1. Profile of Achaia Prefecture

The Prefecture of Achaia overtakes the NW part of the Peloponnese and belongs to the Western Greece Region.

The total expanse is 3.272 km2 and covers the 2,5% of the total country’s expanse.

It has got extensive coastlines, which are wetted by the sea of the Ionian Sea, of Patraikos Gulf and Korinthiakos Gulf as well. In the bigger percentage its grounds are mountainous (45,3%) and demi-mountainous (25,6%) when just the 29,1% is flat expanses. The geomorphology of the Prefecture presents exceptional variety, when in this, are included mountains with particularly big altitude (Erimanthos 2.222 m, Panachaiko 1.926 m), big natural lakes (Chivlos) and rivers (Selinoudas, Vouraikos, Pirow and Glafkos).

The Prefecture of Achaia allocates rich natural resources in spite of the threats and the pressures that were presented the last years. Its geographic place, its climatic characteristics, its embossed ground and the nature of subsoil, have dowered the Prefecture of Achaia with lavish and various biotic and abiotic elements.

The main threats and pressures that wear out and limit the natural environment are the built-up extension, the development of tourism in the coastal and mountainous regions, the intensifying of cultivations, the increasing production of all kinds of waste, the fires, the uncontrolled logging, and the overexploitation of the aquatic and territorial resources.

The Prefecture of Achaia constitutes the basic gate of connection of Greece with the rest countries of the European Union, via the port of Patras. The capital of the prefecture is the city of Patras, which is the third (concerning the expanse) urban center of the country. Achaia combines natural beauty and cultural development. It constitutes a piece of Greek ground which shows off the historical heritage and the modern culture.

The city of Patras constitutes the administrative centre of prefecture and the Western Greece Region’s as well. At the city of Patras, is accommodated a big amount of public services either of Local Authority, A’ and B’ level, or other services of the Ministries (Western Greece region, Directorates and Offices of Education, Juridical services, services of Public Order, etc).

The city of Patras has been the cultural capital of Europe for the year 2006.

2. Demographic elements of the Prefecture Achaia

The population of the Prefecture of Achaia, based on the Greek National Statistic Service data, from the inventory of 2001, ascends to 322.789 individuals. It is the most populated Prefecture of Greece afterwards Attica and the Prefecture Thessalonica - with 10% more residents of the next Prefecture which is the Prefecture of Iraklion (Crete), assembling the 2,92% of the total population of the country.

The population of prefecture of Achaia presented augmentative route during the 1971-2001 with middle rhythm 10,2%, reaching the 323 th. of residents almost in 2001 from 240 th. in 1971.

The prefecture of Achaia includes 21 Municipalities and 2 Communities. The semi-urban population is distributed in eight settlements, while all the rest settlements, which are calculated in 520, have population under 2.000 residents. From them, only 53 have population above 500 residents.

3. Employment – Unemployment

During 1993-2001 the total population of the Prefecture Achaia was increased at 4,60%, while the Population of Working Age (15 – 65 years old) was increased at 1,85%. However, the Workforce (Employed + Unemployed) of the prefecture at the same period it was hardly increased at 0,63% while globally (diachronically) is presented a reduction of unemployed in 2001 to – 1,71% concerning the number of unemployed in 1993.

In any case, in a long-lasting level the employment in the Prefecture, after the shock that existed in the region due to the un-industrialization in the decade ‘90, presents improvement, while in short-term horizon it presents small changes (fluctuations).

		1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
Country	Unemployed	7,20%	7,89%	8,64%	8,91%	9,07%	9,66%	9,60%	11,12%	11,98%	11,31%	10,41%	9,84%
	Employed	92,80%	92,11%	91,36%	91,09%	90,93%	90,34%	90,40%	88,88%	88,02%	88,69%	89,59%	90,16%
Achaia	Unemployed	9,78%	10,64%	10,50%	9,25%	9,10%	11,11%	11,09%	13,77%	12,18%	10,43%	9,89%	10,94%
	Employed	90,22%	89,36%	89,50%	90,75%	90,90%	88,89%	88,91%	86,23%	87,82%	89,57%	90,11%	89,06%

Registered unemployment in the Prefecture of Achaia in 2004 was 7.225 men and 14.614 women, which means that 66,92% of unemployed are women and 33,08% are men.

In regard to the distribution of population in categories of productive activity during 1993-2001, a reduction of rate of employment in the primary sector was observed (almost to10 percentage units and small increase in the rates of employment to the secondary one and an increase, almost 8-9 percentage units, in the tertiary sector. It is obvious, that there is an explicit tendency of boosting the tertiary sector and decrease the primary sector, while to the secondary one, emerges some stabilization.

In the table below, is presented the percentage distribution of the occupied based on the sector of their economic activity in the prefecture of Achaia.

Sector	Achaia
Agriculture	11,6
Mines	0,1
Transformation	9,3
Supplies of Water	0,6
Constructions	8,7
Trade	12,9
Hotels	4,8
Transportations	7,2
Intermediary Organizations	6,6
Public administration	7,6
Education	6,9
Health and Concern	4,7
Other Services	3,9
Not Classified	15,2
TOTAL	100

Generally women are over-represented in the public sector compared to the total rate of employment and under-represented respectively in the private sector. Women appear to prefer the bigger safety that the public sector provides as well as the more favourable labour relations of public sector, which allow the easier combination of professional and family life.

4. Tourism

According to the statistical data of 2001, the total number of beds of the tourist lodgings of the Prefecture of Achaia was increased by 6,3% in comparison with 1997. As regards the distribution of beds by category, according to the data of 2001, the tourist premises of A class occupy the 22,4%, the ones of B class the 32,6%, those of C class the 37,3%, and the ones of D & E the 7,7%. So, we notice an orientation of the potential to the luxurious tourist lodgings of A and B class (about 55%).

These data have to be taken into consideration as the Prefecture of Achaia has the possibility to attract tourism all the seasons of the year.

The Prefecture is in the center of the top archaeological triangle of Delphi- Olympia- Mikines and has many natural beauties, large and remarkable beaches, important picturesque and massif. The existing tourist resources are a competitive advantage, which could guarantee a stable development of the tourist sector. Such resources are:

• The Ancient Olympia,
• The exploitation of the sport facilities of the Prefecture,
• The institution of Patras Cultural Capital 2006,
• The Ski Center of Kalabrita and the wider Region of the County of Kalabrita (Natura areas), are special destination, which is also in a very short distance from Athens and with very good infrastructures of access,
• The climbing and mountaineering places of the Prefecture,
• The natural environment with many alternatives and the possibility of implementing alternative forms of tourism (mountainous areas, sea, lakes, rivers),
• The historical monuments (ancient, roman, Byzantine, modern).
• The cultural festivals (Patras carnival, Municipalities’ and Cultural Agents’ Festival, etc.).
• The research and Educational institutes of the Prefecture, in parallel with the existing meeting/ congress infrastructures, are an important advantage of the conference tourism (main directive of the National Tourism Organization for the Region).
• The neighbouring with significant archaeological sites outside the Prefecture) e.g. Olympia, Delphi, Dodoni, Mikines, etc) but also the existence of historical cities and monuments inside the Prefecture (Kalavrita, Agia Lavra, etc.).
• The neighbouring and the connection, through the port of Patras, with Italy. The port of Patras city is one of the main gates of entry and exit of tourists in Greece.

5. The situation of women in rural areas.

In the prefecture of Achaia the employment rate for women is 42% and for men 65%. The unemployment rate is 16,1% for women and 6,5% for men. The rate of the long tern unemployed in total unemployment is 66% for women and 61,6% for men.

In rural areas the rate of unemployment is 14,7% for women and 4,8% for men. In relation with the distribution of employment in rural areas of Achaia, 57% of women and 43% of men are working in the primary sector. In relation with the education level, in all ages the women that finished primary school are 20% more than men, in the age of 25 – 29 women with secondary education are 3% more than men and with bachelor degree 4% more than men but men with master degree are three times more than women.

The active labour market policies in favour of women in the Prefecture of Achaia are the following:

• Subsides for self – employment (National – Employment Agency – OAED).
• Subsidies for start – ups (Ministry for economic development).
• VET courses for unemployed women (OAED).
• Subsidized first work experience (stage).
• Specific measures in favour of women facing social exclusion (different policies).
• Specific training courses for unemployed women in rural areas (agritourisme, traditional food products / crafts e.t.c.).
• (Leader plus, EQUAL, Regional Operational Programmes)