Abstract EN:

The 80% of the total area of greece is mountainous and semimountainous. From the early 60' s a considerable movement of the rural population to other areas of greece and europe was observed. Although, the rate of this movement was decreased during the 80' and the present dacage, it is a fact that the mountainous area of greece are underdeveloped, almost deserted and marginaliged. The area of mount "olympos", at the center of the greece mainland presents the same characteristics with the rest of the greek moyntainous regions and it is the objective of the present research. The researches dealing with the study of the present situation of the area (population, social-life, economy, local resources eh) and with the possible means to develop the area. The area has the advantage to include a world femous monument the mount "olympos". The study concbudes that the economic development of the area sould be based on the modernization of the present economic activities and the introduction of new activities as the rural tourism and winder sports tourism which will assist in the exploitation of the naturat monument, the historical and caltural inherited and the mythological aspects of the mount "olympos". The study of the "olympos" area is not a typical study of any greek mountainous area, due to it special characteristics and so it can not be a prototype for the development studies greek regions.