{{Infobox Greek Dimos |name = Amfilochia |name_local = Αμφιλοχία |type = municipality |image_map = 2011 Dimos Amfilochias.png |periph = [[West Greece]] |periphunit = [[Aetolia-Acarnania]] |pop_municipality = 14979 |area_municipality = 1091.0 |pop_municunit = 9154 |area_municunit = 397.9 |pop_community = 4241 |population_as_of = 2021 |image_skyline = Αμφιλοχία.jpg |caption_skyline = |elevation = |coordinates = {{coord|38|51|N|21|10|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}} |postal_code = 305 00 |area_code = 26420 |licence = |mayor = |website = }}
'''Amfilochia''' ({{langx|el|Αμφιλοχία}}) is a town and a municipality in the northwestern part of [[Aetolia-Acarnania]] in [[Greece]], on the site of [[Ancient Greece|ancient]] Amfilochia. Under the [[Ottoman Empire]], it was known as '''Karvasaras''' (Καρβασαράς; '''Kervansaray''' in Turkish, from ''[[caravanserai]]'').
Amfilochia is situated by the [[Ambracian Gulf]] and features an amphitheatre. Amfilochia dates back to the ancient times and also features the ancient cities of [[Amphilochian Argos]] and [[Limnaea (Acarnania)|Limnaia]] (or Limnaea).
== History == According to [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], the settlement is named after king [[Amphilochus I of Argos|Amphilochos]], son of [[Amphiaraus]]. After the fall of [[Troy]], Amphilochos settled in the area, which consequently was called Amphilochoi until the time of Pausanias.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Παυσανιασ |title=Κορινθιακα |publisher=Ι. Ζαχαρόπουλος |pages=114–115}}</ref>
Under the Ottoman Empire, [[Ali Pasha of Ioannina]], forcibly relocated residents of another village to the current location of the town and established a motel (''serai'' in Turkish) to serve passing caravans. This was how the name Karvasaras came up.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-11-19 |title=Ηλεκτρονική Πλοήγηση Μνημείων Αιτωλοακαρνανίας και Αχαϊας - Χώροι |url=http://monuments.hpclab.ceid.upatras.gr/places.php?place=87 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191119104539/http://monuments.hpclab.ceid.upatras.gr/places.php?place=87 |archive-date=2019-11-19 |access-date=2022-10-20 }}</ref>
In July 1944 a [[Battle of Amfilochia|battle]] took place in the town between [[ELAS]] of the [[Greek resistance|Greek Resistance]] against the [[Axis occupation of Greece|occupation forces]] and their [[Security Battalions|local collaborators]], that resulted in victory for the Resistance.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-07-11 |title="Φυσέκι στους φασίστες". H μάχη της Αμφιλοχίας όπου οι αντάρτες εξολόθρευσαν τους Γερμανούς. Διέφυγαν στήνοντας οδοφράγματα από πτώματα γερμανών στρατιωτών |url=https://www.mixanitouxronou.gr/fiseki-stous-fasistes-i-machi-tis-amfilochias-pou-i-antartes-exolothrefsan-tous-germanous-diefigan-stinontas-odofragmata-apo-ptomata-ton-germanon-stratioton/ |access-date=2022-10-20 |website=ΜΗΧΑΝΗ ΤΟΥ ΧΡΟΝΟΥ |language=el}}</ref>
==Municipality==
The municipality Amfilochia was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 3 former municipalities, that became municipal units:<ref name=Kallikratis>{{Cite web|url=http://www.et.gr/idocs-nph/search/pdfViewerForm.html?args=5C7QrtC22wGYK2xFpSwMnXdtvSoClrL81-32jgAMSfbnMRVjyfnPUeJInJ48_97uHrMts-zFzeyCiBSQOpYnT00MHhcXFRTsb2fGphpq4MKX2ZkaHobySNnvZCNHXvYVvlf80XevW0Q.|title=ΦΕΚ B 1292/2010, Kallikratis reform municipalities|language=el|publisher=[[Government Gazette (Greece)|Government Gazette]]}}</ref> *Amfilochia *[[Inachos, Greece|Inachos]] *[[Menidi, Aetolia-Acarnania|Menidi]]
The municipality has an area of 1090.991 km<sup>2</sup>, the municipal unit 397.879 km<sup>2</sup>.<ref name=stat01>{{cite web|url=http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00098%20.pdf |publisher=National Statistical Service of Greece |title=Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation) |language=el |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921212047/http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00098%20.pdf |archivedate=2015-09-21 }}</ref>
===Subdivisions=== The municipal unit of Amfilochia is divided into the following communities:<ref name=Kallikratis/> *Amfilochia (Amfilochia, Boukka, Limnaia and Platos) *Ampelaki (Ampelaki, Amfilochiko Argos, Ariada, Kampos and Keramidi) *Anoixiatiko (Anoixiatiko, Agia Triada, Katafourko, Mavrorachi, Moni Retha, Xirolivado, Petralona, Profitis Ilia, Ptelea, Skreiko, Triantafylloula, Tsoukka, Psila Alonia) *Kechrinia (Kechrinia, Agioi Theodoroi, Kanalos, Kompothekla, Makrychoria, Falangias) *[[Loutro, Aetolia-Acarnania|Loutro]] (Loutro, Krikellos, Xirakia) *Megas Kampos *Sardinia (Sardinia, Kalyvia) *[[Sparto]] (Sparto, Pigadaki, Tria Alonia) *Stanos *[[Varetada]]
==Population==
{| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Town !! Community !! Municipal unit !! Municipality |- | 1981 || - || 6,637 || - || - |- | 1991 || 4,392 || - || 13,711 || - |- | 2001 || 4,119 || 4,681 || 12,834 || - |- | 2011 || 3,827 || 4,325 || 10,264 || 17,056 |- | 2021 || 3,791 || 4,241 || 9,154 || 14,979 |}
==Transport== [[File:Amfilochia, Etolio-Acarnania prefecture, Greece - City at night.jpg|thumb|250px|Amfilochia port at night]]
Amfilochia has a port which is sometimes used for the import of grain. The main roads passing through the town are the [[Greek National Road 5|EO5]] and [[Greek National Road 42|EO42]] national roads, with the former leading to the [[A5 motorway (Greece)|A5 motorway]] (which bypasses the town), and the latter leading to the [[A52 motorway (Greece)|A52]]. The A5 and A52 intersect within the municipality, near [[Lake Amvrakia]]. Amfilochia is not linked with a railway.
== Notable people == *[[Kyriakos Sfetsas]] (born 1945), composer *[[Nikolaos Stratos]] (1872–1922), politician and Prime Minister of Greece *[[Andreas Stratos]] (1905–1981), politician and historian *[[Vlasios Tsirogiannis]], military officer
==See also== *[[List of cities in ancient Epirus]] ''A part of this article is translated from the German Wikipedia''
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20080926021240/http://www.amfiloxia.gov.gr/ Municipality of Amfilochia] {{in lang|el}}
{{Kallikratis-West Greece}} {{Amfilochia div}}
[[Category:Municipalities of Western Greece]] [[Category:Populated places in Aetolia-Acarnania]] [[Category:Amfilochia| ]] [[Category:Mediterranean port cities and towns in Greece]] [[Category:Acarnania]]
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