Parapotamos (Greek: Παραπόταμος, before 1928: Βάρφανη - Varfani[2]) is a village and a former municipality in Thesprotia, Epirus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Igoumenitsa, of which it is a municipal unit.[3] The municipal unit has an area of 60.334 km2.[4] Population 969 (2021). The village of Parapotamos, the former municipality's seat, was home to Cham Albanians, before 1944, when they were expelled for collaborating with Nazi forces.[5][6]

Parapotamos
Παραπόταμος
Parapotamos is located in Greece
Parapotamos
Parapotamos
Location within the regional unit
Coordinates: 39°33′N 20°20′E / 39.550°N 20.333°E / 39.550; 20.333
CountryGreece
Administrative regionEpirus
Regional unitThesprotia
MunicipalityIgoumenitsa
Area
 • Municipal unit60.3 km2 (23.3 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[1]
 • Municipal unit
969
 • Municipal unit density16/km2 (42/sq mi)
 • Community
634
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Vehicle registrationΗΝ

Name

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The name of Parapotamos means "riverside" or "by the river" in the Greek language. The village is known as Varfanj in Albanian, which comes from varfër/varfanjak meaning "poor", thus Varfani, "poor area" or "poor region" in Albanian.

References

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  1. ^ "Αποτελέσματα Απογραφής Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2021, Μόνιμος Πληθυσμός κατά οικισμό" [Results of the 2021 Population - Housing Census, Permanent population by settlement] (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority. 29 March 2024.
  2. ^ Name changes of settlements in Greece
  3. ^ "ΦΕΚ B 1292/2010, Kallikratis reform municipalities" (in Greek). Government Gazette.
  4. ^ "Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation)" (PDF) (in Greek). National Statistical Service of Greece.
  5. ^ James Pettifer and Miranda Vickers
  6. ^ official site of Parapotamos Municipality Archived 2009-05-18 at the Wayback Machine