- published: 12 Feb 2013
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Volos (Greek: Βόλος) is a coastal port city in Thessaly situated midway on the Greek mainland, about 326 km north of Athens and 215 km south of Thessaloniki. It is the capital of the Magnesia regional unit.
Built at the innermost point of the Pagasetic Gulf and at the foot of Mount Pilio or Pelion (the land of the Centaurs), Volos is the only outlet towards the sea from Thessaly, the country's largest agricultural region. With a population of 144,420 (2011) and a prefecture of around 200,000, it is an important industrial centre[citation needed], while its port provides a bridge between Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Volos is the third of Greece's major commercial ports, but also gains significant traffic because of its connections by ferry and hydrofoil to the nearby Sporades Islands, which include Skiathos, Skopelos and Alonissos. There are also connections to Limnos, Lesvos, Chios and Skyros.
Volos is the newest of the Greek port cities, with a remarkably large proportion of modern buildings, erected following the catastrophic earthquakes of 1955.[citation needed] It includes the municipalities of Volos, Nea Ionia and Iolkos, as well as smaller suburban communities. The economy of the city is based on manufacturing, trade, services and tourism, and with its improved infrastructure the city is becoming more dynamic. Home to the University of Thessaly, one of the most important in the country, the city also offers a wide range of facilities for the organisation of conferences, exhibitions and major cultural and scientific events, together with international-standard sporting amenities.