Rize

Rize lies on the eastern Black Sea coast, where steep, wet slopes descend toward a narrow maritime strip. Cultivation, livestock, woodland products, and fishing supported communities using resources across different elevations. Roads inland were constrained by terrain, making coastal shipping important to movement and exchange. Rainfall and mountain water shaped a productive environment whose opportunities differed greatly from the drier Anatolian interior.

The wider eastern Black Sea coast was connected with Trebizond and the neighbouring Caucasian lands. Rize belonged to the historical region of Chaneti, which was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire in 1547. Coastal exchange continued under changing authorities.