Bitola is a city located in the southwestern part of North Macedonia. It sits in the southern portion of the Pelagonia valley, surrounded by the Baba, Nidže, and Kajmakčalan mountain ranges. The city is situated approximately 14 kilometres north of the Medžitlija-Níki border crossing with Greece.
The city serves as a significant administrative, cultural, industrial, commercial, and educational centre. It occupies an important geographical junction that connects the southern Adriatic Sea region with both Central Europe and the Aegean Sea. Historically, Bitola was known during the Ottoman period as the "City of Consuls" because it hosted consulates from numerous European countries.