NESTOS RIVER

Modern Greek Nstos Potams, Bulgarian Mesta river in southwestern Bulgaria and western Thrace, Greece. The Nstos rises on Kolarov peak of the Rila Mountains of the northwestern Rhodope (Rodopi) Mountains. The river's upper confluents separate the Rila and Pirin ranges from the main Rhodope massif. Crossing the Bulgarian frontier into Greece, the Nstos divides Greek Macedonia from Greek Thrace. From just west of Stavropolis to its mouth on the Aegean Sea, 150 miles (240 km) from its source, it forms the boundary between Kavlla and Xnthi nomo (departments). Above Paranstion, however, the river is confined to inaccessible gorges as it traverses the sparsely populated, mountainous Drma noms (department). West of Xnthi the Nstos reaches the marshy, alluvial coastal plain of Khrisopolis (Chrysopolis).