Kalamata - Kalamáta 7.12

Kalamata is the second most populous city of the Peloponnese peninsula, after Patras, in southern Greece and the largest city of the homonymous administrative region. The capital and chief port of the Messenia regional unit, it lies along the Nedon River at the head of the Messenian Gulf.The 2011 census recorded 69,849 inhabitants for the wider Kalamata Municipality, of which 62,409 in the municipal unit of Kalamata proper. Kalamata is renowned as the land of the Kalamatianos dance and Kalamata olives.NameThe modern name Kalamáta is a corruption of the older name Καλάμαι, Kalámai, "reeds". The phonetic similarity of Kalamáta with the phrase "kalá mátia" ("good eyes") has led to various folk etymologies.AdministrationThe municipality Kalamata was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 4 former municipalities, that became municipal units: ArfaraArisKalamataThouria The municipality has an area of 440.313 km2, the municipal unit 253.279 km2.SubdivisionsThe municipal unit of Kalamata is subdivided into the following communities (population according to the 2011 census and settlements within the district in brackets):