Ergene ( tr, Ergene Nehri; grc, Εργίνης, ''Eryinis'') is a major left
tributary
A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drai ...
of the
Maritsa
Maritsa or Maritza ( bg, Марица ), also known as Meriç ( tr, Meriç ) and Evros ( ell, Έβρος ), is a river that runs through the Balkans in Southeast Europe. With a length of ,East Thrace region of
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...
.
The river rises from the southern part of Strandzha mountain, not far from the
Black Sea
The Black Sea is a marginal mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bounded by Bulgaria, Georgia, Rom ...
and flows for 281 km before entering the Maritsa near the Turkish city of
İpsala
İpsala (, ) is a town and district of Edirne Province in northwestern Turkey. It is the location of one of the main border checkpoints between Greece and Turkey. (The Greek town opposite İpsala is Kipoi.) The population is 8,332 (the city) an ...
, with part of its lower course canalized. Its drainage basin has an area of 11,016 km².
Major settlements along the river include
Uzunköprü
Uzunköprü is a town in Edirne Province in Turkey. It is named after a historical stone bridge, claimed to be the world's longest, on the Ergene River. It is a strategically important border town, located on the routes connecting Turkey to the B ...
,
Pehlivanköy
Pehlivanköy is a town and district of Kırklareli Province in the Marmara region of Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly ...
,
Çerkezköy
Çerkezköy is a town and district of Tekirdağ Province in the Marmara Region of Turkey.
Facts
Çerkezköy is located in inland Thrace just to the west of the outlying Istanbul districts of Çatalca and Silivri. Çerkezköy is an industrial area ...
and
Muratlı
Muratlı is a town and a district of Tekirdağ Province in the Marmara Region of Turkey. It is located at 24 km north of the town of Tekirdağ and on the railway line from Istanbul to the Bulgarian border. It covers an area of 427 km ...