View source for Rize

{{Other uses}}
{{Infobox Turkey place
| type                 = municipality
| name                 = Rize
| other_name           = 
| image_skyline        = {{multiple image|total_width = 270px|perrow = 1/2/2/2|border = infobox
| image1 = Panorama of Rize.jpg
| image2 = Georgian Laz people monument in Rize (Modern Day Turkey).jpg
| image3 = Entrance of the Castle of Rize, Rize, Turkey.JPG
}}
| image_caption        = Clockwise from top: View of Rize, Arch [[Fırtına River bridges|bridge]] across [[Fırtına River|Firtina River]], [[Rize Castle]], [[Kaçkar Mountains|Kaçkar Mountains National Park]], [[Kız Kulesi, Rize|Kiz Kulesi]], Laz monument in Rize, Pokut Yaylası.
| image_shield         = 
| coordinates          = {{coord|41|01|29|N|40|31|20|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| province             = Rize
| district             = Rize
| leader_party         = [[Justice and Development Party (Turkey)|AKP]]
| leader_name          = Rahmi Metin
| area_footnotes       = 
| area_total_km2       = 3920
| elevation_m          = 
| population_footnotes = <ref name=tuik/>
| population_total     = 119828
| population_as_of     = 2021
| postal_code          = 53000
| area_code            = 
| website              = {{url|http://www.rize.bel.tr/}}
| blank1_name          = [[Köppen climate classification|Climate]]
| blank1_info          = [[Humid subtropical climate|Cfa]]
| image_logo           = }}
'''Rize''' ({{IPA|tr|ɾi'ze}}; {{langx|el|Ριζούντα|Rizoúnta}}; {{langx|lzz|რიზინი|Rizini}}; {{lang-ka|რიზე|}}) is a coastal city in the eastern part of the [[Black Sea Region]] of Turkey. It is the seat of [[Rize Province]] and [[Rize District]].<ref name=il>[https://www.e-icisleri.gov.tr/Anasayfa/MulkiIdariBolumleri.aspx İl Belediyesi], Turkey Civil Administration Departments Inventory. Retrieved 30 January 2023.</ref> Its population is 119,828 (2021).<ref name=tuik>{{Cite web |title=Address-based population registration system (ADNKS) results dated 31 December 2021|url=https://www.tuik.gov.tr/indir/duyuru/favori_raporlar.xlsx |access-date=30 January 2023|publisher=[[TÜİK]]|language=tr |format=XLS}}</ref> Rize is a typical Turkish provincial capital with little in the way of nightlife or entertainment.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}} Since the border with Georgia was opened in the early 1990s, the Black Sea coast road has been widened and the town is much wealthier than it used to be. Current Turkish President [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]]'s family has its roots in Rize and the [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University|local university]] is named after him. The city is linked by road with [[Trabzon]] (41&nbsp;miles [66&nbsp;km] west), [[Hopa]] (55&nbsp;miles [88&nbsp;km] east on the [[Georgia (country)|Georgian]] border, and [[Erzurum]] (south). The [[Rize–Artvin Airport]] started operating in 2022.

==Name==
The name comes from [[Greek language|Greek]] {{lang|grc|ρίζα}} (riza) or Ριζαίον (Rizaion){{Citation needed|date=June 2011}}, meaning "mountain slopes" ({{lang|grc|ρίζα}} in Greek means root).<ref>[http://www.karalahana.com/karadeniz/rize_maddesi.htm Rize] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513094713/http://www.karalahana.com/karadeniz/rize_maddesi.htm |date=2008-05-13 }} article from [[Özhan Öztürk]], ''Encyclopedia of [[Black Sea]]'' (''Karadeniz Ansiklopedik Sözlük''), 2005</ref> In modern times, its Greek name was usually Ριζούντα (Rizunda). Its Latin forms are Rhizus and Rhizaeum, the latter of which is used in the [[Catholic Church]]'s list of [[titular see]]s as the name of [[bishopric]] of the town, which was once part of the late [[Roman province]] of [[Pontus Polemoniacus]]<ref>''Annuario Pontificio 2013 (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2013, {{ISBN|978-88-209-9070-1}})'', p. 959</ref>).

Other names (17th – 19th c.): Rizeh, Riseh, Rhizium, Irizeh, Irissa; used in trade or by merchants.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Cressoni |first=B. E. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=og2QlrU_lMYC&dq=irissa&pg=PA370 |title=Dizionario tascabile di geografia universale |year=1854 |location=Turin |pages=370 |language=it |trans-title=Pocket Dictionary of Universal Geography |access-date=2024-08-05}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Schiffner |first=Albert |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=okYoHI_3de4C&dq=%22irissa%22&pg=PA488 |title=Allgemeines deutsches Sach-Wörterbuch aller menschlichen Kenntnisse und Fertigkeiten |publisher=Friedrich Wilhelm Goedsche |year=1826 |volume=4 |location=Meissen (Germany) |pages=488 |language=de |trans-title=General German dictionary of all human knowledge and skills}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Balbi |first=Adriano |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H1IBAAAAYAAJ&dq=%22rize%22&pg=PA270 |title=Compendio di geografia universale |year=1824 |edition=4th |volume=1 |location=Livorno |page=370 |language=it |trans-title=Compendium of universal geography}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Stein |first=Christian Gottfried Daniel |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N2JlAAAAcAAJ&dq=rhizium&pg=PA931 |title=Geographisch-statistisches Zeitungs-, Post- und Comtoir-Lexicon |publisher=Hinrichs |year=1820 |volume=3 |location=Leipzig |page=931 |language=de |trans-title=Geographical-statistical news, post and comptoir lexicon}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=keBbAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA631 |title=Complément du dictionnaire de l'Académie française |publisher=Firmin Didot Frères |year=1842 |location=Paris |page=631 |language=fr |trans-title=Supplement to the dictionary of the French Academy |chapter=Irizeh}}</ref>

==History==
{{main article|Rize Province}}

[[Arrian]] was the first writer to mention Rize. In his [[Periplus of the Euxine Sea]],<ref>[http://www.kultur.gov.tr/EN/belge/2-2108/eski2yeni.html An Overview of Rize's History]</ref> he described it as a city founded at the mouth of the river of the same name, the [[Ancient Greece|ancient]] and [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] ῾Ρίζιος ποταμός.<ref>Περίπλους τοῦ Εὐξείνου Πόντου</ref> Dated to 130–131AD and written as a letter to Roman Emperor [[Hadrian]], the work records how its author, the governor of [[Cappadocia]], made a tour of the Eastern [[Black Sea]] territories that formed part of his jurisdiction, first visiting the Roman Empire's Eastern [[Anatolia]]n frontier garrisons before pushing on to the Black Sea coast in the [[Trabzon]] (Trebizond) region.<ref>[[:wikisource:The Periplus of the Euxine Sea|The Periplus of the Euxine Sea]]. Oxford: sold by J. Cooke; and by Messrs. Cadell and Davies Strand, London. 1805. Note: Arrian only mentions the River Rhizius, not any settlement by that name. It is quoted as being to the east of the river Ophis after the rivers Psychrus and Calus.</ref>
The city of Rize formed part of the historic Georgian province of Chaneti ({{lang-ka|ჭანეთი}}).

From 1547, Chaneti province was incorporated into the [[Ottoman Empire]] and became a part of the ''[[Sanjak|sancak]]'' of [[Lazistan Sanjak|Lazistan]]. The city was claimed by the short-lived [[Democratic Republic of Georgia]] between 1918 and 1920. On the basis of the 1921 [[Treaty of Kars]], Soviet Russia granted Rize to Turkey along with the other territories of [[Artvin]], [[Ardahan]], and [[Hopa]] ({{lang-ka|ხუფათი}}).
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Rizunda.jpg|Rize in 1890s
File:Rize-postakarti-osmanli.jpg|Rize, 1910s, Ottoman-era postcard
</gallery>

==Geography==
The city is built around a small bay on the [[Black Sea]] coast, on a narrow strip of flat land between the sea and the mountains behind. The coastal strip is being expanded with landfill and the city is expanding up the steep hillsides away from the coast.

Rize is probably best known for its [[Rize tea|black tea]] which was introduced to the region in the 1940s and 1950s, changing the destiny of a region which was until then desperately poor.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.yeniansiklopedi.com/rize/ |title=Rize Çayı ve Rize kenti (tr) |access-date=2012-05-15 |archive-date=2020-05-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200523013513/http://www.yeniansiklopedi.com/rize/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>  The local tea research institute was founded in 1958 and other tea gardens can be seen all around the town. [[Tea]] is even planted in local gardens. Rize is a centre for processing and shipping locally grown [[Rize Tea]]. More recently [[kiwifruit]] plants have also been grown in Rize. Fishing remains another important local source of income.

Tourism to destinations in and around Rize is growing in importance.

<gallery mode="packed">
File:Aşağı Ceymakçur 01.jpg|[[Kaçkar Mountains National Park]]
File:Pokut Yaylası Rize.JPG|Pokut Yayla is a popular tourism destination
File:Tar Creek Waterfall View.jpg|Tar Creek Waterfall
File:Entrance of the Castle of Rize, Rize, Turkey.JPG|Entrance to Rize Castle
</gallery>

==Climate==
{{More citations needed|Section|date=August 2023|talk=Climate}}
Rize has a [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''Cfa'', Trewartha: ''Cf''). However, as any mountainous region of Turkey, it is rich in climatic variety. The climate turns [[oceanic climate|oceanic]] (''Cfb'') on the hillsides, [[humid continental climate|continental]] (''Dfb/Dc'') and [[subarctic climate|subarctic]] (''Dfc/Eo'') on the mountain slopes and in the [[yaylak|yaylas]], the highlands and highland plateaus.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Beck |first1=Hylke E. |last2=Zimmermann |first2=Niklaus E. |last3=McVicar |first3=Tim R. |last4=Vergopolan |first4=Noemi |last5=Berg |first5=Alexis |last6=Wood |first6=Eric F. |date=2018-10-30 |title=Present and future Köppen-Geiger climate classification maps at 1-km resolution |journal=Scientific Data |language=en |volume=5 |issue=1 |pages=180214 |doi=10.1038/sdata.2018.214 |issn=2052-4463|doi-access=free |pmid=30375988 |pmc=6207062 |bibcode=2018NatSD...580214B |hdl=20.500.11850/302311 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> When the [[Köppen climate classification]] was being created, the city centre had a borderline oceanic-humid subtropical climate, falling just under the {{convert|22|C|F|0}} threshold for the hottest month of the year, yet [[climate change]] and [[global warming]] have contributed to the city being classified as humid subtropical in recent decades.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Climate Explorer: Time series |url=https://climexp.knmi.nl/gettemp.cgi?id=someone@somewhere&WMO=17040.3&STATION=PAZAR_RIZE&extraargs= |access-date=2023-08-22 |website=climexp.knmi.nl}}</ref>

The city's climate is defined by mild temperate conditions, with warm summers, cool winters and heavy rainfall year-round with a maximum in late autumn (October to December). The city has relatively few sunshine hours, lower than many stereotypically cloudy locations in Western Europe.  Snowfall is somewhat common between the months of December and March, snowing for a week or two, and it can be heavy once it snows (this is due to the "[[lake-effect snow]]"). The heaviest recorded snowfall in the city center was 187 cm (73.6 inches), recorded on 6 January 1942.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Meteoroloji Genel Müdürlüğü |url=https://www.mgm.gov.tr/veridegerlendirme/il-ve-ilceler-istatistik.aspx?k=undefined&m=RIZE |access-date=2025-11-17 |website=www.mgm.gov.tr}}</ref> The water temperature, typical for the Black Sea coast, is never too warm or cold, fluctuating between {{convert|8|and|20|C|F|0}} throughout the year.

{{Weather box
|metric first= Yes
|single line= Yes
|location= Rize (1991–2020, extremes 1928–2023)
|Jan record high C = 26.6
|Feb record high C = 28.1
|Mar record high C = 32.6
|Apr record high C = 35.8
|May record high C = 38.2
|Jun record high C = 36.1
|Jul record high C = 35.4
|Aug record high C = 35.6
|Sep record high C = 35.0
|Oct record high C = 33.8
|Nov record high C = 30.4
|Dec record high C = 26.7
|year record high C = 38.2
|Jan high C = 11.0
|Feb high C = 11.1
|Mar high C = 12.9
|Apr high C = 15.9
|May high C = 20.2
|Jun high C = 24.9
|Jul high C = 27.4
|Aug high C = 28.1
|Sep high C = 25.4
|Oct high C = 21.4
|Nov high C = 16.7
|Dec high C = 13.0
|year high C = 19.0
|Jan mean C = 6.9
|Feb mean C = 6.8
|Mar mean C = 8.7
|Apr mean C = 11.8
|May mean C = 16.6
|Jun mean C = 21.2
|Jul mean C = 23.8
|Aug mean C = 24.5
|Sep mean C = 21.2
|Oct mean C = 17.2
|Nov mean C = 12.1
|Dec mean C = 8.7
|year mean C = 15.0
|Jan low C = 3.9
|Feb low C = 3.7
|Mar low C = 5.4
|Apr low C = 8.5
|May low C = 13.2
|Jun low C = 17.5
|Jul low C = 20.5
|Aug low C = 21.2
|Sep low C = 17.7
|Oct low C = 13.9
|Nov low C = 8.8
|Dec low C = 5.6
|year low C = 11.7
|Jan record low C = −6.5
|Feb record low C = −6.6
|Mar record low C = −7.0
|Apr record low C = −2.8
|May record low C = 4.0
|Jun record low C = 7.8
|Jul record low C = 12.0
|Aug record low C = 13.4
|Sep record low C = 4.6
|Oct record low C = 2.5
|Nov record low C = -2.6
|Dec record low C = −4.0
|year record low C = -7.0
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 223.1
|Feb precipitation mm = 170.5
|Mar precipitation mm = 154.0
|Apr precipitation mm = 90.5
|May precipitation mm = 96.6
|Jun precipitation mm = 148.4
|Jul precipitation mm = 163.4
|Aug precipitation mm = 192.5
|Sep precipitation mm = 265.1
|Oct precipitation mm = 307.3
|Nov precipitation mm = 246.0
|Dec precipitation mm = 252.1
|year precipitation mm = 2309.5
|Jan precipitation days = 15.33
|Feb precipitation days = 14.5
|Mar precipitation days = 16.8
|Apr precipitation days = 14.83
|May precipitation days = 15.13
|Jun precipitation days = 14.83
|Jul precipitation days = 13.7
|Aug precipitation days = 14.63
|Sep precipitation days = 14.8
|Oct precipitation days = 15.4
|Nov precipitation days = 14.13
|Dec precipitation days = 15.5
|year precipitation days = 
|Jan sun = 62.0
|Feb sun = 84.8
|Mar sun = 114.7
|Apr sun = 144.0
|May sun = 179.8
|Jun sun = 195.0
|Jul sun = 176.7
|Aug sun = 161.2
|Sep sun = 156.0
|Oct sun = 124.0
|Nov sun = 87.0
|Dec sun = 58.9
|year sun = 
|Jand sun = 2.0
|Febd sun = 3.0
|Mard sun = 3.7
|Aprd sun = 4.8
|Mayd sun = 5.8
|Jund sun = 6.5
|Juld sun = 5.7
|Augd sun = 5.2
|Sepd sun = 5.2
|Octd sun = 4.0
|Novd sun = 2.9
|Decd sun = 1.9
|yeard sun = 4.2
|humidity colour = green
|Jan humidity = 76.1
|Feb humidity = 75.0
|Mar humidity = 75.4
|Apr humidity = 76.8
|May humidity = 78.1
|Jun humidity = 77.2
|Jul humidity = 77.3
|Aug humidity = 78.3
|Sep humidity = 79.1
|Oct humidity = 80.6
|Nov humidity = 78.4
|Dec humidity = 76.7
|year humidity = 77.4
|source 1= Turkish State Meteorological Service<ref>{{cite web
| url = https://www.mgm.gov.tr/veridegerlendirme/il-ve-ilceler-istatistik.aspx?k=H&m=RIZE
| title = Resmi İstatistikler: İllerimize Ait Mevism Normalleri (1991–2020)
| publisher = Turkish State Meteorological Service
| language = tr
| access-date = 7 August 2021}}</ref>
|source 2 = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]] (humidity)<ref name="WMONormals">{{cite web
|url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/2.2/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Turkiye/CSV/Rize_17040.csv
|title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Rize
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = January 17, 2024}}</ref>
|date=March 2011}}

{{clear}}

== Economy and produce ==
[[File:Rize_former_PTT_offices_in_2002_110.jpg|thumb|Former PTT Offices]]

Historically, Rize grew [[orange (fruit)|orange]]s. However, weather destroyed the crops in the early 20th century, and the industry declined.<ref name=Prothero62>{{cite book|last=Prothero|first=W.G.|title=Armenia and Kurdistan|year=1920|publisher=H.M. Stationery Office|location=London|page=62|url=http://www.wdl.org/en/item/11768/view/1/62/}}</ref> The area also produced small amounts of [[manganese]].<ref name=Prothero73>{{cite book|last=Prothero|first=W.G.|title=Armenia and Kurdistan|year=1920|publisher=H.M. Stationery Office|location=London|page=73|url=http://www.wdl.org/en/item/11768/view/1/73/}}</ref>

Rize's economic structure is primarily based on its geographic location since it is in a very mountainous location, making industrial development impractical. Given the lack of rail transit, most goods have to travel by truck or ship, which makes exporting and importing difficult. Rize's primary trading partner is [[Trabzon]], the most developed city of the northeast Black Sea region. Rize's main exports are agriculturally based; [[Rize tea|tea]] and kiwifruit are among its most popular commodities.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=Rize|url=http://bologna.erdogan.edu.tr/index.php?kultur=en-US&page=rize|access-date=2021-10-08|website=Bologna Course Package, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Üniversitesi}}</ref> In particular the state-owned tea company [[Çaykur]] is based in Rize.

==Education==
Rize University was founded in 2006. Its name was changed to [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University]] in 2011.

==Culture==
[[Rize Castle]] is a partly ruined medieval castle to the southwest of the city centre.

[[Rize Ziraat Botanical Garden]], founded in 1924, is two kilometers to the southwest.<ref>{{cite web |title=Zihni Derin (Agricultural Engineer) |url=https://www.caykur.gov.tr/Pages/Kurumsal/KurumHakkinda.aspx?ItemId=20&ItemId2=27&ItemType=Detail |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240120093102/https://www.caykur.gov.tr/Pages/Kurumsal/KurumHakkinda.aspx?ItemId=20&ItemId2=27&ItemType=Detail |archive-date=January 20, 2024 |access-date=January 20, 2024 |publisher=caykur.gov.tr }}</ref>

==Sports==
Rize's sports venues include [[Rize Atatürk Stadium]], [[Yeni Rize Şehir Stadı]] and Rize Sports Complex consisting of [[Rize Sports Hall]] and Rize Indoor Swimming Pool.

The football team of [[Çaykur Rizespor]] play in the [[Süper Lig]]. [[Pazarspor]] football team compete in the [[TFF Third League]].

== Rize [[Municipality]] [[Mayor]]s ==
[[File:Rize_Valiği_in_2006_4394.jpg|thumb|Rize Municipality Building]]
* [[:tr:Ethem Şevki Kepenek|Ethem Şevki Kepenek]] (1950-1954) [[Democrat Party (Turkey)|DP]]
* [[Ekrem Orhon]] (1965-1981) [[Justice Party (Turkey)|AP]]
* [[Şevki Yılmaz]] (1994-1995) [[Welfare Party|RP]]
* Hızır Hop (1995-2004) [[Motherland Party (Turkey)|ANAP]]
* Halil Bakirci (2004-2014) [[Justice and Development Party (Turkey)|AKP]]
* Reşat Kasap (2014-2019) [[Justice and Development Party (Turkey)|AKP]]
* Rahmi Metin (2019-present) [[Justice and Development Party (Turkey)|AKP]]

== Notable people ==
{{See also|Category:People from Rize}}
*[[Sinem Kobal]] television and film actress
*[[Macit Karaahmetoğlu]] german politician
*[[Köksal Toptan]] politician
*[[Temel Kotil]] he was the CEO of Turkish Airlines 

== Population ==
{{Bar chart
| title       = Population of Rize Province 
| label_type  = Year
| data_type   = Population
| bar_width   = 35
| width_units = em
| data_max    = 150,000
| label1      = 1975
| data1       = 36,044
| label2      = 1980
| data2       = 43,407
| label3      = 1985
| data3       = 50,221
| label4      = 1990
| data4       = 52,031
| label5      = 1997
| data5       = 73,420
| label6      = 2000
| data6       = 78,144
| label7      = 2009
| data7       = 96,503
| label8      = 2021
| data8       = 119,828
| label8      = 2024
| data8       = 346,977

== Notes ==
{{reflist}}

== References ==
* [Encyclopedic Dictionary of Black Sea]. 2 Cilt. Heyamola Yayıncılık. Istanbul. {{ISBN|978-975-6121-00-9}}

==External links==
*{{Commonscatinline}}

{{Rize District}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Rize| ]]
[[Category:Populated places in Rize District]]
[[Category:Roman towns and cities in Turkey]]
[[Category:Black Sea port cities and towns in Turkey]]
[[Category:Fishing communities in Turkey]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Turkey]]
[[Category:Provincial municipalities in Turkey]]