Matara (Sinhala: මාතර දිස්ත්‍රික්කය Mātara distrikkaya; Tamil: மாத்தறை மாவட்டம் Māttaṛai māvaṭṭam) is a district in Southern Province, Sri Lanka.

It is one of 25 districts of Sri Lanka, the second level administrative division of the country.

Matara District is located in the south west of Sri Lanka and has an area of 1,282.5 square kilometres (495.2 sq mi).

[2] It is represented in the Sri Lankan Parliament following the 2010 Sri Lankan parliamentary election by former Sri Lankan national cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya who stood for the United People's Freedom Alliance.

Matara District is divided into 16 Divisional Secretary's Division (DS Divisions), each headed by a Divisional Secretary (previously known as an Assistant Government Agent).