Editing Laconia (section)

==Geography==
[[File:Eurotas.JPG|thumb|left|[[Eurotas (river)|Eurotas river]] outside the city of Sparti]]

Laconia is bordered by [[Messenia]] to the west and [[Arcadia (regional unit)|Arcadia]] to the north and is surrounded by the [[Myrtoan Sea]] to the east and by the [[Laconian Gulf]] and the [[Mediterranean Sea]] to the south. It encompasses [[Cape Malea]] and [[Cape Tainaron]] and a large part of the [[Mani Peninsula]]. The Mani Peninsula is in the west region of Laconia.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.thegreektravel.com/lakonia/ |title=Lakonia Greece, Mani, Monamvassia, Sparti, Gytheio, Mystras, Elafonissos, Gytheio, Hotels in lakonia, activities, travel greece |last=www.thegreektravel.com |website=www.thegreektravel.com |language=en |access-date=26 September 2017 |archive-date=27 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170927000212/http://www.thegreektravel.com/lakonia/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The islands of [[Kythira]] and [[Antikythera]] lie to the south, but they administratively belong to the [[Attica (region)|Attica]] regional unit of [[Islands (regional unit)|islands]]. The island, [[Elafonisos]], situated between the Laconian mainland and Kythira, is part of Laconia.

The [[Eurotas (river)|Evrotas]] is the longest river in the prefecture. The [[Evrotas Valley]] is predominantly an agricultural region that contains many citrus groves, olive groves, and pasture lands. It is the location of the largest orange production in the Peloponnese and probably in all of Greece. ''Lakonia'', a brand of orange juice, is based in [[Amykles]].

The main mountain ranges are the [[Taygetus]] {{cvt|2,407|m|ft}} in the west and the [[Parnon]] {{cvt|1,961|m|ft}} in the northeast. Taygetus, known as Pentadaktylos (''five-fingers'') throughout the Middle Ages, is west of Sparta and the [[Evrotas Valley]]. It is the highest mountain in Laconia and the Peloponnese and is mostly covered with pine trees. Two roads join the Messenia and Laconia prefectures: one is a tortuous mountain pass through Taygetus and the other bypasses the mountain via the [[Mani Peninsula|Mani]] district to the south.

The [[stalactite]] cave, Dirou, a major tourist attraction, is located south of [[Areopoli]]s in the southwest of Laconia.

===Climate===
The city of Sparta enjoys a sunny and warm [[Mediterranean climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''Csa''). January highs are around {{cvt|14|°C|0}} while July and August highs are around {{cvt|36|°C|0}} in the city proper. Sparta records the highest summer average maximum temperatures in Greece.<ref name="Meteoclub.gr"/> In July 2012 the city registered an average maximum temperature of {{cvt|38.3|°C|1}}, making it Greece's second highest monthly average maximum temperature to date after the {{cvt|38.6|°C|1}} recorded in [[Stylida]] in July 2023.<ref name="NOA">{{cite web |url=https://penteli.meteo.gr/stations/stylida/NOAAYR.TXT |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230804061751/https://penteli.meteo.gr/stations/stylida/NOAAYR.TXT |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 August 2023 |title=Stylida NOA |access-date=4 August 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=N.O.A July 2012 bulletin |url=http://cirrus.meteo.noa.gr/forecast/deltio_noa072012.pdf |access-date=20 January 2013 |archive-date=28 February 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130228152658/http://cirrus.meteo.noa.gr/forecast/deltio_noa072012.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> The highest temperature ever recorded in Sparta is {{cvt|45.7|°C|1}} in August 2021.<ref>[http://stratus.meteo.noa.gr/data/bulletins/deltio_noa082021.pdf?CFID=b2058680-727c-4a51-97e0-9d555c66de14&CFTOKEN=0 Deltio data]</ref> On average, Sparta records 5 days per year with temperatures of over {{cvt|40.0|°C|1}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.meteo.gr/Monthly_Bulletins.cfm |title=Meteo.gr - Προγνώσεις καιρού για όλη την Ελλάδα |access-date=28 November 2023 |archive-date=2 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202121511/https://meteo.gr/Monthly_Bulletins.cfm |url-status=live }}</ref>
{{Weather box
|location=Sparta (2009–2024)
|metric first=yes
|single line=yes
|Jan high C=14.4
|Feb high C=16.1
|Mar high C=18.4
|Apr high C=22.8
|May high C=27.8
|Jun high C=32.5
|Jul high C=36.0
|Aug high C=35.9
|Sep high C=31.3
|Oct high C=25.3
|Nov high C=20.2
|Dec high C=16.1

|Jan mean C=8.8
|Feb mean C=10.0
|Mar mean C=12.0
|Apr mean C=15.4
|May mean C=20.0
|Jun mean C=24.6
|Jul mean C=27.7
|Aug mean C=27.7
|Sep mean C=23.8
|Oct mean C=18.5
|Nov mean C=14.1
|Dec mean C=10.2

|Jan low C=3.1
|Feb low C=4.0
|Mar low C=5.6
|Apr low C=8.0
|May low C=12.2
|Jun low C=16.7
|Jul low C=19.5
|Aug low C=19.6
|Sep low C=16.4
|Oct low C=11.8
|Nov low C=7.9
|Dec low C=4.4

|rain colour=green
|Jan rain mm=122.6
|Feb rain mm=82.3
|Mar rain mm=62.4
|Apr rain mm=33.1
|May rain mm=24.8
|Jun rain mm=35.3
|Jul rain mm=11.9
|Aug rain mm=19.0
|Sep rain mm=52.2
|Oct rain mm=61.5
|Nov rain mm=88.1
|Dec rain mm=92.0

| Jan record high C=23.5
| Feb record high C=26.4
| Mar record high C=27.2
| Apr record high C=34.1
| May record high C=40.7
| Jun record high C=44.4
| Jul record high C=44.2
| Aug record high C=45.7
| Sep record high C=40.3
| Oct record high C=36.4
| Nov record high C=30.8
| Dec record high C=23.5

| Jan record low C=-5.3
| Feb record low C=-4.2
| Mar record low C=-4.6
| Apr record low C=-0.7
| May record low C=6.2
| Jun record low C=9.4
| Jul record low C=14.2
| Aug record low C=13.1
| Sep record low C=9.1
| Oct record low C=1.5
| Nov record low C=-1.7
| Dec record low C=-5.2

|source=[[National Observatory of Athens]] (Feb 2009 - Feb 2024),<ref name="auto1">{{cite web |url=https://www.meteo.gr/climate/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220927081043/https://meteo.gr/climate/ |archive-date=27 September 2022 |title=Climate |publisher=National Observatory of Athens |language=el }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.meteo.gr/Monthly_Bulletins.cfm |title=N.O.A Monthly Bulletins |access-date=28 November 2023 |archive-date=2 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202121511/https://meteo.gr/Monthly_Bulletins.cfm |url-status=live }}</ref><br/> Sparta N.O.A station,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://penteli.meteo.gr/stations/sparti/ |title=Latest Conditions in Sparta }}</ref> [[World Meteorological Organization]]<ref name="WMO">{{cite web |url=https://oscar.wmo.int/surface/#/search/station/stationReportDetails/0-300-1-sparti |title=World Meteorological Organization |access-date=14 July 2023 |archive-date=12 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230712151921/https://oscar.wmo.int/surface/#/search/station/stationReportDetails/0-300-1-sparti |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}


{{Weather box
|collapsed=y
|width=auto
|location=[[Sparta Air Base]] (HNMS ,1974–2004)
|metric first=yes
|single line=yes
|Jan high C=14.4
|Feb high C=15.1
|Mar high C=17.7
|Apr high C=21.3
|May high C=27.0
|Jun high C=32.2
|Jul high C=34.8
|Aug high C=34.3
|Sep high C=30.5
|Oct high C=25.7
|Nov high C=19.4
|Dec high C=15.2

|Jan mean C=9.6
|Feb mean C=10.2
|Mar mean C=12.4
|Apr mean C=15.8
|May mean C=21.2
|Jun mean C=26.2
|Jul mean C=28.5
|Aug mean C=27.8
|Sep mean C=24.2
|Oct mean C=19.6
|Nov mean C=14.2
|Dec mean C=10.8

|Jan low C=3.5
|Feb low C=3.8
|Mar low C=5.5
|Apr low C=7.6
|May low C=11.8
|Jun low C=15.9
|Jul low C=18.7
|Aug low C=18.0
|Sep low C=15.3
|Oct low C=12.3
|Nov low C=8.2
|Dec low C=5.1

|rain colour=green
|Jan rain mm=90.7
|Feb rain mm=84.6
|Mar rain mm=73.3
|Apr rain mm=66.0
|May rain mm=47.4
|Jun rain mm=14.6
|Jul rain mm=18.8
|Aug rain mm=26.4
|Sep rain mm=30.8
|Oct rain mm=54.6
|Nov rain mm=90.0
|Dec rain mm=107.9

|source 1=Meteoclub.gr<ref name="Meteoclub.gr">{{cite web |url=http://www.meteoclub.gr/themata/egkyklopaideia/6125-sparti-h-yperdynami-ths-kalokairinhs-zesths-stin-ellada |script-title=el:Σπάρτη : H υπερδύναμη της καλοκαιρινής ζέστης στην Ελλάδα |publisher=Meteoclub |language=el |access-date=7 June 2016 |archive-date=5 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140905053552/http://www.meteoclub.gr/themata/egkyklopaideia/6125-sparti-h-yperdynami-ths-kalokairinhs-zesths-stin-ellada |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}