Strandzha

Strandzha (Bulgarian: Странджа, also transliterated as Strandja; Turkish: Yıldız Dağları or Istranca) is a mountain massif in southeastern Bulgaria and the European part of Turkey, in the southeastern part of the Balkans between the plains of Thrace to the west, the lowlands near Burgas to the north and the Black Sea to the east. Its highest peak is Mahya Dağı (Bulgarian: Махиада, Mahiada) (1,031 m/3,383 ft) in Turkey, while the highest point on Bulgarian territory is Golyamo Gradishte (Bulgarian: Голямо Градище) (710 m/2,329 ft). The total area of the massif is approximately 10,000 km2 (3,861 sq mi). The name of the massif allegedly derives from Istranca, the former name of the Municipality of Binkılıç in Çatalca district, Istanbul province.