Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria and the most populous urban center in the Bulgarian portion of the historic region of Thrace. It is situated approximately 144 km southeast of the national capital, Sofia. As of 2024, the city has a population of 329,489, with its greater metropolitan area housing 540,000 residents.
The city serves as a primary economic, transport, cultural, and educational hub for the country. Plovdiv gained international recognition as the European Capital of Culture in 2019 and has been a member of the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities since 2016.