Rize is a coastal city located in the eastern part of Turkey's Black Sea Region. It serves as the administrative seat for both Rize Province and Rize District. As of 2021, the city has a population of 119,828.
The city is characterized as a typical Turkish provincial capital with limited nightlife or entertainment options. Since the opening of the border with Georgia in the early 1990s, the Black Sea coast road has been widened, contributing to increased local wealth. The city is connected by road to Trabzon, Hopa, and Erzurum to the south, and it is served by the Rize–Artvin Airport, which began operations in 2022.
Rize holds historical significance as the ancestral home of current Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's family. The local university is named in his honor.