Trikala (regional unit)

Trikala Περιφερειακή ενότητα Τρικάλων
regional unit
Municipalities of Trikala
Trikala within Greece
Coordinates: 39°40′N 21°40′E / 39.667°N 21.667°E / 39.667; 21.667Coordinates: 39°40′N 21°40′E / 39.667°N 21.667°E / 39.667; 21.667
Country	Greece
Region	Thessaly
Capital	Trikala
Area
• Total	3,383.48 km2 (1,306.37 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• Total	131,085
• Density	39/km2 (100/sq mi)
Postal codes	42x xx
Area codes	243x0
ISO 3166 code	GR-44
Car plates	ΤΚ
Website	www.trikala.gr

Trikala (Greek: Περιφερειακή ενότητα Τρικάλων) is one of the regional units of Greece, forming the northwestern part of the region of Thessaly. Its capital is the town of Trikala. The regional unit includes the town of Kalampaka and the Meteora monastery complex.

Trikala borders the regional units of Karditsa to the south, Arta to the southwest, Ioannina to the west, Grevena to the north and Larissa to the east.

The southeastern part belongs to the Thessalian Plain. The forested Pindus mountain range dominates the western part. The northern part of Trikala is also mountainous and made up of forests and barren lands, the ranges here are Chasia and Antichasia. Its major river is the Pineios, flowing to the south and east.

Its climate is mainly of Mediterranean character, with hot summers and cold winters, along with temperate climate conditions by the mountains.

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

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