Longanikos (, also transliterated as Logkanikos) is a traditional Greek village, located in Laconia, in the ancient and historical Peloponnese area of southern Greece. It is also referred to sometimes in English as "Logganiko(s)" or "Longanico(s)". It is about 30 kilometers north of Sparta, the capital city of Lakonia, and is also very close to the cities of Kalamata, Tripolis and Megalopolis. It rests on the eastern slope of Mount Taigetos. The current population of Longanikos is 449 inhabitants according to the 2011 census. This figure includes the population of the surrounding smaller villages Vergadeika, Kiparrissi, Giakoumaiika, and Kotitsa. Because of the small size of this village, residents of this town often identify themselves as Spartans to other Greeks or foreigners. For those who are familiar with this area, a resident or person from Longanikos is referred to as a "Longanikiotes" (masc) or "Longanikiotissa" (fem). Administration The village is administered as part of the Pellana region of the Laconia (aka Lakonia) prefecture. The Pellana region's administrative central office is located in the village of Kastania (aka "Kastorion", "Kastori") which is about 15 miles south of Longanikos. [Note: Diaspora Greeks looking for documents related to any legal, property, or citizenship issues for themselves or their family should look here first for information and guidance. However, in 2011 some of the administrative functions, formerly processed in the Kastori prefectural office, were migrated to municipal offices in Sparta. One should inquire as to the exact location for the services you are trying to obtain] History The village changed location and name many times since the earliest record of its existence in Mycenaean times. The area of Longanikos has been identified with the ancient village of Velamini (Velmini), documented in ancient writings by Pausanias over 1800 years ago. The current name has been documented in writings as far back as Stefano Magno in 1453. It is believed that this area has been inhabited since Neolithic times, and much later served as a front-line military outpost for the powerful Spartan city-state. As a result of its geographical position between the 3 prefectures of Messinia, Arcadia and Laconia and because of the morphology of the ground where Taigetos and Parnonas converge without connecting, thereby creating the Laconian valley of Eurotas, Logganikos has served as a key transit point for the movement of people and armies in the Peloponnese. It had also served as a military staging