Plovdiv is the second largest city in Bulgaria and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe. The city's population was 329,489 and the expanded metropolitan area had a population of 540,000 in 2024. Plovdiv is situated in a fertile area in south-central Bulgaria, on both banks of the Maritsa River. The city has developed over seven syenite hills, some reaching heights of 250 meters (820 feet).