Editing Astakos

{{about|the modern city|the ancient town nearby|Astacus (Acarnania)|the ancient city near modern-day İzmit, Turkey, also called Astacus or Astakos|Astacus in Bithynia}}
{{Infobox Greek Dimos
  |name = Astakos
  |name_local = Αστακός
|type = municipal unit
|image_map = DE Astakou.svg 
|map_caption = Location within the regional unit
|periph = [[West Greece]]
|periphunit         = [[Aetolia-Acarnania]]
|municipality = [[Xiromero]]
  |pop_municunit = 5719
  |pop_community = 2617
  |population_as_of = 2021
  |area_municunit = 345.1 
  |elevation = 10
  |coordinates = {{coord|38|32|N|21|5|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
  |postal_code = 300 06
  |area_code = 26460
  |licence = AI
  |website = 
 |image_skyline      = Astakos0197.jpg
 |caption_skyline    = 
 |city_flag          = 
 |city_seal          = 
 |districts          = 
}}
'''Astakos''' ({{langx|el|Αστακός}}, meaning "[[lobster]]") is a town and a former [[Communities and Municipalities of Greece|municipality]] in [[Aetolia-Acarnania]], [[West Greece]], [[Greece]]. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality [[Xiromero]], of which it is a municipal unit.<ref name=Kallikratis>[http://www.kedke.gr/uploads2010/FEKB129211082010_kallikratis.pdf Kallikratis law] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141917/http://www.kedke.gr/uploads2010/FEKB129211082010_kallikratis.pdf |date=2018-06-12 }} Greece Ministry of Interior {{in lang|el}}</ref> The municipal unit has an area of 345.099&nbsp;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> It is located on a bay on the eastern shore of the [[Ionian Sea]], near the southern end of the [[Acarnanian Mountains]]. It takes its name from the [[ancient Acarnania]]n town [[Astacus (Acarnania)|Astacus]] ({{langx|grc|Ἄστακος}} - ''Astakos''),<ref>{{cite DGRG|title=Astacus}}</ref> and was named ''Dragamesti'' in the Middle Ages. It is speculated to be the site of ancient [[Dulichium]].

It is 16&nbsp;km southeast of [[Kalamos (island)]], 30&nbsp;km southwest of [[Agrinio]], 35&nbsp;km northwest of [[Missolonghi]] and 55&nbsp;km southeast of [[Preveza]].

==Subdivisions==
The municipal unit Astakos is subdivided into the following communities (constituent villages in brackets):
*[[Agrampela, Aetolia-Acarnania|Agrampela]]
*Astakos (Astakos, Valti)
*[[Bampini]]
*Karaiskakis
*Machairas
*Chrysovitsa
*[[Palaiomanina]]
*Prodromos
*Skourtou
*[[Strongylovouni]] (Strongylovouni, Manina Vlizianon)
*Vasilopoulo
*Vliziana

==Economy==
The city has a port able to hold ferries. The countryside mainly produces wheat, corn and few grapes. Fishing is an important source of income.

==Historical population==
{| class="wikitable"
|- 
! Year !! Community!! Municipal unit
|-
| 1981 || 2,724 || - 
|-
| 1991 || 2,459 || 8,210 
|-
| 2001 || 2,560 || 7,330 
|-
| 2011 || 2,732 || 6,578 
|-
| 2021 || 2,617 || 5,719
|}

==Noteworthy persons==
*[[Leo Leandros]] (b. 1926), singer and composer

==In popular culture==
*Astakos is also the birthplace of the fictional characters Xeones and Diomache in [[Steven Pressfield]]'s novel ''[[Gates of Fire]]''. Cousins Xeones and Diomache both survive the sack of Astakos by [[Argos, Peloponnese|Argos]] (cir. 500 BC); Xeones later becomes a [[perioikoi]] of Sparta and serves at the [[Battle of Thermopylae]] as a [[squire]] to the [[Spartiate]] [[Dienekes]].<ref>{{cite book | last =Pressfield | first =Steven | author-link =Steven Pressfield | title =Gates of Fire : An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae | year =1998 | publisher = Bantam | location =New York | isbn = }}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of settlements in Aetolia-Acarnania]]
*[[List of cities in ancient Acarnania]]

==External links==
*[http://www.dhmosastakou.gr/ Municipality of Astakos] {{in lang|el}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Xiromero div}}

[[Category:Populated places in Aetolia-Acarnania]]
[[Category:Xiromero]]
[[Category:Acarnania]]