Statistics
Capital:	Kilkis
Area:	2,614 km²
Elevation:	Lowest: Thermaic Gulf Highest: northern part
Inhabitants:	81,845(2001)
Population density:	31.31/km²
ISO 3166-2:	GR-57
FIPS code:	GR50
Car designation:	KI (Kilkis)
Code for the municipalities:	28xx
Number of provinces:	2
Number of municipalities:	11
Number of independent communes:	1
2-letter abbreviation/HASC:	KK
Website:	www.kilkis.gr (also in Greek)
Map

Kilkis (Κιλκίς in Greek) (also known as Кукуш Kukuš or Kukush in Slavic) is a small provincial city in Central Macedonia, Greece. It had a population of 16,000 citizens in 2001. It is also the capital city of the local prefecture (or nomos) and the capital of one of the two local provinces (or eparhia) of its prefecture.

The city was ruled by the Ottoman Empire before being taken by Bulgaria in the First Balkan War of 1912. In the Second Balkan War of 1913, the Greek army captured the city after a three-day battle between June 19-June 21. Although costly, with over 5,000 casualties on the Greek side and 7,000 on the Bulgarian, the Greek victory proved a decisive step towards victory in the war. Kilkis itself was badly damaged by the battle, and its ethnic composition changed markedly as its Slav inhabitants fled or were expelled. They were largely replaced after 1922 by Greeks expelled from Asia Minor.

The significance of the Battle of Kilkis-Lahanas can be appreciated by the fact that Greece named a battleship after the city. However, Kilkis - formerly the USS Mississippi - was sunk by a German Junkers Ju 87 (Stuka) dive-bomber on April 23 1941, along with its sister-ship, in the third week of the invasion of Greece by Nazi Germany. The city of Kilkis came under Bulgarian rule in 1943 when the Bulgarian zone of occupation was expanded to include the prefectures of Kilkis and Chalcidice. The Bulgarians pursued a policy of "Bulgarianisation" with considerable brutality and intended to annex the region to Bulgaria, but were forbidden from doing so by their German allies, who feared destabilising Greece if the Bulgarians proceeded. The region became a major centre for partisan resistance activity before being liberated in 1944.

Geography

The mountains are Paiko to the west, parts of the western part of Kerkini to the northeast and Krousio to the east. Lake Doirani is siuated to the north and shares its eastern portion of the lake. The bounding prefectures and one district of another state (nation) are Serres to the east, the Thessaloniki prefecture to the south, Pella to the west and FYROM/Republic of Macedonia with the Gevgelija to the north.

Climate

The areas that mainly get Mediterranean climate is at the southern portion by the Axios valley. Its climate is mainly continental with cold winters in higher elevations.

Transportation

• GR-1/E75 , old and new, SW, W, NW
• GR-65 , S, Cen., N, NE
• road to Dojran, N

Famous inhabitants of Kilkis

• Goce Delchev, Bulgarian revolutionary (1872-1903)
• Aleksandar Stanishev , Bulgarian physician, scientist and politician (1886-1945)
• Hristo Smirnenski , Bulgarian poet (1898-1923)
• Giorgos Floridis , politician, ex minister
• Savvas Tsitouridis , politician, minister of agriculture
• Dimitris Basis , singer
• Kiltidis Kostas , politician
• DAF , famous entertainer

Places

• Kilkis
• Palaiokastro

Municipalities

Communities

• See also: Communities of Kilkis

External links

• Official website of the Prefecture of Kilkis
• Greek Army history of the Battle of Kilkis