Sofades
Sofades is a town and municipality in Thessaly, central Greece belonging to the regional unit of Karditsa. Its 2011 census population was 6,056 people and 18,864 for the municipality, including a large Romani community. Its elevation is around 120 m above sea level, and the economy is mainly agricultural. Sofades is located south of Palamas, southwest of Larissa, the capital of Thessaly, northwest of Lamia and southeast of Karditsa and Trikala. The native Greek inhabitants of the region are commonly known as Karagounides.
History
The modern town is very close to the site of the ancient city of Kierion or Cierium, one of the most important cities of ancient Thessaly. The name "Sofades" was first recorded as "Sofou" around 1454 AD. In the early 1800s, the English traveler William Martin Leake described the town as an administrative center consisting of around 150 houses and belonging to Abdim Bey of Larissa, but paying a yearly tribute to Ali Pasha. Chief crops of the region were corn and sesame, from which the oil was a major product.Municipality
The municipality Sofades was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 5 former municipalities, that became municipal units:- Arni
- Menelaida
- Rentina
- Sofades
- Tamasio
Subdivisions
The municipal unit of Sofades is divided into the following communities:- Agia Paraskevi
- Agios Vissarios
- Ampelos
- Anogeio
- Dasochori
- Filia
- Gefyria
- Kappadokiko
- Karpochori
- Mascholouri
- Melissochori
- Paschalitsa
- '''Sofades'''
Population
| Year | Community | Municipal unit | Municipality |
| 1981 | 5,078 | - | - |
| 1991 | 5,415 | - | - |
| 2001 | 6,106 | 12,215 | - |
| 2011 | 6,056 | 11,153 | 18,864 |
| 2021 | 6,269 | 10,591 | 16,927 |