Physical Description of the MR

The Monastic Republic consists of the easternmost peninsula of Chalkidiki and several offshore islands. Like the other two peninsulas of Chalkidiki, it has a northwest to southeast orientation. The northeast side is referred to as the East Coast. The southwest side is referred to as the West Coast.
It has the Greek Empire on its northern border. On the west is Holy Mountain Bay; on the east, the Thracian Sea; and on the south, the Aegean Sea.
The eastern tip of the peninsula is known as Cape Timiou Prodros and the western as Cape Pines.
Mt. Athos itself, at 6670' (2033 m.) always snow-capped, lies at the end of the peninsula at the coordinates 40º09'29"N and 24º19'49"E.
The largest island, Ammouliani, is inhabited and has the town of Ammouliani. To the southeast of the island are some uninhabited islands known as the Drenia Islands. There are lots of hills and small valleys on the island which have blended in with the citrus trees and low vegetation and, but for the citrus trees, the ecosystem remains untouched. The coasts present a variety of small, shaped creeks with splendid sandy beaches. Weather conditions are not characterized by intenssity. There are no strong winds especially during the summertime.

Mt. Athos extends 37 miles (59.5 km.) from end to end. The width varies from 4.3 to 7.5 miles (7 to 12 km.). This gives it a total area of 129.6 square miles (335.6 square km.).
The treaty with the Ottoman Empire extends the territory 11 miles (17.7 km.) farther northwest to a line extending from just beyond the two small prominences at the northwest end of the isthmus. The width of this area to be about 2.5 miles (4 km.), giving an area of approximately 27.5 square miles (71.2 square km.).
As part of the treaty with the Ottoman Empire the island of Nisida Ammouliani (1.7 square miles [4.5 square km.]) and its adjacent islets is also ceded to the new republic.
The total area of the new republic is thus approximately 158.8 square miles (411.3 square km.).

Starting at a point five miles due north of Cape Arapis, 40.5138N, 24.0106E,
Thence due southwest to the northeast end of the border with the Hellenic Empire, 40.3934N, 23.8990E,
Thence to the southwest end of the border, 40.3634N, 23.88.12E,
Thence due southwest to a point five miles northwest of Ammouliani Island, 40.3376N, 23.8465E,
Thence due southeast to a point five miles southwest of Cape Pinnes, 39.9540N, 24.2578E,
Thence due northeast to a point five miles southeast of Cape Timiou Prodros, 40.1243N, 24.5709E,
Thence due northwest to the starting point.
The air space above to a height of 10 miles.

The Republic enjoys an average of over 300 days or around 3,000 hours of sunshine a year.
The climate is temperate Mediterranean, with cold wet winters from November to March, when Mount Athos itself is usually snow-capped and the east coast is lashed by north winds, and hot dry summers modified by the sea.
The lowest temperatures occur during December to February ranging between 3.5°C (19°F) to 19°C (66°F), while highest temperatures occur during summer months and range between 23°C (72°F) and 34°C (93°F).
Rainfall is low, ranging between 500 (20 in.) and 700 (26 in.) mm.
The west coast is sheltered and warmer.

The vegetation is not unusual except that, having been well protected for centuries, it preserves species now becoming rare.
Two-thirds of the vegetation cover is a mixed broadleaved deciduous, broadleaved evergreen and, at higher elevations, conifer forest, one third is sclerophyllous scrub and rock.
Sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa), often planted for timber, is co-dominant, with holm (Quercus ilex), Hungarian oaks (Q. trainetto), and oriental plane (Platanus orientalis).
Main scrub species are arbutus (Arbutus unedo), cypress (Cupressus sempervirens), laurel (Laurus nobilis), lentisk (Pistachio lentiscus), phillyrea (Phillyrea latifolia), wild olive (Olea europea) and heather (Erica spp.).
Higher level forests are generally of black pine (Pinus nigra), oak and cedar (Calocedrus decurrens), with sub-alpine vegetation above.
Traditional conservation has left much of the forest unusually intact and logging is no longer permitted.
The monks are permitted to harvest lumber for use in their crafts.

The list of endemic mammals includes grey wolf (Canis lupus), wild boar (Sus scrofa), red fox (V. vulpes), jackal (Canis aureus), European badger (M. meles), beech marten (Martes foina), stoat (Mustela erminea), weasel (Mustela nivalis vulgaris), European hedgehog (Erinaceus concolor), shrews (Crocidura spp.) and several species of mice. The monk seal (M. monachus) has been seen coming ashore.
Among the birds are black stork (Ciconia nigra), short-toed eagle (Circaëtus gallicus), golden eagle (Aquila chrysaëtos), lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni), capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), eagle owl (B. bubo), Yelkouan shearwater (Puffinus yelkouan), and Audouin’s gull (Larus audouinii).
The Holy Mountain is an important area for raptor breeding and passage.
The numerous wetlands of the north Aegean coast attract wading birds which may pass through.

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