www.giannitsa.gr/

Giannitsa (Greek: Γιαννιτσά [ʝaniˈt͡sa], in English also Yannitsa, Yenitsa) is the largest city in the regional unit of Pella and the capital of the Pella municipality, in the region of Central Macedonia in northern Greece.

The municipal unit Giannitsa has an area of 208.105 km². Its population is 31,983 people (2011 census). It includes a few outlying villages (Mesiano, Melissi, Pentaplatanos, Archontiko, Ampelies and Damiano). The municipality Pella as a whole includes many villages and has 63,122 inhabitants. The city is located in the center of Macedonia between Mount Paiko and the plain of Giannitsa, and is the economic, commercial and industrial center of the Pella regional unit. European route E86 (Greek National Road 2) runs along the south of the city.

The former shallow, swampy, and variable-sized Giannitsa Lake or Loudias Lake, fed by the Loudias River and south of the city, was drained in 1928-1932 by the New York Foundation Company.

About 7 km (4 mi) from Giannitsa are the ruins of ancient Pella, birthplace of Alexander the Great and capital of ancient Macedonia. The city is 48 km (30 mi) from Thessaloniki.

The city was founded as Yenice-i Vardar 'new (town) of Vardar' in around 1372. It was sometimes called Evrenos Beg yöresi 'Evrenos Bey's town'.