Niki, Florina Explained

Niki
Name Local:Νίκη
Type:community
Caption Skyline:Negochani church destroyed during World War I
Coordinates:40.9092°N 21.4203°W
Periph:Western Macedonia
Periphunit:Florina
Municipality:Florina
Municunit:Kato Kleines
Population As Of:2021
Population:209
Georegion:Macedonia

Níki (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Νίκη, before 1926: Νεγκοτσάνη – Negkotsani;[1] Macedonian and Bulgarian: Негочани, Negočani or Negochani)[2] is a village situated in the Florina regional unit, Greece, along the border with North Macedonia. The village is located 14km (09miles) north of Florina at the Medžitlija-Níki border crossing. Its name in Greek means victory. The main road through Niki connects the border crossing with the city of Kozani and forms a part of the E65 route.

The village was first mentioned in an Ottoman defter of 1468, where it is listed under the name of Negočani and described as having 203 households. In 1481, the number had declined to 112 households. The village produced vines, flax, hemp, honey, and swine; and possessed mills and a market.[3]

The Greek census (1920) recorded 562 people in the village and in 1923 there were 86 inhabitants (or 16 families) who were Muslim. Following the Greek–Turkish population exchange, in Negkotsani there were 18 refugee families from Pontus in 1926. The Greek census (1928) recorded 662 village inhabitants. In 1928 there were 18 refugee families (77 people).[4]

The population of the village in 2021 was 209.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Institute for Neohellenic Research. Name Changes of Settlements in Greece: Negkotsani – Níki. Pandektis. 30 March 2022.
  2. Васил Кънчов. „Македония. Етнография и статистика“. София, 1900, стр.236.
  3. Book: Kravari, Vassiliki . Villes et villages de Macédoine occidentale . Réalités byzantines. 2. 1989. Editions P. Lethielleux. Paris. 304 . French . 2-283-60452-4.
  4. Pelagidis. Efstathios. 1992. Η αποκατάσταση των προσφύγων στη Δυτική Μακεδονία (1923–1930). The rehabilitation of refugees in Western Macedonia: 1923–1930. Ph.D.. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. 30 March 2022. 75.