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30-576: Borjomi municipality borders Akhaltsikhe in the southwest, Aspindza and Akhalkalaki in the south, Tsalka in the east, Kharagauli , Khashuri , Kareli Municipality and Gori Municipality in the north. The municipality consists in large part of subranges of the Lesser Caucasus mountains, the western end of the Trialeti Range and the eastern end of the Meskheti Range which are separated by

60-591: A canyon through in the highlands and forms the eastern boundary of the Erusheti Highlands , a mountain range along the border with Turkey. In this gorge the large historic cave monastery Vardzia is situated, an important tourist attraction. The river flows initially in a northwesterly direction through the gorge to Akhaltsikhe via Khertvisi Fortress where the Paravani River joins the Mtkvari. The river gorge has

90-469: A depth of approximately 500 meters. At Akhaltsikhe the river turns to the northeast and streams to Borjomi between the Meskheti Range (left bank) and Trialeti Range (right bank), after which the river leaves the region through the Shida Kartli plain. Due to its high location, the region has cold and snowy winters. In the northern situated Bakuriani , not far from the tourist attraction Borjomi, there

120-641: A transitional climate with cold winters and long summers. The average annual temperature in January is -3 - -6 °C; and in August 14-18 °C. Borjomi municipality is administratively divided into 11 administrative units (communities, თემი, temi ), these include Akhaldaba, Bakuriani, Balanta, Borjomi, Dviri, Tabatskuri, Tadzrisi, Tba, Kvibisi, Tsikhisdzhvari, Tsagveri. The municipality has one city (the municipal centre Borjomi ), three daba ( Akhaldaba , Bakuriani , Tsagveri ) and 40 villages (სოფელი, sopeli). In 2018

150-486: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Samtskhe-Javakheti Samtskhe–Javakheti ( Georgian : სამცხე-ჯავახეთი , pronounced [samtsʰχe dʒavaχetʰi] , Armenian : Սամցխե-Ջավախեթի , romanized :  Samts’khe-Javakhet’i ) is a region ( mkhare ) in southern Georgia with a population of 147.400 (2023 ) and an area of 6,413 km (2,476 sq mi). The region has Akhaltsikhe as its administrative center. Samtskhe–Javakheti

180-482: Is a municipality in Georgia's southern region of Samtskhe-Javakheti . Covering an area of 1,010.4 km (390 sq mi). As of 2021 it had a population of 39,463 people. The city of Akhaltsikhe is its administrative centre. Akhaltsikhe municipality is administratively divided into two cities ( Akhaltsikhe and Vale ) and 14 communities (თემი, temi) with 46 villages (სოფელი, sopeli). The city of Akhaltsikhe

210-493: Is a ski resort. The region has six municipalities with 82 administrative communities ( temi ) and a total of 271 populated settlements: According to data from the National Statistical Bureau of Georgia, Samtskhe–Javakheti had 151,110 inhabitants as of January 1, 2021, a decrease of 6% compared to the 2014 census. Of these, 35.9% live in urban areas and 64.1% in rural villages. Akhaltsikhe and Akhalkalaki are

240-548: Is made up of the historical Georgian provinces Meskheti , Javakheti and Tori . The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline , the South Caucasus natural gas pipeline , and the Kars–Tbilisi–Baku railway pass through the region. The population of the region is made up of Georgians and Armenians , as well as smaller numbers of Russians . Samtskhe–Javakheti borders Adjara and Guria in the northwestern tip, Imereti in

270-635: The Arab occupation , Bagrationi dynasty came to rule over Tao-Klarjeti and established the Kouropalatate of Iberia . rulers of Tao-Klarjeti fought the Arabs from there, gradually incorporating the surrounding lands of Samtskhe and Javakheti, along with a few other lesser lands, from the Arab dominance. For a long time the region became a cultural safe-house and one of the most important religious centers of Georgia. In

300-733: The Borjomi Gorge through which the Mtkvari river flows. Within the municipality, there are branches of the Trialeti Range - the Gvirgvini range and Tsikhisdzhvari, the peaks of which reach 2000–2850 meters above sea level. Between the main ridge of the Trialeti Range and the Gvirgvini subrange the Tory basin is located. The municipality is lying on both sides of the Mtkvari River. From the right side merges

330-685: The Meskhetian Turks , a Turkic-speaking ethnic group of predominantly Muslim faith living in this area, were deported to Soviet Central Asian republics as part of a Stalinist resettlement operation. At that time, the Meskhetians constituted half of the population of the raion Akhaltsikhe (1939: 28,428 of the 55,490 inhabitants). Attempts to return them to independent Georgia have failed, with local resistance. 41°38′20″N 42°59′10″E  /  41.6389°N 42.9861°E  / 41.6389; 42.9861 This Georgia location article

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360-572: The Ottoman Empire came in the early 20th century. Also a large number of Russian Doukhobor sect members settled the region. Georgia came fully under Soviet control in 1921, after the Red Army invasion of Georgia . The remaining Muslim minority in Meskheti, also known as " Meskhetian Turks ", were deported in cattle-trucks to Central Asia by order of Stalin and settled within an area that overlaps

390-653: The Ottoman Empire . After the conclusion of the Russo-Persian War of 1826-28 , it was a part of Russian Tiflis Governorate from 1817 till 1829, from 1918 to 1921 part of the Democratic Republic of Georgia , and from 1921 to 1990 part of the Georgian SSR . After independence from the USSR Meskheti was reinstalled as a province of Georgia, and later cast into the new Samtskhe–Javakheti region. In ancient sources,

420-415: The 11th century, the center of upper Javakheti became Akhalkalaki . From the 10th century, the center of lowland Javakheti was Tmogvi . From the 12th century, the domain was ruled by representatives of the feudal family of Toreli . In the 15th century, Javakheti was incorporated to principality of Samtskhe-Saatabago . In the 16th century, the region, as well as the adjacent territories of western Georgia,

450-510: The Bordjomula and Gujaretistskali. Rivers are used for both irrigation and energy purposes. There are many lakes in Borjomi. Among them, Tabatskuri and Kahisi, in addition to beauty, are also rich in precious fish. The region has many mineral springs, which are its main fossil wealth. The municipality of Borjomi is located at the transition place between continental subtropics and marine subtropics with

480-576: The Mosiniks (or Mossynoeci ) with the invention of iron metallurgy . From the 2nd millennium to the 4th century BC, Meskheti was believed to be part of the Kingdom of Diauehi , in the 4th century BC to the 6th century AD part of the Kingdom of Iberia . From the 10th to the 15th century it was part of the united Georgian Kingdom . In the 16th century Meskheti was integrated into the Safavid Empire , followed by

510-516: The borough (daba) Bakurianis Andeziti wad downgraded to village. Borjomi Municipal Assembly ( Georgian : ბორჯომის საკრებულო, Borjomi Sakrebulo ) is the representative body in Borjomi Municipality, consisting of 33 members which are elected every four years. The last election was held in October 2021 . Otar Arbolishvili of Georgian Dream was elected mayor. By the start of 2021 the population

540-451: The boundaries of the modern nations of Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , and Uzbekistan . Today, many are still dispersed across those countries. Of the 100,000 forcibly deported, as many as 30,000-50,000 perished. The major tourist attractions are the cave monasteries of Vardzia (which was founded by Queen Tamar in 1185), Vanis Kvabebi (which dates from the 8th century), Rabati Castle and Khertvisi Fortress . Also, among national visitors

570-697: The largest ethnic minority are the Armenians , who make up 31% of the population. Other minorities are a few dozen Russians , Greeks , Ukrainians , Ossetes and a few Abkhazians . In terms of religion, 68% of the population are followers of the Georgian Orthodox Church and 17.4% are followers of the Armenian Apostolic Church . Another large group by Georgian standards are Catholics (12.6%). Furthermore, there are small numbers of followers of Jehovah's Witnesses and Islam . In November 1944,

600-436: The mid-10th century, Javakheti was incorporated into Kingdom of Abkhazia . In 964 Leon III of Abkhazia extended his influence to Javakheti, during his reign was built Kumurdo Cathedral . In subsequent centuries, Javakheti was integral part of unified Georgian monarchy and had a period of significant development: lot of bridges, churches, monasteries, and royal residences (Lgivi, Ghrtila, Bozhano, Vardzia ) were built. From

630-602: The most densely populated municipalities. In 1926, the Akhaltsikhe Uyezd (corresponding to Meskheti or Samtskhe) had a population of: In 1926, the Akhalkalaki Uyezd (corresponding to Javakheti ) had a population of: In 2002, Samtskhe–Javakheti province ethnic makeup of 207,598 total population: In 2014, Samtskhe–Javakheti province of Georgia had the following ethnic makeup of 160,504 total population: The current division of Georgia into "regions" ( Mkhare )

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660-473: The most important being the Meskheti Range and Trialeti Range in the north and the Samsari Range and Javakheti Range in the east. The highlands are home to some of Georgia's largest lakes, such as Paravani Lake , Tabatskuri Lake , Khanchali Lake and Kartsakhi Lake . Georgia's largest river, the Mtkvari , flows through the region from Turkey, a few miles north of Kartsakhi Lake. The river has carved

690-517: The north, Shida Kartli in the northeast and Kvemo Kartli in the east. The southern border is formed by Armenia , the southwestern flank borders Turkey . The region covers the Javakheti Plateau , a highland of volcanic origin and the northern extension of the Armenian highlands . The plains are between 1500 and 2000 meters above sea level. Samtskhe–Javakheti is bordered by several mountain ranges,

720-446: The population consists of followers of the Georgian Orthodox Church and 3.9% are followers of the Armenian Apostolic Church , followed by Jehovah's Witnesses (0.5%), and a few dozen Catholics and Muslims . 41°50′N 43°23′E  /  41.833°N 43.383°E  / 41.833; 43.383 Akhaltsikhe Municipality Akhaltsikhe ( Georgian : ახალციხის მუნიციპალიტეტი , Akhaltsikhis munitsip’alit’et’i ))

750-627: The region was recorded as Zabakha in 785 BC, by the king Argishti I of Urartu . According to Cyril Toumanoff , Javakheti was part of the Iberian duchy of Tsunda from the 4th or 3rd century BC. Saint Nino entered Iberia from Javakheti, and, following the course of the River Kura , she arrived in Mtskheta , the capital of the kingdom, once there, she eventually began to preach Christianity, which culminated by Christianization of Iberia . In struggle against

780-608: Was determined at 24,998 people, a minor decrease compared to the 2014 census. The population density of the municipality is 21 inhabitants per square kilometre (54/sq mi). 60.1% of the population lives in urbanized settlements (cities or daba ). The vast majority (87%) of the population of Akhalkalaki is Georgian . The largest ethnic minority by far are the Armenians (8.6%). Other minorities include Ossetians (1.3%), Greeks (1.2%), Russians (1.1%), Ukrainians (0.3%) and minimal numbers of Azerbaijanis , Jews , Assyrians and Abkhazians . In terms of religion, more than 94% of

810-454: Was held in October 2021 . Irakli Lazarashvili of Georgian Dream was elected mayor. By the start of 2021 the population was determined at 39,463 people, a slight increase compared to the 2014 census. The population of Akhaltsikhe city decreased slightly during the same period. The population density of the municipality is 39.6 inhabitants per square kilometre (103/sq mi). The population of Akhaltsikhe consists for 68% of Georgians. By far

840-515: Was introduced by the Shevardnadze government in the mid-1990s, partly as a response to the secession of Abkhazia and the South Ossetia conflict. Samtskhe–Javakheti was basically formed by combining the two traditional provinces of Meskheti (Samtskhe) and Javakheti . The ancient tribes of Meskhi (or Moschi ) and Mosiniks are the first known inhabitants of the area. Some scholars credit

870-522: Was occupied by the Ottoman Empire . The Georgian population of Javakheti was displaced to inner regions of Georgia such as Imereti and Kartli . Those who remained gradually became Muslim . As a result of the struggles of the Russian Empire with the Ottomans, Russian authorities settled Christian Armenians and Caucasus Greeks in the area after 1828. Armenian refugees from the Armenian genocide in

900-585: Was separated in 2014 from the municipality and was a so-called "self-governed" city (or kalaki). This administrative and governance reform was deemed too inefficient and expensive and was revoked in 2017. Since then, the city of Akhaltsikhe has been part of the general municipality again. Akhaltsikhe Municipal Assembly ( Georgian : ახალციხის საკრებულო, Akhaltsikhe Sakrebulo ) is a representative body in Akhaltsikhe Municipality, consisting of 39 members which are elected every four years. The last election

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