Samtskhe–Javakheti

Samtskhe–Javakheti borders Adjara and Guria in the northwestern tip, Imereti in 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, 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 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 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 is a ski resort.

The region has six municipalities with 82 administrative communities (temi)^[1] and a total of 271 populated settlements:

• Five cities: Akhaltsikhe, Akhalkalaki, Borjomi, Vale and Ninotsminda
• Two dabas: Kharistvala, Lentekhi
• Villages: 259

Map	Municipality	Area (km2)	Density (p/km2)
	Adigeni	799	20.1
	Akhalkalaki	1,235	33.2
	Akhaltsikhe	998	39.5
	Aspindza	825	12.8
	Borjomi	1,202	20.8
	Ninotsminda	1,354	14.0
Population density based on 2021 population.[2] Municipality area[1]

According to data from the National Statistical Bureau of Georgia, Samtskhe–Javakheti had 151,110 inhabitants as of January 1, 2021,^[2] a decrease of 6% compared to the 2014 census.^[1] Of these, 35.9% live in urban areas and 64.1% in rural villages. Akhaltsikhe and Akhalkalaki are the most densely populated municipalities.

Population development of the region Samtskhe–Javakheti[4]
	1959	1970	1979	1989	2002*	2002**	2014	2021
Samtsche-Dzjavacheti	213,329	231,593	227,676	238,750	207,598	183,096	160,504	151,110
Akhalkalaki	62,977	69,992	68,234	69,256	60,975	-	45,070	41,026
Akhaltsikhe	50,420	51,907	49,836	54,747	46,134	-	38,895	39,463
Adigeni	19,593	20,272	20,278	21,284	20,752	-	16,462	16,092
Aspindza	11,265	12,494	12,264	13,262	13,010	-	10,372	10,587
Borjomi	37,010	39,661	40,796	41,266	32,422	-	25,214	24,998
Ninotsminda	32,064	37,267	36,268	38,935	34,305	-	24,491	18,944
* Research after 2014 census showed the 2002 census was inflated by 8-9 percent.[5] ** Corrected data based on retro-projection 1994-2014 in collaboration with UN[6]

Ethnic groups

In 1926, the Akhaltsikhe Uyezd (corresponding to Meskheti or Samtskhe) had a population of:^[7]

• Meskhetian Turks - 49,170 (50.7%)
• Georgians - 24,353 (25.1%)
• Armenians - 15,565 (16.1%)
• Kurds - 3,094 (3.2%)
• other ethnic groups - 4,591 (4.9%)

In 1926, the Akhalkalaki Uyezd (corresponding to Javakheti) had a population of:^[8]

• Armenians - 57,791 (73.2%)
• Georgians - 7,565 (9.6%)
• Meskhetian Turks - 6,940 (8.8%)
• Russians - 2,492 (3.2%)
• other ethnic groups - 4,149 (5.2%)

In 2002, Samtskhe–Javakheti province ethnic makeup of 207,598 total population:^[9]

• Armenians - 113,347
• Georgians - 89,995
• Abkhazians - 42
• Ossetians - 822
• Russians - 2,230
• Azerbaijanis - 59
• Greeks - 740
• Ukrainians - 162
• Kists -
• Yazidis - 1

In 2014, Samtskhe–Javakheti province of Georgia had the following ethnic makeup of 160,504 total population:^[10]

• Armenians - 81,089 (50.52%)
• Georgians - 77,498 (48.28%)
• Russians - 712 (0.44%)
• other ethnic groups - 1,194 (0.74%)

The current division of Georgia into "regions" (Mkhare) 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.

Meskheti

The ancient tribes of Meskhi (or Moschi) and Mosiniks are the first known inhabitants of the area. Some scholars credit 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 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.

Javakheti

In ancient sources, 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 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 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.^[11][12] 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 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, 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.^[13] Armenian refugees from the Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire came in the early 20th century. Also a large number of Russian Doukhobor sect members settled the region.

Soviet era

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 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.^[14]

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 is very popular 10th century Sapara Monastery, Tmogvi fortress, and 8th century Zarzma monastery.^[15]

• Subdivisions of Georgia

• Friends at Dinner, Foes at Politics (about socio-economic problems of the region)
• Obstacles Impeding the Regional Integration of the Javalkheti Region, an ECMI working paper (PDF format)

41°35′N 43°16′E / 41.583°N 43.267°E / 41.583; 43.267