Maritsa River

Maritsa (Марица), Evros (Έβρος), Meriç
The source valley of the Maritsa river in the Rila Mountains
Country	Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey
Basin features
Main source	Rila Mountains, Bulgaria 2,378 m (7,802 ft)
River mouth	Aegean Sea, 14.5 km (9.0 mi) east of Alexandroupoli 40°43′50″N 26°2′6″E / 40.73056°N 26.03500°E / 40.73056; 26.03500Coordinates: 40°43′50″N 26°2′6″E / 40.73056°N 26.03500°E / 40.73056; 26.03500
Basin size	53,000 km2 (20,000 sq mi)
Physical characteristics
Length	480 km (300 mi) (321 km or 199 mi in Bulgaria, 159 km or 99 mi in Greece and Turkey)
Discharge	Average rate: for mouth 234 m3/s (8,300 cu ft/s)

The Maritsa, Meriç or Evros (Bulgarian: Марица, Marica; Ancient Greek: Ἕβρος, Hébros; Modern Greek: Έβρος Evros; Latin: Hebrus; Romanized Thracian: Evgos or Ebros; Turkish: Meriç) is, with a length of 480 km, the longest river that runs solely in the interior of the Balkans. It has its origin in the Rila Mountains in Western Bulgaria, flowing southeast between the Balkan and Rhodope Mountains, past Plovdiv and Parvomay (where the Mechka and the Kayaliyka join it) to Edirne, Turkey. East of Svilengrad, Bulgaria, the river flows eastwards, forming the border between Bulgaria (on the north bank) and Greece (on the south bank), and then between Turkey and Greece. At Edirne, the river flows through Turkish territory on both banks, then turns towards the south and forms the border between Greece on the west bank and Turkey on the east bank to the Aegean Sea. Turkey was given a small sector on the west bank opposite the city of Edirne. The river enters the Aegean Sea near Enez, where it forms a delta. The Tundzha is its chief tributary; the Arda is another one. The lower course of the Maritsa/Evros forms part of the Bulgarian-Greek border and most of the Greek-Turkish border. The upper Maritsa valley is a principal east-west route in Bulgaria. The unnavigable river is used for power production and irrigation.