Thrace is a historically rich region located in Southeastern Europe, encompassing southern Bulgaria, northeastern Greece, and the European part of Turkey. Within Turkey's borders, this region spans an area of 23,764 km² and is bordered by the Black Sea, the Sea of Marmara, and the Aegean Sea.

The word Thrace is derived from the Ancient Greek word Thrāikē and is associated with the Thracian tribe. The name Thrace, rooted in Greek mythology, first appears in Homer's Iliad epic.

The primary landforms of Thrace, situated in the southeastern Balkan Peninsula, include the Rhodope Mountains, the Strandzha Mountains, and the Balkan Mountains, which form the region's northern border. Only the southern parts of the Balkan Mountains are included in the region. Apart from the narrow coastal plains in Western Thrace, the most expansive open areas are the North Thrace Plain (Upper Thrace Plain) and the flatlands that form most of Eastern Thrace.

The main rivers of Thrace are the Maritsa, Arda, Tundzha, and Ergene. The Gallipoli and Catalca Peninsulas in Eastern Thrace are also part of the region. Thrace is separated from Macedonia by the Mesta River, which forms the western border of the region. Thrace has also lent its name to the northeastern part of the Aegean Sea, known as the Thracian Sea.

Eastern Thrace

This is the part of Thrace within Turkey's borders, encompassing all of Turkey's European territory. It is bordered by the Maritsa River and Greece to the west, Bulgaria and the Black Sea to the north, and the Bosphorus Strait, the Sea of Marmara, the Dardanelles, and the Gulf of Saros to the east and south, respectively.

Western Thrace

This is the portion of Thrace located in Greece. Since it is the northernmost part of Greece, it is also referred to as Northern Greece. It is the most densely Turkish-speaking region in Greece, with over 100,000 Muslim Turks living there.

Northern Thrace

This is the northern part of Thrace within Bulgaria's borders. It is surrounded by the Balkan Mountains to the north, the Rila and Pirin Mountains to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, and the Black Sea to the east.

The Concept of Thrace for Trakyanet

On our site, the Thrace parts shown on the map above are featured. The map is based on the provincial boundaries of these cities. These areas generally consist of regions where a dense Turkish population resides, traditional Thracian peoples once lived intensively, and cultural ties are close, forming a core of the Thrace region. Of course, the entire Thrace region covers a much larger area. However, the mentioned characteristics are weaker in other parts.