View source for Rhodope (regional unit)

{{Infobox Greece place
| name                    = Rhodope 
| name_local              = <small>Περιφερειακή ενότητα</small><br>Ροδόπης
| type                    = regional unit
| image_skyline           = 2010 Dimi Rodopis numbered.svg
| caption_skyline         = Municipalities of Rhodope 
| image_map               = Nomos Rodopis.png
| map_caption             = Rhodope within Greece
| coordinates             = {{coord|41|05|N|25|25|E|display=inline,title}}
| periph                  = [[Eastern Macedonia and Thrace]]
| seat                    = [[Komotini]]
| area                    = 2543 
| elevation               = 
| population              = 104262
| population_as_of        = 2021
| demonym                 = 
| postal_code             = 69x xx
| area_code               = 253x0
| licence                 = ΚΟ
| website                 = 
}}
'''Rhodope''' ({{langx|el|Ροδόπη}}, ''Rodópi'' {{IPA|el|roˈðopi|}}) is one of the [[regional units of Greece]]. It is part of the [[modern regions of Greece|region]] of [[East Macedonia and Thrace]]. Its name is derived from the [[Rhodope Mountains]], which cover the northern part of its territory. Together with the regional units [[Evros (regional unit)|Evros]] and [[Xanthi (regional unit)|Xanthi]], it forms the geographical region of [[Western Thrace]]. The capital of the prefecture is the city of [[Komotini]]. The second largest town is [[Sapes]]. Most of the [[Muslim minority of Greece|Muslims of Thrace]], the only officially recognized minority in Greece, are settled in this area, where they form around half of the regional unit's population.

==Geography==
Rhodope borders on the regional unit [[Xanthi (regional unit)|Xanthi]] to the west and [[Evros (regional unit)|Evros]] to the east, and on [[Bulgaria]]'s [[Kardzhali Province]] to the north. The [[Aegean Sea]] lies to the south. The eastern [[Rhodope Mountains]] cover the northern part of the  regional unit. Apart from the mountainous areas, the territory consists mainly of farmland, forests and grasslands.

The southern and the central part have a mainly Mediterranean climate, and the northern part a mainly continental climate with cold winters.

==Administration==
The regional unit Rhodope is subdivided into 4 municipalities. These are (number as in the map in the infobox):<ref name=Kallikratis>{{Cite web|url=http://www.et.gr/idocs-nph/search/pdfViewerForm.html?args=5C7QrtC22wGYK2xFpSwMnXdtvSoClrL8-SrPzKAEPjjtIl9LGdkF53UIxsx942CdyqxSQYNuqAGCF0IfB9HI6hq6ZkZV96FIukI0UzcPsWCK0LpLhpa7rhiWB4R5ntTnoWw7U8E1Amg.|title=ΦΕΚ A 87/2010, Kallikratis reform law text|language=el|publisher=[[Government Gazette (Greece)|Government Gazette]]}}</ref>
*[[Arriana]] (2)
*[[Iasmos]] (3)
*[[Komotini]] (1)
*[[Maroneia-Sapes]] (4)

In 2015 this regional unit has three seats in the [[Hellenic Parliament]].

===Prefecture===
Rhodope was established as a [[prefectures of Greece|prefecture]] in 1930 ({{langx|el|Νομός Ροδόπης}}), when the former [[Thrace Prefecture]] was divided into the Rhodope and Evros prefectures.<ref name="Establishment">{{cite book | title=Administrative subdivisions of countries: a comprehensive world reference, 1900 through 1998 | first=Gwillim | last=Law | publisher=McFarland | year=1999 | isbn=978-0-7864-0729-3 | page=[https://archive.org/details/administrativesu0000lawg/page/152 152] | url=https://archive.org/details/administrativesu0000lawg/page/152 }}</ref> In 1944 [[Xanthi Prefecture]] was created from the western part of Rhodope Prefecture. Since the 1990s Rhodope cooperated with Evros in the [[Rhodope-Evros Super-prefecture]].

As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the prefecture was transformed into a regional unit within the East Macedonia and Thrace region, with no change in its boundaries. At the same time, the municipalities were reorganised, according to the table below.<ref name=Kallikratis/>

The Rhodope regional unit had 104,380 in accordance with the 2021 census results, a decline from 112,039 inhabitants in the 2011 census results. The capital of the Regional unit is [[Komotini]] which has an estimated urban population of 55,000. It is the largest settlement in the regional unit. It also serves as the capital of the [[Eastern Macedonia and Thrace]] administrative region.

{| class="wikitable"
! New municipality !! Old municipalities !! Seat 
|-
| rowspan=4|[[Arriana]]|| [[Arriana]] || rowspan=4|Fillyra
|-
| [[Kechros]] 
|-
| [[Organi]] 
|-
| [[Fillyra]] 
|-
| rowspan=3|[[Iasmos]]|| [[Iasmos]] || rowspan=3|Iasmos
|-
| [[Amaxades]] 
|-
| [[Sostis]]
|-
| rowspan=3|[[Komotini]]|| [[Komotini]] || rowspan=3|Komotini
|-
| [[Aigeiros]] 
|-
| [[Neo Sidirochori]] 
|-
| rowspan=2|[[Maroneia-Sapes]]|| [[Maroneia]] || rowspan=2|Sapes
|-
| [[Sapes]] 
|}

===Provinces===
*Province of [[Komotini]] - Komotini
*Province of [[Sapes]] - Sapes
''Note:'' Provinces no longer hold any legal status in [[Greece]].

===Sites of interest===

* The ancient city [[Anastasioupolis-Peritheorion]] with the medieval towers south-east of [[Amaxades]]
* The [[Imaret of Komotini]], one of the oldest [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] monuments in [[Thrace]] from 1360 - 1380
* The [[Papikio]] mountain with the ruins of early Christian monasteries
* The trip route from [[Arriana]] to the east, as far as the borders with [[Evros (regional unit)|Evros]], within the forest
* The suburban forest of Nymphaea, north of [[Komotini]]
* The ancient [[Maronia]]
* The "Thracian Meteora" - scenic landscape with wild nature and wild horses north of [[Iasmos]]
* The circumcenter temple of 11th - 13th century of [[Mosynopolis|Maximianoupolis - Mosynoupolis]] few km west of [[Komotini]]
* [[Archaeological Museum of Komotini]]
* [[Folklore Museum of Komotini]]
* [[Byzantine Museum of Komotini]]
* [[Carathéodory Museum]], dedicated to [[Constantin Carathéodory]], in [[Komotini]]
* [[Thracian, Ethnological, Historical and Cultural museum]], in [[Komotini]]

===Beaches and resorts===

# [[Petrota, Rodopi|Petrota]] beach
# [[Synaxi]] beach
# [[Marmaritsa]]
# [[Agios Charalampos, Rodopi|Agios Charalampos]]' beach
# [[Kangeles]], near [[Maronia]]
# [[Platanitis]]
# [[Alkyona]]
# [[Proskynites]]' beach or [[Kryoneri, Rodopi|Kryoneri]]
# [[Profitis Ilias, Rodopi|Profitis Ilias]]
# [[Imeros Rodopis|Imeros]]' beach
# [[Karousmilou]]
# [[Molyvoti]]
# [[Chrysophora islet]]
# [[Glyfada, Rodopi|Glyfada]]'s beach
# [[Paralia Mesis]] (with [[Blue Flag beach|Blue flag 2014]])
# [[Arogi]]'s beaches (1 of them with [[Blue Flag beach|Blue flag 2014]]) 
# [[Fanari, Rodopi|Fanari]] beaches (2 of them with [[Blue Flag beach|Blue flag 2014]])

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:20110612 Thrakika Meteora Iasmos Panorama 1.jpg|''Thracian Meteora''.
File:20100926 Kompsatos Bridge Polyanthos Rhodope Thrace Greece Panorama.jpg|The bridge of [[Kompsatos]] river of 17th century.
File:20100913 Ancient Theater Marwneia Rhodope Greece panoramic 2.jpg|The ancient theatre of [[Maronia]].
File:20100919 Marmaritsa beach Maronia Rhodope Thrace Greece panorama.jpg|Marmaritsa beach and the active rift of [[Maronia]] - [[Makri, Evros|Makri]].
File:20100215 Fanari Rhodope Thrace Greece 3.jpg|Sandy beach in [[Fanari, Rodopi|Fanari]].
File:20111002 Kaggeles beach Rodhope West Thrace Greece Panorama.jpg|Kangeles beach.
File:20090423 Komotini Greece church mhtropolh koimhsews ths theotokou.jpg|The post-Byzantine church of ''Dormition of the Mother of God'' in [[Komotini]] ''(1800)''.
File:20120105 exterior Imaret Komotini Western Thrace Greece 1.jpg|The Imaret of Komotini.
File:20100418 Maximianoupolis Mosynopolis Rhodope Thrace Greece 2.jpg|The circumcenter temple of [[Mosynopolis|Maximianoupolis - Mosynoupolis]].
File:20091215 Organi Mosque Rhodope Thrace Greece.jpg|[[Organi]] village in mountainous Rhodope.
File:20100410 Gratini Rhodope Thrace Greece 1.jpg|[[Gratini]] village.
File:20120519 north view Anastasioupolis Perithorio Amaksades Rhodope West Thrace Greece.jpg|Tower in [[Anastasioupolis - Peritheorion]].
File:BASA-2072K-1-337-328-National costume from Komotini region.jpg|A traditional female costume of the Bulgarian community of Rodopi.
</gallery>

==Transport==
*[[Greek National Road 2|GR-2]]/[[European route E90|E90]], [[Via Egnatia|Egnatia Highway]], old and new, W, Cen., E, SE
*[[Greek National Road 53|GR-53]]

==See also==
*[[List of settlements in the Rhodope regional unit]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.kom.gr Rhodope Internet Portal]

{{Eastern Macedonia and Thrace}}
{{Prefectures of Greece}}
{{Prefectures and provinces of Greece}}

[[Category:Rhodope (regional unit)|*]]
[[Category:Regional units of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace]]
[[Category:1930 establishments in Greece]]
[[Category:Prefectures of Greece]]
[[Category:Rhodope Mountains]]