Western Macedonia in the context of "Greek Macedonia"

Macedonia (/ˌmæsɪˈdoʊniə/ MASS-ih-DOH-nee-ə; Greek: Μακεδονία, romanized: Makedonía, pronounced [maceðoˈni.a] ) is a geographic and former administrative region of Greece, in the southern Balkans. Macedonia is the largest and second-most-populous geographic region in Greece, with a population of 2.36 million (as of 2020). Part of Northern Greece, it is highly mountainous, with major urban centres such as Thessaloniki and Kavala being concentrated on its southern coastline. Greek Macedonia encompasses entirely the southern part of the wider region of Macedonia, making up 51% of the total area of that region. Additionally, it widely constitutes Greece's borders with three countries: Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia to the north, and Bulgaria to the northeast.

Greek Macedonia incorporates most of the territories of Macedon, a Greek kingdom ruled by the Argeads, whose most celebrated members were Alexander the Great and his father Philip II. Before the expansion of Macedonia under Philip in the 4th century BC, the kingdom of the Macedonians covered an area corresponding roughly to the administrative regions of Western and Central Macedonia in modern Greece. The name Macedonia was later applied to a number of widely-differing administrative areas in the Roman and Byzantine empires. With the gradual conquest of south-eastern Europe by the Ottomans in the late 14th century, the name of Macedonia disappeared as an administrative designation for several centuries and was rarely displayed on maps. With the rise of nationalism in the Ottoman Empire, the name Macedonia was revived in the nineteenth century as a geographical term, and for educated Greeks it corresponded to the ancient historical land. The economic ascent of Thessaloniki and of the other urban centres of Macedonia coincided with the cultural and political renaissance of the Greeks. The leader and coordinator of the Greek Revolution in Macedonia was Emmanouel Pappas, today considered a Greek hero along with the unnamed Macedonians that fought with him.

Epirus (/ɪˈpaɪrəs/ ih-PY-rəs; Greek: Ήπειρος, romanized: Ípiros, [ˈi.pi.ros]) is a traditional geographic and modern administrative region in northwestern Greece. It borders the regions of Western Macedonia and Thessaly to the east, West Greece to the south, the Ionian Sea and Ionian Islands to the west and Albania to the north. The region has an area of about 9,200 km (3,600 sq mi). It is part of the wider historical region of Epirus, which overlaps modern Albania and Greece but lies mostly within Greek territory.

Upper Macedonia (Greek: Ἄνω Μακεδονία, Ánō Makedonía) or Upper Macedon is a geographical and tribal term to describe the upper/western of the two parts in which, together with Lower Macedonia, the ancient kingdom of Macedon was roughly divided.

The Upper Macedonian regions of Elimiotis, Tymphaea, Orestis, Eordaea and southern Lynkestis, correspond roughly to the region of Western Macedonia in Greece, while Pelagonia and the northern part of Lynkestis correspond roughly to the Pelagonia Statistical Region in North Macedonia.

The Haliacmon (Greek: Αλιάκμονας, Aliákmonas; formerly: Ἁλιάκμων, Aliákmon or Haliákmōn) is the longest river of Greece, flowing entirely on Greek soil in the region of Macedonia, with a total length of 297 km (185 mi). In Greece there are three rivers longer than Haliacmon: Evros (Greek: Έβρος), Strymonas (Greek: Στρυμόνας), both coming from Bulgaria, and Axios (Greek: Αξιός) coming from North Macedonia, but the length of each one of them in Greek territory is less than that of Haliacmon, which flows entirely in Greece. Haliacmon is the traditional English name for the river, but many sources cite the formerly official Katharevousa version of the name, Aliákmon. Today, the only official variant is the demotic Aliákmonas. It flows through the Greek regions of Western Macedonia (Kastoria, Grevena and Kozani regional units) and Central Macedonia (Imathia and Pieria regional units). Its drainage basin is 8,813 km (3,403 sq mi).

Florina (Greek: Περιφερειακή Ενότητα Φλώρινας, Perifereiakí Enótita Flórinas) is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Western Macedonia, in the geographic region of Macedonia, Greece. Its capital is the town of Florina. The total population is around 45,000 (2021).

Grevena (Greek: Περιφερειακή Ενότητα Γρεβενών, Perifereiakí Enótita Grevenón) is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Western Macedonia. Its capital is the town of Grevena.

Kastoria (Greek: Περιφερειακή Ενότητα Καστοριάς, Perifereiakí Enótita Kastoriás) is one of the 74 regional units of Greece and is part of the region of Western Macedonia. Its capital is the homonymous city of Kastoria.

Kozani (Greek: Περιφερειακή Ενότητα Κοζάνης, romanized: Perifereiakí Enótita Kozánis) is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Western Macedonia, in the geographic region of Macedonia. Its capital is the city of Kozani.