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{{Infobox Romanian subdivision
|type               = municipality
|official_name      = Calafat
|county             = Dolj
|population_total   = auto
|map_caption        = Location in Dolj County
|image_map          =
|image_skyline      = Monument_Calafat.JPG
|image_caption      = The monument commemorating the soldiers who fought in the War of Independence in 1877
|image_shield       = ROU DJ Calafat CoA.svg
|leader_name        = Dorel Mitulețu<ref>{{cite web |url=https://prezenta.roaep.ro/locale27092020/romania-pv-final |title=Results of the 2020 local elections |publisher=Central Electoral Bureau |access-date=8 June 2021 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>
|leader_party       = PNL
|term               = 2020–2024
|coordinates        = {{coord|43|59|09|N|22|57|27|E|region:RO|display=inline,title}}
|elevation          = 35
|elevation_min      =
|elevation_max      =
|area_total         = 103.59
|population_as_of   =
|population_footnotes =
|postal_code        = 205200
|area_code          =
|website            = {{URL|municipiulcalafat.ro}}
}}

'''Calafat''' ({{IPA|ro|kalaˈfat|-|Ro-Calafat.ogg}}) is a [[Municipiu|city]] in [[Dolj County]], southern [[Romania]], in the region of [[Oltenia]]. It lies on the river [[Danube]], opposite the Bulgarian city of [[Vidin]], to which it is linked by the [[Calafat-Vidin Bridge]], opened in 2013. After the destruction of the bridges of late antiquity, for centuries Calafat was connected with the southern bank of the Danube by boat, and later by ferryboat.

The city administers three villages: Basarabi, Golenți, and Ciupercenii Vechi.

==Etymology==
According to historian [[Nicolae Iorga]], the toponym "Calafatis" comes from the [[Byzantine Greeks|Byzantines]] and means "place where ships are tarred".<ref name=unicrete>{{cite conference |author=Ντίνας, Κ., Σούτσιου, Τσ., Χατζηπαναγιωτίδη, Α. & Χρηστίδης, Γ |date=2011 |title=«Ελληνόγλωσση Πρωτοβάθμια και Δευτεροβάθμια Διαπολιτισμική Εκπαίδευση στη Διασπορά» |chapter=Η Ελληνόγλωσση Εκπαίδευση στη Ρουμανία και τη Βουλγαρία |trans-chapter=Greek-Language Education in Romania and Bulgaria |url=https://users.uowm.gr/kdinas/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/%CE%97-%CE%95%CE%BB%CE%BB%CE%B7%CE%BD%CF%8C%CE%B3%CE%BB%CF%89%CF%83%CF%83%CE%B7-%CE%95%CE%BA%CF%80%CE%B1%CE%AF%CE%B4%CE%B5%CF%85%CF%83%CE%B7-%CE%A1%CE%BF%CF%85%CE%BC%CE%B1%CE%BD%CE%AF%CE%B1-%CE%92%CE%BF%CF%85%CE%BB%CE%B3%CE%B1%CF%81%CE%AF%CE%B1.pdf |work=[[University of Crete]] |pages=60-63 }}</ref>

==History==
It was founded in the 14th century by [[Genoese colonists]].{{citation needed|date=July 2025}} These colonists generally employed large numbers of workmen in repairing ships.

In January 1854, during the [[Crimean War]], when [[Russian Empire|Russian]] forces were headed up the Danube, [[Ahmad Rifaat Pasha|Ahmed Pasha]], commanding the [[Ottoman Empire|Turkish]] forces at Calafat, made [[Battle of Cetate|a surprise attack]] on the temporary Russian garrison nearby [[Cetate, Dolj|Cetate]], which was under the command of Colonel {{ill|Alexander Karlovich Baumgarten|lt=Alexander Baumgarten|ru|Баумгартен, Александр Карлович|de|Alexander von Baumgarten}}.<ref>Jaques, Tony (2007) ''Dictionary of Battles and Sieges: A guide to 8,500 battles from antiquity through the twenty-first century: A-E'' Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut, Volume 1, page 247 {{ISBN|0-313-33536-2}}</ref>  This diverted the initial Russian attack and allowed Ahmed Pasha to consolidate his forces in Calafat.  On 28 January, the Russians under the command of General [[Joseph Carl von Anrep]], reached Calafat and began the [[Siege of Calafat|siege which lasted until May]]. Riddled by disease and unable to take the town, Anrep withdrew.<ref>Jaques, Tony (2007) ''Dictionary of Battles and Sieges: A guide to 8,500 battles from antiquity through the twenty-first century: A-E'' Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut, Volume 1, page 184 {{ISBN|0-313-33536-2}}</ref>

There used to be a small [[Greeks in Romania|Greek community]] in Calafat since the [[Late Middle Ages]], numbering about 165 people at the end of the 19th century.<ref name=unicrete/> The Greek presence in the city was continued by [[Refugees of the Greek Civil War|political refugees]], who arrived there after [[World War II]].<ref name=unicrete/> The community was re-established on 27 October 1996 by descendants of its old members and currently has approximately 80 official members.<ref name=unicrete/> There is also a Greek Church in Calafat dedicated to [[Life-giving Spring]] since 1880s and there used to be a [[Greek language]] school.<ref name=unicrete/><ref>[https://audiotravelguide.ro/biserica-izvorul-tamaduirii-calafat/] Biserica „Izvorul Tămăduirii”, Calafat</ref>

Calafat was declared a [[municipiu]] in 1997.<ref>''Comunele și orasele României'', p. 448. Bucharest: Editura All Beck, 2005</ref>

== Climate ==
{{Weather box|width=auto
|metric first=DA
|single line= da
|location=   Calafat

|Jan high C=3
|Feb high C=5
|Mar high C=12
|Apr high C=18
|May high C=23
|Jun high C=27
|Jul high C=29
|Aug high C=29
|Sep high C=24
|Oct high C=17
|Nov high C=10
|Dec high C=4
|year high C=
|Jan mean C=-1
|Feb mean C=2
|Mar mean C=6
|Apr mean C=12
|May mean C=18
|Jun mean C=21
|Jul mean C=23
|Aug mean C=23
|Sep mean C=18
|Oct mean C=12
|Nov mean C=6
|Dec mean C=1
|year mean C=
|Jan low C=-4
|Feb low C=-3
|Mar low C=1
|Apr low C=6
|May low C=11
|Jun low C=15
|Jul low C=17
|Aug low C=16
|Sep low C=11
|Oct low C=7
|Nov low C=3
|Dec low C=-3
|Jan precipitation mm=38.1
|Feb precipitation mm=43.2
|Mar precipitation mm=45.7
|Apr precipitation mm=48.3
|May precipitation mm=58.4
|Jun precipitation mm=66.0
|Jul precipitation mm=40.6
|Aug precipitation mm=33.0
|Sep precipitation mm=33.0
|Oct precipitation mm=38.1
|Nov precipitation mm=50.8
|Dec precipitation mm=48.3
|year precipitation mm=
|source 1=weather.com<ref name="Medii lunare pentru Calafat">{{cite web| url = http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/wxclimatology/monthly/ROXX0042| title = Medii lunare pentru Calafat, Romania| work = weather.com| access-date = 2013-07-07| archive-date = 2012-03-05| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120305011736/http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/wxclimatology/monthly/ROXX0042| url-status = dead}}</ref>
}}

{{Historical populations
|source = Census data
|1900 |7113
|1912 |7608
|1930 |7633
|1948 |8251
|1956 |8069
|1966 |9483
|1977 |15568
|1992 |20445
|2002 |21227
|2011 |16247
|2021 |13807
}}

==Transport==
{{Main|New Europe Bridge}}
[[File:Primaria calafat.jpg|250px|thumb|left|Calafat City Hall]]
Calafat lies on the river corridor VII-Danube and the [[Pan-European Corridors|pan-European corridor]] IV, which starts in Germany and ends in [[Istanbul]] and [[Thessaloniki]]. The city is at the crossroads of [[Roads in Romania|National Roads]] DN56, DN56A, and DN55A and [[European route E79]]. The city of Calafat and its neighbour, Vidin (Bulgaria), are linked by a bridge over the Danube in the area called Bașcov ([[Danube Bridge 2]]), built by the Spanish company [[Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas|FCC]]. The project of constructing a Danubian bridge in the area of Calafat–Vidin dates back to 1925. Road traffic between Vidin and Calafat was doubling every year, so it became necessary to construct a bridge with four lanes of road traffic, a railway line, a lane two meters wide for bikes and a pavement for pedestrians. The bridge has a total length of {{cvt|1971|m}} and its cost is estimated at [[United States dollar|US$]]200 million. It was officially opened on 14 June 2013.<ref name="opening">[http://focus-news.bg/?id=n1786188 Announcement] of the Bulgarian president as published by Focus News Agency on 22 May 2013 (in Bulgarian), retrieved 31 May 2013</ref>

==Newspapers==
[[File:Poșta Calafat.jpg|thumb|Old post office]]
[[File:Biserica Izvorul Tamaduirii din Calafat.jpg|thumb|Greek Church of [[Life-giving Spring]]]]
Calafat has several city newspapers. One of them is called ''Ziarul De Calafat'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ziaruldecalafat.ro|title=Ziarul De Calafat}}</ref> which is also maintained online; another one is ''Calafat Live''.

==International relations==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Romania}}

===Twin towns — Sister cities===
Calafat is [[town twinning|twinned]] with:
* {{flagicon|Bulgaria}} [[Vidin]], [[Bulgaria]]
* {{flagicon|Serbia}} [[Zaječar]], [[Serbia]]
* {{flagicon|Philippines}} [[Biñan]], [[Philippines]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Calafat}}
* {{cite web|url=https://www.municipiulcalafat.ro/|title=Calafat City Hall}}
* {{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/comunitateaelena.calafat/|title=Facebook page of the Greek community of Calafat}}

{{Dolj county}}
{{Danube}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Populated places on the Danube]]
[[Category:Populated places in Dolj County]]
[[Category:Localities in Oltenia]]
[[Category:Cities in Romania]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns in Romania]]
[[Category:Bulgaria–Romania border crossings]]
[[Category:Planned communities in Romania]]