NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SURVEY 24; GREECE; MILITARY GEOGRAPHY

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Greece
It March 1974
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE S
SEURET
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tions are:
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(C) Confidential
(S) Secret
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This chapter supersedes the geographic cover-
age in the General Surrey dated May 1969.
A. General 1
B. Topography 1
Q Climate 5
1. Climatic centrals e
2. Weather elements and climatic conditions 6
a. Temperature 6
b. Humidity 6
SEcaer
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FIGURES
Page
Page
c. precipitation
7
E. Strategic areas
13
d. Cloudiness
7
1. Athens
13
c. Visibility
7
2. Thessaloniki
13
f. Winds
7
3. Other important areas
13
g. Tbunderstorms and turbulence
7
F. Internal routes
20
D. Military geographic regions
8
G. Approaches
20
1. t'orthern plains
8
1. Land
20
2. Highlands
9
2. Sea
21
3. Greek Islands
12
3. Air
21
FIGURES
ii
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Page
Page
Fig. 1
Rugged hills in Lesbos (photo)
2
Fig. 21
Thessaloniki, city of the old and new
Fig. 2
Narrow, steep -sided valley southwest
(photo)
17
of Kozani (photo)
2
Fig. 22
Thessaloniki (table)
17
Fig. 3
Basin northwest of Lamia (photo)
3
Fig. 23
Internal routes (table)
IS
Fig. 4
Great mountain backbone of central
Fig. 24
Boundaries table)
20
Greene, (photo)
3
Fig. 25
Rugged mountains along Greece
Fig. 5
Narrow valley in southern
Albania border (photo)
20
Peloponnesus (photo)
3
Fig, 26
Plain in Greece Turkey border zone
Fig. 6
Mountain slope northwest of Trikala
(photo)
21
(photo)
3
Fig. 27
Land approaches (table)
22
Fig. 7
Pass in western mountains near
Fig. 28
Amphibious landing areas (table)
23
A'Ic ovon photo)
4
Fig. 29
Mean number of clays with maximum
Fig. 8
Coastal plain backed by hills west of
temperatures X90 �F. table)
25
Corinth (photo)
4
Fig. 30
Mean number of days vi %h maximum
Fig. 9
Nearly flat plain northeast of Athens
temperatures X32 �F. (tablc)
25
(photo)
4
Fig. 31
Mean cloudiness at specified
Fig. 10
Nestos Potamos in northern highlands
hours (table)
26
(p:'ato)
5
Fig. 32
Percentage frequency of ceiling
F;g. 11
Meandering Maritsa River in the
03,300 feet at specified hours
northwest photo)
5
table)
27
Fig. 12
Nearly flat, cultivated plain south
Fig. 33
Percentage frequency of specified
of Drama (photo)
9
ceiling and visibility combinations
Fig. 13
Winding road through western
at specified hours (table)
28
mountains (photo)
10
Fig. 34
Mean number of days with fog
Fig. 14
Cultivated plain in Peloponnesus
(table)
30
(photo)
LO
Fig. 35
Direction, mean speed (knots), and
Fig. 1:5
Short, evergreen shrubs in hills in
percentage frequency of prevailing
northeast (photo)
I1
surface wind by quadrant table)
31
Fig. 16
Steep, rugged coast east of Athens
Fig. 36
Surface water resources
(photo)
11
(map) follows
32
Fig. 17
Athens strategic area map)
14
Fig. 37
Ground water resources map)
do
Fig. 18
Athens, densely built -up capital
Fig. 38
Cross- country movement conditions
(p.. vto)
15
map)
do
Fig. 19
Athens (table)
13
Fig. 39
Climatic data (maps and graphs)
do
Fig. 20
Thessaloniki strategic area (reap)
16
Fig. 40
Military geographic factors (map)
do
ii
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v
Military Geography
A. General (U /OU)
Greece is located in southeastern Europe adjacent to
vital sea lanes in the eastern Mediterranean Sea and in
the Aegean Sea ---the gateway to the Turkish straits
(Dardanelles laid Bostmrus) and the Black Sea (Figure
40). The entire northern part of the country is
Ixrrdered by Communist dominated Balkan neighbots
and the eastern land and %eater frontiers face Turkey,
an archrival in Cyprus. Greece as been a member of
NATO since 1952 anti is it vital link in NATO's
southeastern flank.
Greece has an area of about 51,200 square mile+
(including 9,600 square miles of islands). The
mainland, 41,600 square miles, is slightly larger than
Ohio, and has maximum dimensions of about 385
miles' cast -west avid about 550 miles north south.
The population i-; about 8,9E30,0110.
B. Topography (U /OU)
Most of the country consists of (tills and mountains
(figure 40) covered by thorny evergreen and
deciduous shrubs and deciduous forest; flat to gently
rolling, intensively cultivated plains are mainly in
small scattered areas along the coasts and arc cowered
primarily by grain crops, evergreen shrubs, and
vitneyards. Hells (Figure l) are the most widespread
landform on the mainland and in the islands. Summits
mainly are 2,000 to 6,000 feet above sea level and
generally are broad and rounded and have many small
flat or rolling areas. The hills are dissected by
numerous narrow, deep, steep -sided valleys with floors
700 to 2,000 feet below adjacent summits. Valley walls
(Figure 2) have slopes of 50% to 100% and locally
consist of short, discontinuous cliffs. The valley floors
(a r iy exceed 100 yard; in width and in places are
almost pinched out by narrow fingedike extensions of
the hillsides. 'the valley%. spiked 2 to 3 miles apart, in
many places arc connne6ii4 by low passes. Nearly flat
hasins (Figure 3), which generally are at elevations up
'Disraners are in statute miles unless nautical miles arc
specifically indicated.
to 2,000 feet, are common in the hills. Mountains are
scattered throughout Greece, but [lie greatest mass
(Figure 4) extends south southeastward from the
Albania border to the Gulf of Corinth and continues
into northern Peloponnesus. Many mountain summits
are more than 6,500 feet above sea level, and several
arc more than 8.000 feet; the highest elevation,
Olympus, is 9.550 ft. The mountains gencrally consist
of massive steep -sided mountain blocks, ridges, and
pyramidal forms, and are very rugged. They are
dissected by numerous, sleep, steep- sided, in places
precipitous valleys (Figure 5), many of which range
Frorn 3,000 to 5,500 feet in depth and have very
narrow, flat, discontinuous floors. Mountain sides and
valley walls commonly have slopes of 50% to 100%,
and some valley walls arc extensive, high, almost
vertical cliffs. In places, however, the mountains rise
in a series of Fairly grtdual, though deeply dissected,
slopes (Figure 6). Summit areas are mostly rounded
and have slopes less than 20%. Passes (Figure 7) are
few and mostly at elevations of 3.1' 00 to 5,0110 feet.
Manmade terraces, geuendly less than 100 feet wide
and separated by stone walls 2 to 4 feel high, are
widely sculteled through the highlands,
'there are no large flat areas in Greece; plains
(Figure 8) are isolated from one another by highlands
or by the sea, and none exceeds 1,000 square miles in
area. Most of the plains are on or near the northern
and western shores of the Aegean Sea and arc at
elevations ranging from sea level to 400 feet. Surfaces
are flat (Figure 9) or slightly rolling and have slopes
less than 27o; locally, there are isolated crags up to 50
feet in height and, in places, low rolling hills. Lakes
and marshes are common. Most plains are crossed by
at (east one shallow, sluggish, meandering stieam,
which is bordered in many places by low earthen dikes
or embankments, In many of the plains, there are
drainage ditches 3 to 10 feet in depth and width and
spaced 20 to 200 feet apart. In many of the northern
plains, deep, steep- banked irrigation canals, 25 to 175'
feet wide and as much as 10 feet deep, are common.
Greece has numerous rivers and small lakes and a
few large lakes. Almost all of the rivers are torrential
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FIGURE 10. Most stream In the highlands are perennial
and flow in dimp narrow volleys. This stretch of the
Nestor Potonios is less Than 230 feet wide and more
than 3.3 feet deep, fU /OUI
dry or am wduceil to upon� trickles. Supplies are
Ix�renoially hlelitiful only from a fee. lurgi� streams
a Inch area as 11144ch a% 2.1 to .fit) hull apart. In tionflivnl
Greece and utt !lie islands. supplies of surface water are�
l i ri nlarily sca ti lack iiig; here, sc a r e mostly
hileriilittent stream., .which cmdain water only after
heavy reins. 7�lerotighuut the country, alrnlist all of the
surf ace water is fresh. hard, and lxicterially iunpure.
Access, to sources is difficioll in muunl..ins. Bills, and
g orges, where to ad nets are� span- and slreamivarlks an'
high, and is poor in plains and basins during the high
.outer lie rictd. wh stre ams Min ex tensive arr as.
Ground water supplies are scarce thmui;holll ntu.t of
Greece and are difficult to obtain. The largest
gnanlitim are obtained fmrn wells in river and lake
plains. deltas. and in basins generally at depths less
than Stu feet near major sirearns but as inaich as k
feet lei 100 feet elsewhere. These :Yeas are most
exte nsive in northem and cenlral Greece. Smaller
qu:aratities are oblainable chiefly in cavemons
limestone and marble located ill fairly large but
widely se�parlteti are e�i tainland Greece and a few
of the islands in the Ac1 emi 5ca; in thm areas, the
depth of welts is very inmeg st ar, rouging from a few feet
to more than :5!10 feet !before water is encountered. lit
die dry seaston. early May or J u n e through Seiiietnlier,
quantities of ground water are appreciab reduced in
inost areas. Ground water is fresh� hand, and near
pcupulated places is bacterially contaminated. It is
conintimly brackish on the coasts and on the island%.
Siting and excavation generally is easy in plains and
FIGURE 11. The Maritsa River, which marks most of the
boundary between Greece and Turkey, is one of the
largest streams in Greece. Ranks are predominantly
low, and during the high water period, early October
through April, flooding is common. (C)
basins but is difficult elsewhere and require+ geologic
recriunaissanc�e for Ix�si yields and iienver cquiliment.
Must of lh larl;e urban eeml-n, fawns, and villai;eti
are located in the norlhern plains and .Muni; or near
the coasts. Illlildings are mostly of masonry
construction, have the roofs. and are (site tit two slorre,
high; however, in the large cities man% cif the
l,uildings are cif e(utcrcte and more that) two stories
high. In like newer sections the streets .ire broad and
paved, bill in the older sections of the cities and ill the
smaller towns and villages the streets :urc conirnonly
narrow and winding and sonic are unpaved. The road
network lirtweru populated centers is sparse, and ill
innst places the minds :ire narro a nd w in d in g and
have cralshed- stone and bitinninous surf:aLes. 'I'hc
railroad network is Spares,
C. Climate MOU)
Gre ece has it Medilerrmean climate, with cloudy.
mild, wet winters (December through March) and
clear. hot, dry summers (June thniugh Septcnilier),
1'he cliniat- is influenced in winter principally by the
frcclueni Ii;issage of eniRratory hfws tllreitegh this area
of the Mediterranean and in stionrtier by the persistent
northerly flow of air out of the European extension of
the Amres high. 'Th ere are many Ideal variations in the
climate deaived from the rnounlainuus nature of the
ceroiitry and its proximity to the sea.
Winters are characterirecl by I'Milaenlly changing
weather. Cool, damp, ;laid cloudy (Migam 391
cemdilions [ire uS associated with the frceplLnt
laws that travel.- tlae Mediterranean hasin. Ilowever.
3
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heavy cloudiness and steady rain preceding the lows
quickly diminishes after the low moves eastward, and
the sky is soon bright and clear. Snow is infrequent
except at the higher e where a s cover
may persist for a few months. Although temperatures
norma remain a freezing at most places, the
high humidities of winter give a raw, penetrating
dampness to lire air; this is intensified by an increase
in wind speed and overcast conditions. Wind speeds
may reach gale force at times and are usually
associated with strong lows. Local winds such as the
warm foehn and cold bora occur near the mountains.
Summers are distinguished by clear skies, scanty
rainfall, and high temperatures. Skies may be
completely cloudless for several days at a time, and at
many places in the south July and August are alien
rainless. Some light afternoon showers occur in the
Pindus Mountains and in the north. Temperalums are
quite high in the iowlunds. However, some relief is
given by afternoon sea breezes at coastal locations and
by the drynes.< of the air in the interior. Surface winds
are relatively light and therefore more responsive to
local effects such as land and sea breezes. The major
exception is over the islands in the Aegean Sea. where
a light to moderate northerly wind is seldom
interrupted.
1. Clirustic Controls
Among the major controls governing the climate are
the semipermanent pressure systems which direct
large -scale airflows over or near Greece. The winter
circulation is dominated by two large anticyclones and
a region of low pressure between them. To the north of
Greece is the westward extension of the Siberian high.
However, the cold air associated with this system is
contained, for the most part, by the chain of
mountains east and north of Greece, and invasions of
Arcile air are infrequent. To the south, over northern
Africa, is the eastward extension of the Azores high.
Consequently, the Mediterranean Basin is a region of
low pressure between these two anticyclones. Frequent
j cyclogenesis and movement of lows eastward through
the Basin largely dictates the pattern of winter
weather. In summer a more persistent and vigorous
circulation is established between the strengthened
Azores high in the western Mediterranean and a heat
k low over southern Asia. The steady north or northwest
airflow between these pressure systems brings
relatively -v air to tLe country and promotes
generally bear skies and high temperatures as a
monotonous daily fare. Other climatic controls err
important mainly in their roles of establishing areal
variations on a smaller scale. Differences in elevation
6
and in exposure to wind and sun, and proximity to the
water determine many locally varied climates within
the broad -scale regimes of winter and summer.
2. Weather elements and clit>Ratic conditions
e. Tenywmture
The tmperatum regime is typically Mediterranean,
with mild winters and hot summers (Figures 29 and
30). At most island and coastal locations the maritime
influence is quite pronounced throughout the year,
resulting in very small diumal ranks of temperature.
During January and February, the coldest months,
eady morning temperatures generally range from the
inid 30's �F.) to .50 �F. Only at stone nitiuntain
locations do freezing temperatures normally occur at
,his time. Winter afternoons are relatively mild, and
lemperatures range from the Iow 40's to the low 60'
Curing Jul and August. tloe hottest months.
aftern(win tenitoeraltares range frorn the ION' 80 0 the
niid E1i1 s. with the highest tetntx�rattires occurring at
low -level locations away from the sea. Early morning
temperatures in summer range mostly from 60'F. to
73 Several places have recorded summertime
temperatures in excess of 110'F. Winter temperatures
are at times quite cold, but only a few mountain
locations have recorded temperatures below zero.
Extreme temperatures range from 117 �I'. in summer to
11 �f'. in winter.
A main concem of temperatures in the upper air is
the average height of the freezing level. It varies trom
4,000 to 7,000 feet in winter, except in the higher
mountains where it is near the surface, and from
13,000 to I5,000 feet in summer. Icing, heavy enough
to be hazardous to aircraft, occurs primarily during the
cool months. This condition is most likely in the
extensive cloud systems accompanying migratory lows
and associated cold fronts.
6. Nrrm"etr
Winter is generally characterized by high
humidities throughout the country, reflecting the
maritime influence on the climate. Early moming
humidities an- mostly in the 70's and $0's and
aftenuio..., are only slightly less moist. With values
mostly in [lie 60's and 76s. In summer much of the
mainland is under the influence of dry amtinental air
and afternimn humidities are lom -erect to die :30's and
40's. Cainyr ,;cly. many of the island and coastal
locutions remain relatively moist, with afterataon
humidities amtinuing in the 60's and :0's.
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c. PredpUmdon
The mountainous nature of the country causes large
areal variations in annual precipitation amounts that
ra..ge from as little as 8 inches on the south coast of
Crete to 70 or more inches in the Pindtis Mountains
(figure 39). Precipitation is heaviest on mountain
slopes exposed to the moisture- bearing winds and is
least at locations sheltered from these winds. The
precipitation regime is characterized by distinct
seasonal variations. The frequent migratory lows and
frontal systems found in the Mediterranean during the
cool months produce much of the precipitation in
Greece. Maximum amounts occur in November.
December, or January, and most places receive 3 to 9
inches during the wettest month; precipitation
normally falls on 10 to 20 days per month. Most
lowland locations have snow an less than 5 days per
year. However, it occurs on 20 to 30 days per year in
the Pindus Mountains and is also quite frequent in
other parts of northern Greece and at high elevations
on western Crete. Summer is the dry season
everywhere. In fact, at several locations July and
August are nearly rainless. Only in the north,
Particularly in the mountains, are there as many as 5
to 6 rainy days per month at this time.
d. Coondiness
Typical of the Mediterranean climate, skies are
frequently cloudy in winter and clear in summer
(Figure 31). Maximum cloudiness occurs in
December, January. or February, with monthly
averages of 50% to 70% over most of the country. A
wide variety of multilayered cloud types are associated
with the migratory lows and fronts and range from low
stratus to towering cumulus and cumulonimbus.
Cloudiness is least in July and August, when monthly
averages are between 5% and 40 The cloudiest
conditions of summer occur during the afternoons in
the north, particularly in the mountains. Summer
cloudiness is predominantly the cumulus type, but
early morning stratus may occasionally be encoun-
tered in the mountains.
Very low ceilings occur infrequently over Greece.
Only a few northern and mountain "lions have
ceilings below 1.000 feet on as much as 10% of the
observations ..nd then only in winter. Ceilings are
below 3,300 feet on about 20% to 30% of the
observations at many places from November through
March (Figure: 32). In summer, low ceilings are
infrequent. lnfomwtion an specific ceiling and
visibility combinations pertinent to aircraft operations
is supplied in Figure 33.
e. Visibility
Overall, visibility is quite good throughout the year,
and this is especially true during the summer months.
Visibility is most often restricted during winter in the
northern part of the country and in the Pindus
Mountains; a few places arc restricted to less than 2 0.
miles on up to 30% of the winter mornings. Slight
restrictions (below 6 miles) are expenenced on 20% to
50% of the observations in winter at scattered
locations, mainly in the north. Fog (Figure 34) and
precipitation are the primary restrictions, but heavy
snowfall occasionally towers the visibility to near zero,
especially in the mountainous regions. Haze and
smoke are locally important in industrial regions. In
summer a dust haze is prevalent over the country, but
the visibility is only slightly reduced.
f. Winds
Surface winds are predominantly light or calin
throughout the year at most places (Figure 35). In
winter surface winds are choructeristically variable but
the r yan speeds are somewhat stronger than in
summer. Infrequently, gate -force winds (>27 knots)
accompany exceptionally strong low centers or u
strong tiara. In summer surface winds are lighter and
usually more responsive to the prevailing pressure
patterns. This is most apparent its the Aegean Sea and
also on eastem Crete, where the flow of northerly-
component winds is seldom interrupted. These are the
etesian winds which arc noted for their persistency. On
the mainland coasts, land and sea breezes are a
common summer feature. The sirocco occasionally
affects Greece in spring and autumn; it is a very hot
and usually humid southerly wind, causing extensive
layers of low stratus clouds, lei some cases, the sirocco
may be quite dry when it arrives over Crete, during
which time it is usually accompanied by a heavy layer
of fine dust. Westerly winds prevail throughout the
year in the upper atmosphere. The strongest winds
occur in the south between 30.000 and 45,000 feet in
all mouths; average speeds at these levels range
between 50 and 75 knots in winter and between to
and 50 knots in summer.
g. Thisi derrionwr and turbutence
Thunderstorms are infrequent over most of the
country, and only a few stations have 5 to 10
thunderstorm days per month during the month of
maximum activity. Several places have only I to 3
thunderstorm days per month throughout the year.
Thunderstorms are more frequent in late spring and
summer over the mountains and in the north, tm on
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some of the islands they arr more frequent during the
cool inuoths and are associated with cold fronts.
Moderate to severe turbualencW-- call always be
exlxeted in the vicinity of thunderstorms and strong
fronts. Orographic turbulence occurs over the
mountainous regions and may extend .everal
thousand feat above the top of the mountains. kiddies.
to loc=al turbulent condition. occur frequently to the lee
of mountains. hills, and cliffs. The Gulf of Corinth is
noted for violent local eddies that result in strong
vertical currents. Qu hot days clear -air lurbulcnul-
caused by strung surface heating can Ix expected: the
sir is especially turbulent over rough lilt) untainous
terrain_ Clear -air turbulence is also present at high
levels in the vicinity of strong winds.
D. Military geographic regions (C)
There are three military geographic regions �the
Northern Plains, the ldighlands, and the Greek Islands
(Figure 40)� The comhinatio:I of environmental
conditions within each region would have a relatively
uniform effect ore military operations. but there would
he marked differences hoween the regions. The
Northern Plains ato characterized by flat to rolling
surfaces that in places Lontaiu numerous irrigation
ditches and canals, cultivated fields, and closely
spaced villages. In the Highlands and Greek islands
regions, rugged relief is the doniinamt lerrmimi elcment.
1. Northern Plains
Conditions generally sire favorable for large -scale
conventional ground operations. Surfaces of the plains
are nearly Ic�.cl and are covered by low vegetation, hilt
the plains are small and discontinuous. separated from
one another by hills and mountains. Cross- coarntn�
movement of tracked and wheeled vehicles (fi figure 34
would be feasible in most of the plains across dry, firm
surfaces except during mid November through mid
March, when most places are continuously miry and
movement would lie severely mtricted. 1m addition,
from early Oelober through April rivers arc in flood,
and widespread inundation of adjacent areas may last
for 2 or 3 weeks. When in flood, the rivers are harriers
to crossings; at other times, however, most streams can
be forded, but bottoms may b soft locall Year
round hindrances to movement include drainage and
irrigation ditches, extensive anus of marsh, and laval
areas of steep slope. There is a moderately dense
network of roads, but surfaces primarily arc gravel,
crushed stone, or earth and would not support
sustained heavy military traffle. During mid-
8
Nooveinher througlo raid March, unsurfacc�d roads
often ;are irnp,ISNable. III Hunt places. additional roads
could Ise c tistrucled with generally unrestricted
:II;gnruents and easy grades, hill natural foutldations
generally are Ixmr era tine thick clays and sills during
the rainy season, and embanknn�nts would he needed
in places lWeause of the high ground -water level and
to prevent roads from being fkxxled. In pdacrs,
aligunients would be restricted by sleep slopes. Rock
sailable for crushing general}% is sealce. but sand :unl
gravel are available locallw. Conditions for
concealment from ground obxc�rvation are Ivor. being;
provided by grain crops seasonally, by vineyards from
April to Septemhx�r. the) an in leaf. and b
&-itse evergreen shrubs. :ouecahnetal from sir
observation would hi- lilrsited Iniaiul to small
.scattered areas of dveiduon% forest from early May
through O-Whcr, when the trees an- in leaf Cover
front flat trajectory fire would be scarce cxcrpt where
provided locally by stone houses and stone w=ills ill
small settlements and to�IOS and by store slulxVs in
small widely scattered areas of dissection. where there
am 'WHY closeh� %paced steep sided valleys, such areas
are extensive� only in the northeast. The ooh sites
suitable for the construction of tuuuel -type
irstallations are in the dissected auras. where valle%
sides primarily consist of interbedded hard and soft
rocks. Here. short entrii evnerall pa rnait IN to :3Ut1
feet of cover, and wide spans. would commonly stand
without sup1mrt. Elsewhere in the region, sites arc
scarce bccausc of insufficient relief. Sites suitable for
the construction of bunker -type installations an�
restricted to a few widely scattered areas of generally
dry. unconsolidated material that is ear.ily zxcavuteKd
With handteKrls; but bunker sides would retluire
suplmrt. Ties larger! of these areas are heist southwest of
l.arisa and in the Struma valley. Most of the region is
unsuited for the construction of bunkers because of
locally and seasonally poorly drahied soils.
Conditions am amfavorable in mast of the region for
drhorne and airmohile operations during early
October through April, when the ground is either
continuously wet or large areas adjacent to the streams
are flaxieel or booth. During the remainder of the year.
surlaces primarily are dry and arc suitahly for
helicopter landings, parachute drops, and the
construction of uirfirlds, In the greaten hart of the
region, slojws generally arc less than 2% (Figure 12).
and vegetation is low. There are many sites suitable for
tine construction of airfields, but runway alignments
would be restricted locally by marshes, drainage
ditches, and steels slopes, and tine drainage iond
stabilization of soils would be major construction
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problems. Sand anti gravel generally.aw available, hilt
in most plaec rock Suitable for crushing is lacking.
Water generally is availuble year round; quantities am
most abundant early October through April. Acsuult-
type aircraft could land at airfield% near Larisa ar:d
Thermi.
Conditions am generally unfavorable for irregular
form. operations. Cover and concealmioent would be
poor. Most of the region has nearly flat surfaces, and
the only suitable cover fronn small aeons fire would be
provided by banks of drainage ditches and by steep
slopes ire the few widely scattered dissected anus. The
plains are covered by grainfL ids, widely spaced
evergreen shrubs less than 3 feet Nigh, grapevines cut
to forni Noshes 3 to 3 feet high, widely spaced
deciduous trees, anti southeast of Kavala and along
the coast cast of Laarisa by dense thonnyevergrerir and
deeiduons throbs 3 to 10 feet tall; thi- veg etation
affords little concealment from ground or air
observation. Firew(mid and timber for oa'nstruction of
shelters .are segree. Field crops am fairly extensive, and
vegetable garden. are numerous around cities and
villages. Supplies could he airdropped throughout the
plains, and tht c are numerous places along the coast
where they could lx- brought in by sea. Water supplies
are available year round. Roads arc moderately dense
and settlements numerous. Movement on foot
generally would be easy at all times of the year
although most otmants arc unfordable at times from
early October through April, when they are in fhrod.
The region generally is suitable far large -seal:
amphibious operations. Approacht -s generally are clear
but are reshicted to bays acid are probably obstructed
by u few wrecks and nearshore sundhar 'rhe coast is
fairly r-Igular and consists predominantly of fiat to
rolling plains with a few murshy areas nt 3r the sliore
and in stream valleys. 'rhe fairly evc�uly distributed
beaches are largely %unposed of sand and gravel and
:arc up to 37 aniles long, but most are 3 to 10 miles
long. The beaches are separated by Iirctches of ITWI(y
sham or Share Ixacked by bluffs or cliffs. Eaxtcru anti
rnutheno rinds may %�ante� heavy swell. l:xis% from t aco
beaches art generally by cross- crouniry movioent
(except in marshy areas) or by tricks and trails to inads
leading inland.
2. Highlands
Conditions are precdomiaiantly unfavorable for
large scale conventional ground operations. Cross
country movement of tracked and wix41ed vehicles
would be restricted by steep slopes and rough stony
surfaces to narrow vulieys, small basins, and
diminutives plains each of which ors i5li by rugged
hilly and rnounNinons terrain. Even within these
eonfincd -weas, which are most numerous in
1 elopunnesus, in the vicinity of Athens, and between
Thivai and 13homokeos, m ovenient crass- cinurlry
would be hindered by miry surfaces, torrential
streams, and fitxxds for long periods from early
October through April. In the higher mountains, the
few passes interconnecting Cite larger valleys amid
plains generally are blocked by snow in January and
February. Movement through these dissected, steep
sided highlands would be confined to a sparse network
of mostly gravel. crushed- stone, orearth roads roughly
aligned north -south and charucterizerd by numerous
sharp curves (Figure 13), steep grades, and narrow
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FIGURE 12. The marty Hot, quill %d plain souse of Drano has many
sites. suitable for parodrops and k �y :cvptitr feedings. Cross country
movenont of vetricles ood foot troop: ram the drop :ones and landing
areas ro the moderaseiy dense network of roofs in the area would
be urrestrkted except during early October ltrraogh April Mwn the
ground is soft and miry. (UfOU)

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FIGURE 13. Throughout she greater
part of the tmmmettains nnreneearit
would be mr- wilcmd b roads that
ore mostly narrow and have rw-
nterous sharp curves and dra Ams
alignments. There ors few all wrocrie
routes. IUJOU)
rc+adm a).: defiles and narrom and low calmeit%
bridge% arc common. and there are a fea tunnels.
lloa6s may be oweasionall% blocked by landslides and
from curl} December through Febrnarw by snake; from
October through March rainfall may make the
m isurfaced roa impassable and cause washouts. Thr
vollsiroiclion of nom roads to supplement this
vulnerable network would be extremely difficult
because of the rugged lerrain. which iniltoses severe
restrictions oil road alignment and nevessita'es pinch
gr chin blasting. cutterg. bridgi and in places
t1l0neling. Freeiitig conditions on the higher
mountain slo ix's would hamper ctonslrucliou. In sulliv
places. partienlarly in the high motinlains, forests are
dense and clearing would be difficult. Only ire these
Imablie� would timber for ctonstrgetion IX readilw
available. bill nick suitable for mashing is abundant in
many piacvs, and small quantities of sand Lund grovel
are obtainable in most stream valleys. ConcY�almew
front ground observation and cover from flat
trajectory fire would be provided in must of the region
6% dissected surfaces or large rocks; additional
concealment from ground observapioii .would be
available in closely spaced thorny evergreen and
deciduous shrubs 3 to 10 feet high. CinicValmcnt from
air observation ..ould be li m ite d to the loigher
urrontains where them are scattere(l tic-Ilse evergreen
forests l.itlic cononkhnenl Would lx: afforded bw
a iclely spaced deddijum bee's and short evergreen
shnibs that diver large parts of IFnr region. Lang- areas
are unsuitable for the construction of tunnel- tylx�
ins ta{:utions beta aese o unstable a nd fr actured
but there am scattered suitable .:rc as. trar!:c 'I
behvet Athros and l.annia, in eastern Pelolxmriesus,
tenet mono, tile .western coast, where them are large
areas of massive hard ro k and interbedded hard and
stiff rocks. In lhexe areas, short entries nortoally permit
IOU to :300 feet of protective cover. Drilling and
blasting would be required, but wide spans would
gencrdly slated .without suppiort. \dust of tile region is
mistuitablc fur bunker -type installa::.:as be:JIIIMNOS AGRMPON
y
M Y
i0 M
1NYAYJ JAS JRJl1AYJ JA
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STATION LOCATIONS
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TEMPERA[URES ('F.)
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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA- RDP01- 00707R000200110028 -3
STATION LOCATIONS

APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA- RDP01- 00707R000200110028 -3
ID _.LC
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Difference I elevation between tops end bottoms of adjaml t0pojlraphrc features V
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CONFIDENTIAL
APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA- RDP01- 00707R000200110028 -3

APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA- RDP01- 00707R000200110028 -3
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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA- RDP01- 00707R000200110028 -3

APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA- RDP01- 00707R000200110028 -3
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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA- RDP01- 00707R000200110028 -3
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