Thessaloniki, historically also known as Thessalonica or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the periphery of Central Macedonia as well as the de facto administrative capital of the Greek regions of Macedonia and Thrace.

Its honorific title is Συμπρωτεύουσα (Symprotévousa), literally "co-capital", a reference to its historical status as the Συμβασιλεύουσα (Symvasilévousa) or "co-reigning" city of the Byzantine Empire, alongside Constantinople. According to the 2001 census, the municipality of Thessaloniki had a population of 363,987, while its Urban Area had a population of 773,180. The Larger Urban Zone (LUZ) of Thessaloniki has an estimated 995,766 residents (2004), while its area is 1,455.62 km2 (562.02 sq mi).[3] With a history of over 2,300 years, it is one of Europe's oldest cities.