Thesprotis

Thesprotia Περιφερειακή ενότητα Θεσπρωτίας
Regional unit
Municipalities of Thesprotia
Thesprotia within Greece
Coordinates: 39°35′N 20°20′E / 39.583°N 20.333°E / 39.583; 20.333Coordinates: 39°35′N 20°20′E / 39.583°N 20.333°E / 39.583; 20.333
Country	Greece
Region	Epirus
Capital	Igoumenitsa
Area
• Total	1,515 km2 (585 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• Total	43,587
• Density	29/km2 (75/sq mi)
Postal codes	46x xx
Area codes	266x0
ISO 3166 code	GR-32
Car plates	ΗΝ
Website	www.nthesprotias.gr

Thesprotia (/θɛsˈproʊʃə/; Greek: Θεσπρωτία, pronounced [θesproˈtia]) is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the Epirus region. Its capital and largest town is Igoumenitsa. Thesprotia is named after the Thesprotians, an ancient Greek tribe that inhabited the region in antiquity.

In antiquity, Thesprotia was inhabited by the ancient Greek tribe of Thesprotians and was bordered by the neighboring regions of Molossia to the north and Chaonia to the east. Thesprotia became part of the Epirote League before it was annexed by Rome where it became part of the Roman province of Epirus. After the fragmentation of the Roman Empire into East and West, Thesprotia, along with the rest of the region, became part of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, until its fall to the Ottomans. The territory of Thesprotia remained under Ottoman rule until 1913, when it was annnexed by the Greek state after the First Balkan War. Until 1937, when the separate prefecture of Thesprotia was established, the area was part of the Ioannina Prefecture.

Thesprotia borders Albania to the north, the regional unit of Ioannina to the east and Preveza to the south. The Ionian Sea lies to the west. Much of the regional unit is mountainous. Most farmland is located in the valleys in the central, southern and the western part. Two of Thesprotia's rivers are legendary: the Thyamis and the Acheron of Greek mythology, lined with reedbeds and plane trees.