Rize
Rize is a province in northeastern Turkey bordering the Black Sea, encompassing its namesake capital city and renowned as the epicenter of the country's tea production, which supplies over 95 percent of Turkey's domestic output due to the region's high precipitation and fertile terraced hillsides.[1][2] The province spans 3,922 square kilometers with a population of approximately 350,506 as of 2023, characterized by a humid subtropical climate featuring mild winters, warm summers, and annual rainfall exceeding 2,000 millimeters that supports intensive agriculture alongside tourism drawn to its lush yayla plateaus and Kaçkar Mountains.[3][4] Historically part of the Ottoman Lazistan Sanjak, Rize emerged as a distinct province in the early Republican era, transitioning from subsistence fishing and forestry to a tea-dominated economy following state-sponsored plantations in the 1940s that transformed its socioeconomic landscape.[5][6] While celebrated for boosting rural employment and export potential, the province has faced localized tensions over large-scale infrastructure projects, including quarries and dams, which have sparked protests among residents concerned with environmental degradation in this ecologically sensitive area.[7][8]
Etymology
Name and Linguistic Origins
The name Rize derives from the ancient Greek ῥίζα (rhiza), meaning "root," which in this context refers to the steep mountain slopes or foothills extending from the surrounding peaks to the Black Sea coast.[9] The historical Greek designation for the settlement was Ριζαίον (Rizaion), Rizounta, or Rizous, reflecting its topographic features of rugged, root-like inclines.[10] This etymology aligns with the region's geography, characterized by precipitous terrain unsuitable for extensive flatland settlement.[9] The modern Turkish name Rize represents a phonetic adaptation of the Greek form, retained following the Ottoman incorporation of the area in the 16th century and the establishment of the Turkish Republic in 1923.[10] Local Caucasian languages preserve similar variants: in Laz, it is rendered as Rizini, and in Georgian as რიზე (Rize), indicating linguistic continuity influenced by the historical Pontic Greek presence and indigenous groups in the eastern Black Sea littoral. These forms underscore the name's pre-Turkic roots, predating Ottoman administrative records where the site fell under the sancak of Lazistan.[9]History
Ancient and Classical Periods
The territory of modern Rize lay within the ancient kingdom of Colchis, an early Iron Age polity that arose around the 13th century BCE along the eastern Black Sea coast, extending into parts of present-day northeastern Turkey and western Georgia. Colchis was characterized by advanced metallurgy, with archaeological finds such as bronze axes, cauldrons, and hillforts indicating a hierarchical society reliant on agriculture, herding, and trade in metals and timber. These artifacts, unearthed in Colchian lowland sites, reflect cultural continuity from the Late Bronze Age Colchian culture, which featured megalithic structures and early urbanization precursors.[11] By the 8th century BCE, Colchis appears in Assyrian records as the land of Qulha, a peripheral tribute-paying region exporting bronze items and forest products. In the classical Greek period, from the 6th to 4th centuries BCE, the kingdom maintained semi-independence while engaging in maritime trade with Ionian Greeks, exporting slaves, honey, and wax via emporia like Phasis (modern Poti). Herodotus described Colchians as dark-skinned descendants of Egyptian colonists, noting their circumcision practices and seafaring skills, though such accounts blend ethnography with myth; Strabo later corroborated their role in Black Sea commerce. The region's strategic position facilitated interactions, including the legendary Argonaut expedition mythologized by Apollonius Rhodius around 250 BCE, portraying Colchis as a realm of gold sands and sorcerous kings.[12] Under Achaemenid Persian domination from circa 550 BCE, Colchis functioned as a northern satrapy, contributing troops and resources to Xerxes' campaigns, as evidenced by Persian-style arrowheads found in Colchian graves. Following Alexander the Great's conquests (334–323 BCE), the area briefly fell under Seleucid control before reverting to local dynasts allied with the Hellenistic Kingdom of Pontus. Mithridates VI Eupator of Pontus (r. 120–63 BCE) extended influence eastward, incorporating Colchian territories through marriage alliances and military campaigns against Rome, though direct Roman annexation occurred only after Pompey's victories in 65–63 BCE. Specific settlements in the Rize area, amid steep coastal slopes, supported subsistence economies with limited urban development, as no major classical Greek colonies are attested there unlike in neighboring Sinope or Trapezus. Archaeological evidence remains sparse, with medieval overlays obscuring potential classical layers at sites like Rize Castle.[13]Medieval and Byzantine Era
The region encompassing modern Rize, historically known as Rhizaeon or Rizous, fell under Byzantine control during late antiquity as part of the broader Pontus area and the Lazic kingdom (Egrisi), a Christian buffer state allied with Constantinople against Sassanid Persia. Lazica, including eastern Black Sea coastal territories near Rize, submitted formally to Byzantine overlordship in the early 6th century under Emperor Justin I (r. 518–527), receiving royal insignia and military support in exchange for loyalty. This alliance culminated in the Lazic War (541–562), where Byzantine forces under generals like Peter the Patrician and John the Glutton repelled Sassanid invasions led by Khosrow I, securing Lazica's independence from Persian tribute while affirming Byzantine suzerainty; the conflict ended with a 50-year peace treaty obligating Persia to withdraw and Constantinople to pay annual subsidies to Lazica's king Gubazes II.[14][15] By the 9th century, the area was integrated into the Byzantine administrative system as part of the Theme of Chaldia, a military district centered on Trebizond (Trabzon) that extended eastward to include Rhizaeon and served as a bulwark against Arab raids and later Seljuk incursions. Chaldia, established around 840, relied on local stratēgoi (generals) commanding thematic troops drawn from Greek, Armenian, and indigenous Laz populations, who maintained fortifications like the early castle at Rize for defense and trade oversight along the Black Sea route. The theme's economy centered on silk production, agriculture in fertile valleys, and maritime commerce, with Rhizaeon functioning as a minor port facilitating grain and timber exports to Constantinople.[16] Following the Fourth Crusade's sack of Constantinople in 1204, Rhizaeon and surrounding territories passed to the Empire of Trebizond, a Komnenian successor state claiming Byzantine imperial continuity under the Megas Komnenos dynasty. Trebizond's rulers, such as Alexios I (r. 1204–1222), expanded control over eastern Pontus including Rize, fortifying coastal strongholds against Georgian, Seljuk, and Mongol pressures while fostering Orthodox Christianity among Greek and Laz inhabitants. The empire endured as a culturally Byzantine entity until its conquest by Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II in 1461, after which Rhizaeon retained local significance under early Ottoman sanjaks.[17][18]Ottoman Period
Rize, historically known as Rizonda or Rizounta, was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire following the conquest of the Empire of Trebizond in 1461 by Sultan Mehmed II, marking the end of Byzantine successor rule in the region.[19] The area, part of the historic Georgian province of Chaneti, became integrated into the Ottoman administrative framework initially under the Trabzon Eyalet, with districts such as Atina (modern Pazar), Hemşin, and Arhavi falling under Ottoman control shortly after the 1461 campaign.[20] Administratively, Rize formed part of the Lazistan Sanjak within the Trebizond Vilayet, serving as the seat of the sanjak governor and encompassing the Laz-speaking coastal territories along the southeastern Black Sea shore.[21] From 1878 onward, Rize explicitly functioned as the capital of the Lazistan Sanjak, reflecting its strategic importance as a port and administrative hub.[10] Ottoman archival records, including the 1495 Rize Şer’iyye Registers and Trabzon Province Salnames from 1877, document local governance, land tenure, and judicial matters, while late-17th-century infrastructure projects involved constructing multiple bridges across the Fırtına River and its tributaries to facilitate connectivity.[20] The local economy during the Ottoman era centered on agriculture and textile production, with weaving emerging as a vital sector; by the 16th century, 258 households in Rize engaged in producing Rize Bezi, a linen fabric derived from hemp (kendir) and flax (keten), used for clothing and household goods.[22] This industry scaled up in the 19th century, with exports of Rize and Trabzon bezi reaching Istanbul, Syria, Yemen, and international markets, as evidenced by tax records from 1727–1820 showing revenues like 500 kuruş in weaving taxes and displays at exhibitions in 1851, 1855, and 1862.[22] Socially, weaving influenced community structures, with shared production tools fostering local cooperation and contributing to place names like Kendirli village. By the early 20th century, prior to World War I, the town's population stood at around 5,000, predominantly Muslim Laz speakers, though the region faced economic strains during the war as one of the Ottoman fronts.[10][23][24]Republican Era and Modern Developments
Following the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey on October 29, 1923, Rize integrated into the new state as an administrative unit in the Black Sea region, with its status formalized as a province by 1924. The area, previously marked by economic hardship and reliance on rudimentary agriculture and coastal trade, underwent gradual modernization efforts aligned with national policies promoting agricultural diversification and infrastructure. Population data from the first Republican census in 1927 recorded 171,667 residents in Rize, reflecting a stable base amid broader national resettlement and Turkification initiatives under Law 1164 of June 1927.[25] The pivotal economic shift occurred through tea cultivation, initiated experimentally in the 1920s after researchers identified the Black Sea's humid subtropical conditions as ideal, akin to those in major producers like Sri Lanka. Small-scale processing workshops appeared by the late 1930s, but industrial-scale production commenced with the opening of Rize's first tea factory in 1947, equipped with machinery ordered from England in 1940 and boasting an initial capacity of 60 tons per day.[26] [27] By the 1950s, tea plantations covered expansive hillsides, establishing Rize as Turkey's dominant tea hub and generating substantial employment; annual output reached levels supporting national consumption while elevating local incomes from poverty to relative affluence.[28] [29] Administrative elevation to full provincial independence occurred on March 2, 1953, separating Rize from Trabzon Province to enhance local governance amid growing economic significance. Subsequent decades saw population expansion tied to tea-driven migration and natural increase, with the province's residents rising to over 300,000 by the early 21st century. Infrastructure advanced incrementally, including road widenings along the Black Sea coast following Georgia's border opening in the early 1990s, which spurred trade and tourism.[30] In recent developments, higher education expanded with the founding of Rize University (later renamed Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University) on March 17, 2006, via Law No. 5467, fostering research in agriculture, fisheries, and environmental sciences pertinent to the region's topography. Transportation infrastructure modernized further with the Rize-Artvin Airport's construction from 2020 to 2021 in Pazar district, improving connectivity and supporting tourism to yaylas (highland plateaus) and natural sites. Ongoing projects include the İyidere Logistics Center, reaching 60% completion by May 2025 with a planned 215,000 square meters of storage to bolster tea exports and regional logistics. Mass housing initiatives, such as the 2011 Rize Disaster Residences covering 22,000 square meters, addressed vulnerabilities from landslides and floods inherent to the steep terrain.[31] [32] [33]Geography
Location and Topography
Rize Province occupies a position in northeastern Turkey along the eastern Black Sea coast, extending between the provinces of Trabzon to the west and Artvin to the east, with Erzurum and Bayburt bordering it to the south.[34] The provincial capital, Rize city, is situated at coordinates 41°01′32″N 40°31′04″E, approximately 66 km east of Trabzon.[35] Covering an area of 3,922 km², the province features a population density of 88 people per km² as of recent data.[34] The topography of Rize is markedly rugged, dominated by the Pontic Mountains that parallel the Black Sea shoreline, resulting in a narrow coastal plain limited to a thin strip of flat land backing onto steep, wooded hills.[36] Elevations rise rapidly inland, with the city of Rize at sea level averaging around 14 meters, while the provincial average elevation reaches 1,171 meters.[37][38] The landscape includes deep valleys carved by rivers, high plateaus known as yaylas, and alpine terrain in the Kaçkar Mountains, a subrange of the Eastern Black Sea Mountains within the Pontic system.[36]
The Kaçkar Mountains form the most prominent topographic feature, with their highest peak, Kaçkar Dağı, elevating to 3,932 meters above sea level, located roughly 70 km east of Rize city and overlooking the Black Sea.[39][40] This range, composed primarily of granite and crystalline schists formed during the Alpine-Himalayan orogeny, supports glacial features, steep slopes, and biodiversity-rich ecosystems, contributing to the province's isolation from interior Anatolia due to its precipitous terrain. The combination of coastal humidity and mountainous barriers shapes a topography conducive to intensive rainfall and limited arable flatland, primarily suited for terraced agriculture.[36]
Administrative Divisions and Settlements
Rize Province is administratively divided into twelve districts (ilçeler): Ardeşen, Çamlıhemşin, Çayeli, Derepazarı, Fındıklı, Güneysu, Hemşin, İkizdere, İyidere, Kalkandere, Pazar, and the central Rize District (Merkez).[41][42] Each district functions as a local administrative unit governed by a kaymakam (district governor) appointed by the central government, overseeing sub-divisions including neighborhoods (mahalleler) and villages (köyler).[43] The provincial capital and largest settlement is the city of Rize, situated in the central district, which accounts for a significant portion of the province's urban population. As of 2023, the total population of Rize Province was 350,506, with the majority concentrated in coastal districts due to topography favoring settlement along the Black Sea littoral.[44] Rural areas predominate inland, with over 350 villages supporting dispersed agricultural communities focused on tea cultivation and horticulture.[34]| District | Key Characteristics |
|---|---|
| Ardeşen | Coastal industrial hub with timber processing; population ~39,000 (2022 est.).[45] |
| Çayeli | Major tea-producing area; population ~41,000 (2022 est.).[45] |
| Rize (Merkez) | Provincial seat with urban infrastructure; population ~135,000 (older est., central district).[46] |
| Pazar | Bordering Artvin; known for hazelnut production; population ~30,000 (older est.).[46] |
Climate
Climatic Characteristics and Patterns
Rize province features a humid subtropical climate (Köppen classification Cfa), marked by mild temperatures, high humidity, and copious rainfall throughout the year, driven by the moderating influence of the Black Sea and orographic effects from the adjacent Pontic Mountains. Annual mean temperatures average 12.5–13.9 °C, with winter lows in January and February rarely dropping below 7.5 °C and summer highs in August peaking at 24.5 °C.[47][48][49] Precipitation exceeds 2,000 mm annually, positioning Rize among Turkey's wettest areas, with totals reaching up to 2,300 mm in some records; rainfall occurs in every month, lacking a pronounced dry season, though autumn (particularly October) sees the heaviest downpours, averaging 288.7 mm.[48][50] The even distribution stems from consistent maritime air flows, but mountainous terrain amplifies convective and orographic precipitation, leading to frequent fog, overcast skies, and wet days numbering over 200 annually.[51] Seasonal patterns include cool, damp winters with occasional frost at higher elevations and warm, humid summers prone to thunderstorms; relative humidity consistently surpasses 80%, fostering dense vegetation but elevating landslide risks during intense rains. Extreme events, such as floods from prolonged wet spells, have intensified with climate variability, though long-term data indicate stable averages without significant aridification.[51][52]| Month | Avg. High (°C) | Avg. Low (°C) | Precipitation (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 11.5 | 5.0 | 200–250 |
| April | 15.0 | 8.0 | 97–122 |
| July | 25.0 | 18.0 | 150–200 |
| October | 20.0 | 13.0 | 250–289 |
Demographics
Population Trends and Statistics
The population of Rize Province was recorded at 346,977 as of December 31, 2024, by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), reflecting a decrease of 3,529 people or 1.01% from 350,506 in 2023.[53][54] This decline occurred across most districts, with notable drops in İyidere and Derepazarı, amid a provincial net migration rate that has turned negative in recent years, offsetting earlier natural population increases from births exceeding deaths.[55] The provincial capital, Rize district, holds 151,617 residents, comprising about 43.7% of the total.[55] Historical data from TÜİK indicate steady but modest growth from the early 2000s, when the population stood at roughly 322,103 in 2000, expanding to 343,212 by 2019 and peaking near 350,000 in 2023.[43] Annual growth rates during 2000–2020 averaged 0.5–1%, driven by improved healthcare access and tea agriculture sustaining rural livelihoods, though constrained by the province's rugged topography limiting large-scale urbanization.[34] Post-2020 stagnation and the 2024 reversal align with broader Black Sea regional patterns of out-migration to industrial hubs, as younger cohorts seek employment beyond agriculture.[43] Urbanization has progressed, with 71.6% of residents in urban settings by 2024, up from lower shares in earlier censuses, as rural villages depopulate.[53] Population density remains low at 90.5 persons per km² across 3,835 km², concentrated along the Black Sea coast.[43]| Year | Population | Annual Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 322,103 | - |
| 2019 | 343,212 | ~0.6 (avg. 2000–2019) |
| 2020 | 344,359 | +0.3 |
| 2021 | 345,662 | +0.4 |
| 2022 | 344,016 | -0.5 |
| 2023 | 350,506 | +1.9 |
| 2024 | 346,977 | -1.0 |
Ethnic and Linguistic Composition
Rize Province features a predominantly ethnic Turkish population, with Turkish identity dominant in the provincial capital and surrounding lowlands.[56] Notable minorities include the Laz, concentrated in coastal and eastern districts, and the Hemshin, residing in the inland mountainous regions such as Hemşin district.[57][58] The Laz, a Kartvelian ethnic group indigenous to the Black Sea coast, number between 750,000 and 1.5 million across Turkey, with a significant portion in Rize and Artvin; however, assimilation has reduced distinct cultural markers for many.[57] The Hemshin, tracing origins to medieval Armenian migrants who converted to Islam between the 17th and 19th centuries, total approximately 200,000 individuals, mostly in Rize's highlands, where they identify as Muslim Turks while retaining some historical linguistic traces.[58] Linguistically, Turkish is the universal first language, spoken by over 99% of residents as the medium of education, administration, and daily communication.[59] Lazuri, a South Caucasian language unrelated to Turkish, persists among a shrinking number of speakers—estimated at 20,000 to 30,000 nationwide—in rural Laz villages of Rize, though it faces endangerment due to intergenerational shift toward Turkish.[60][61] Among the Hemshin, a Western Armenian dialect known as Homshetsi was historically spoken but has largely vanished since the late 19th century, replaced by Turkish varieties incorporating Armenian loanwords; contemporary use is limited to elderly individuals or cultural contexts.[58] No significant other linguistic minorities, such as Kurdish or Arabic speakers, are documented in the province.[62]Religious Profile
The population of Rize Province is overwhelmingly Muslim, with Sunni Islam in the Hanafi madhhab predominating, reflecting the conservative religious character of Turkey's eastern Black Sea region.[63][64] No official census data on religion has been collected in Turkey since 1965, but government estimates place Muslims at 99% of the national population, a figure applicable to Rize given the absence of documented significant non-Muslim or heterodox Muslim communities in the province.[63] The ethnic Laz and Hemshin populations, which constitute notable shares of Rize's residents, are themselves predominantly Sunni Muslims, with the Hemshin—descended from Islamized Armenians—fully integrated into Sunni observance.[62][65] Unlike central and eastern Anatolian provinces with Alevi concentrations, Rize reports no substantial Alevi presence, aligning with the Black Sea coast's uniformly Sunni demographic profile. Non-Muslim minorities, such as Greek Orthodox Christians, existed historically in small numbers—totaling around 1,722 in the Rize area kazas by 1914—but were effectively eliminated through population exchanges, migrations, and conversions following World War I and the Turkish War of Independence.[24] Contemporary sources identify no viable Christian, Jewish, or other religious minority communities in Rize, underscoring its homogeneity.[62] This religious uniformity supports the province's reputation for piety, evidenced by high mosque density and participation in Sunni rituals like Ramadan observances and Sufi-influenced practices among some Laz groups.[63]Economy
Agricultural Sector and Tea Production
Rize's agricultural sector is dominated by tea cultivation, which leverages the province's abundant rainfall, mild temperatures, and acidic soils to support terraced plantations on steep slopes. The total agricultural land spans approximately 54,985 hectares, with tea occupying the majority, followed by subsidiary crops such as kiwi fruit, hazelnuts, blueberries, and vegetables including kale (597 tons annually), green beans (398 tons), cucumbers (191 tons), and pumpkins (147 tons).[66][67] Livestock farming, particularly small-scale cattle rearing, supplements the sector but remains secondary to plant-based production.[68] Tea (Camellia sinensis) was introduced to Rize through experimental plantings starting in 1917, though widespread adoption was delayed by the Turkish War of Independence; systematic cultivation expanded in the 1920s, with the first leaf harvest and dry tea production occurring in 1938, followed by the operationalization of the initial processing plant in Rize's central nursery garden.[69] By the mid-20th century, state support via the General Directorate of Tea Enterprises (ÇAYKUR), established in Rize, facilitated industrialization, transforming tea into the province's economic cornerstone. Rize accounts for about 66-67.6% of Turkey's tea plantation area and production share, underscoring its pivotal role in national output.[67] In 2023, Turkey's processed tea production reached 275,000 metric tons, with Rize contributing the bulk through over 129,000 producers operating small family farms.[70] The province's tea industry employs 11,590 of Rize's 16,082 industrial workers, primarily in processing and related activities across 470 registered enterprises.[34] Yields average 18,436 kg per hectare nationally, supported by the Black Sea region's climate, though local efforts focus on sustainability amid challenges like soil erosion on slopes.[71] Tea exports from Rize generated $10.2 million in 2023, a 29% increase from prior years, comprising nearly half of Turkey's total tea shipments to over 100 countries and bolstering provincial GDP through both domestic consumption and foreign markets.[72] This output positions Rize as a key node in Turkey's self-sufficiency in black tea, reducing import reliance since the mid-20th century while driving rural employment and infrastructure development tied to ÇAYKUR operations.[73]Industry, Services, and Tourism
The industrial base in Rize remains limited, with primary activities centered on agro-processing, particularly tea, where the sector's food product manufacturing—dominated by tea and coffee processing—recorded a turnover of 6.41 billion TL.[34] The inaugural tea factory opened in 1947, marking the start of organized processing in the region.[27] Other manufacturing includes woven fabrics, packaged natural spring water, and emerging steel production, exemplified by RİZDEMİR's establishment in 2023 to serve the Eastern Black Sea.[34][74] Exports in 2023 totaled 234.7 million USD, led by metallic ores, fishery products, and food and beverages, while imports of 8.3 million USD focused on machinery and agricultural inputs.[34] The services sector supports local commerce and administration, underpinned by the Rize Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which counts 4,856 members.[34] Unemployment was 8.7% in 2023, with 68.4% of the population aged 15-64, reflecting a workforce oriented toward trade, public services, and ancillary activities rather than high-value services.[34]Tourism emphasizes ecotourism and nature-based experiences, capitalizing on Rize's lush terrain, including the Kaçkar Mountains National Park, Fırtına Creek for rafting and hiking, and high plateaus such as Ayder and Pokut.[75][76] Attractions also feature Zilkale Castle, tea plantation tours, and waterfalls like Tar Creek, drawing visitors for their scenic and cultural appeal.[77] Accessibility is aided by Rize-Artvin Airport and proximity to the Sarp border gate, 104 km away, though the sector faces hurdles from seasonal patterns and visitors' occasional lack of preparation for local ecology and customs.[34][78] Potential exists for year-round growth via convention tourism and highland retreats.[79]