The city has played a significant role in the history of the south-eastern Black Sea region due to its deep-water harbor and strategic position along regional trade routes. Over the centuries, Batumi has been ruled by theKingdom of Georgia, theOttoman Empire, theRussian Empire, and theSoviet Union, each leaving distinct cultural and architectural imprints. Its economy historically relied on maritime trade andoil transit, particularly following the construction of theBaku–Batumi pipeline in the early 20th century. Today, it remains a key transit point forCaspian energy exports and regional commerce.
Since the early 2000s, Batumi has undergone rapid modernization, with large-scale investments in tourism, high-rise development, and transport infrastructure. It is often referred to as the “Las Vegas of the Black Sea”[5] for itsgambling industry, modern hotels, and nightlife, while also being known for restored 19th-century architecture and public spaces. As of 2025, the city has a population of about 187,000 and hosts major cultural events, educational institutions, and one of Georgia’s busiest ports, making it both a leading tourist destination and a vital economic center in theSouth Caucasus.
Batumi’s strategic location on theBlack Sea coast near mountain passes into the Caucasus interior made it an important trade and military point from antiquity. Archaeological excavations atPichvnari conducted by theBatumi Archaeological Museum alongside theUniversity of Oxford indicate that theAdjara region was inhabited as early as the5th century BC, with imported amphorae and other evidence of Greek maritime presence.[6] The ancient settlement is commonly identified with the Greek trading post known asBathus orBathys (Greek:βαθύς λιμήν, bathys limēn, “deep harbor”), a toponym recorded in classical sources.[7][8] During the reign ofHadrian (c. 117–138 AD), the area featured a Roman fortification. In the6th century, theByzantine Empire redirected its regional military focus to the fortress ofPetra (modernTsikhisdziri), reducing Batumi’s strategic importance.
After the fragmentation of theKingdom of Georgia, the area came under the rule of thePrinces of Guria. In the 15th–16th centuries, Batumi was intermittently occupied by the Ottoman Empire. Following theBattle of Sokhoista (1545), it fell under Ottoman control.
In the 15th century, during the reign of PrinceKakhaber Gurieli, theOttoman Empire briefly seized Batumi and its surrounding district but failed to maintain control.[9] A century later, the Ottomans returned with a stronger military presence, inflicting a decisive defeat on Georgian forces at theBattle of Sokhoista in 1545. Batumi subsequently changed hands several times: it was retaken in 1546 by PrinceRostom Gurieli, lost soon afterwards, and again reclaimed in 1609 byMamia II Gurieli.[10]
In 1703, Batumi was permanently incorporated into the Ottoman Empire as part of the Sanjak of Lazistan. Over the next century and a half, it developed into a small but active provincial port serving the empire’s eastern Black Sea hinterland, facilitating trade in timber, tobacco, and other regional products.[11]
Following the Ottoman conquest, a sustained campaign ofIslamization began among the predominantly Christian Georgian population of the region. While conversion rates varied by community, this process significantly altered Adjara's demographic and cultural profile. The Islamization trend was halted and in part reversed after Batumi and Adjara were annexed by theRussian Empire following theRusso-Turkish War (1877–1878).[12]
Batumi was the last major Black Sea port to be annexed by theRussian Empire during its conquest of the Caucasian Black Sea coast. Under the terms of theTreaty of San Stefano (ratified 23 March 1878), signed between Russia and theOttoman Empire following theRusso-Turkish War (1877–1878), Batumi was ceded to Russia and formally occupied on 28 August 1878.[13] It was declared afree port (*porto franco*) until 1886 to encourage trade and foreign investment.[14] Initially functioning as the center of a special military district, it was incorporated into theKutaisi Governorate on 12 June 1883. On 1 June 1903, together with theArtvin Okrug, Batumi was reorganized as theBatum Oblast under the direct administration of theViceroy of the Caucasus.[15]
Batumi’s expansion accelerated with major infrastructure projects: the completion of the Batumi–Tiflis–Baku railway in 1883[16][17][18] and the opening of theBaku–Batumi pipeline in 1907.[19] These developments turned Batumi into the chief Russian oil port on the Black Sea. The city’s population doubled within two decades, rising from 8,671 in 1882 to 12,000 in 1889, and by 1902 reached around 16,000, including about 1,000 employed in the oil refinery of Baron Rothschild’s Caspian and Black Sea Oil Company.[20]
In the late 1880s and 1890s, Batumi became the departure point for over 7,400Doukhobor emigrants bound for Canada, following an agreement with the imperial government allowing their resettlement abroad. The Doukhobors, a pacifist religious minority opposed to military service, received financial and logistical assistance from Quaker and Tolstoyan supporters for the transatlantic journey. Most were eventually settled inManitoba andSaskatchewan.[21]
British occupation and the Democratic Republic of Georgia (1918–1921)
Following theTreaty of Brest-Litovsk in March 1918, theOttoman Empire advanced into southwestern Georgia, occupying Batumi in April 1918.[22] The short-livedTreaty of Batum (4 June 1918) formalized Ottoman control over the city and surrounding district, though the Armistice of Mudros in October 1918 forced Ottoman withdrawal.[23]
In December 1918,British Army forces under General William M. Thomson occupied Batumi as part of the Allied intervention in the Caucasus, citing the need to secure the port and theBaku–Batumi pipeline in the aftermath of theRussian Civil War.[24] The British administered the city as a strategic base for regional operations, maintaining a garrison of several thousand troops.
Facing growing Georgian nationalist pressure and changing strategic priorities, Britain transferred control of Batumi to theDemocratic Republic of Georgia on 7 July 1920, under an agreement recognizing Georgian sovereignty while allowing temporary Allied access to port facilities.[25] The handover was part of a broader British withdrawal from the Caucasus as post-war demobilization took effect.
In March 1921, during the final stages of theRed Army invasion of Georgia,Turkish troops briefly occupied Batumi under the pretext of protecting the local Muslim population.[26] Following a short period of Georgian control, the city was transferred to theSoviet Union in accordance with theTreaty of Kars (October 1921), which confirmed Turkish recognition of Soviet sovereignty over Batumi and the surroundingAdjara region in exchange for border adjustments in northeastern Turkey.[27]
To address the distinct religious and cultural composition of the local population, the Soviets established theAdjarian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic on 16 July 1921, granting nominal autonomy within theGeorgian SSR to Adjara’s predominantly Muslim community.[28]
Throughout the Soviet period, Batumi underwent significant transformation. The port was expanded and modernized, becoming a key hub forBlack Sea trade, particularly for oil exports from theBaku–Batumi pipeline. Industrialization brought new factories, ship-repair facilities, and food-processing plants, while Soviet urban planning introduced wide boulevards, parks, and standardized residential districts.[29]
In addition to its industrial role, Batumi developed as a resort destination for Soviet citizens, with new hotels, sanatoriums, and a revitalized seaside promenade attracting tourists from across the USSR. The city’s population steadily grew due to internal migration, reflecting its dual role as both a working port and a leisure center on the Black Sea coast.[30]
Batumi at night, with lighted stadium in the centre
FollowingGeorgia’s declaration of independence in April 1991,Adjara remained part of the country but developed into a semi-autonomous region under the de facto control of regional leaderAslan Abashidze.[31] Abashidze consolidated power by maintaining his own security forces, controlling customs revenues from the port, and limiting the influence of the central government inTbilisi.
Tensions with the Georgian government escalated in early 2004, following theRose Revolution, as PresidentMikheil Saakashvili sought to reassert central authority over Adjara. Mass protests in Batumi and surrounding towns in May 2004 combined with the defection of key security officials forced Abashidze to resign and flee toRussia on 6 May 2004.[32] The region was then reintegrated into Georgia’s political and administrative framework.
Since 2004, Batumi has undergone significant transformation, driven by foreign investment, large-scale urban redevelopment, and government-backed infrastructure projects. The city has emerged as a major tourism hub on theBlack Sea, with the construction of modern hotels, a renovated seaside boulevard, and cultural venues aimed at attracting international visitors.[33][34]
As Georgia's Black Sea coast continues to develop, high-rises are being built amongst Batumi's traditionallyclassical cityscapes.
Parallel to the tourism boom, thePort of Batumi has been modernized to handle increased cargo traffic, reinforcing its role as a strategic transit point for Caspian oil and regional trade. Ongoing projects include port deepening, new ferry terminals, and expanded logistics facilities, positioning Batumi as both a leisure destination and a commercial gateway in the South Caucasus.[35][36]
Batumi has ahumid subtropical climate (Cfa) according to Köppen's classification. The city's climate is heavily influenced by the onshore flow from the Black Sea and is subject to theorographic effect of the nearby hills and mountains, resulting in significant rainfall throughout most of the year, making Batumi the wettest city in bothGeorgia and the entireCaucasus Region.
The average annual temperature in Batumi is approximately 14 °C (57 °F). January is the coldest month with an average temperature of 5 °C (41 °F). August is the hottest month, with an average temperature of 22 °C (72 °F). The absolute minimum recorded temperature is −6 °C (21 °F), and the absolute maximum is 40 °C (104 °F). The number of days with daily temperatures above 10 °C (50 °F) is 239. The city receives 1958 hours of sunshine per year.
Batumi's average annual precipitation is 2,435 mm (95.9 in). November is the wettest month with an average of 312 mm (12.3 in) of precipitation, while May is the driest, averaging 84 mm (3.3 in). Batumi receives snow most years, but it is often limited in amount (accumulating snowfall of more than 30 cm (11.8 in) is rare), and the number of days with snow cover for the year is 12. The average level of relative humidity ranges from 70 to 80%.
Batumi's skyline has been transformed since 2007 with remarkable buildings and monuments of contemporary architecture,[4] including:[41]
Marriott Hotel
Radisson Blu hotel
Public Service Hall
Hilton Batumi
Leogrand
A largeKempinski hotel and casino is to open in 2013, aHilton Hotel as well as a 47-storey Trump Tower is also planned.[42]Alliance Privilege, a building compromising Marriott Hotel, Casino and serviced apartments is one of the contemporary buildings with unique architecture by the beach.
Of the 4,970 inhabitants in 1872, about 4,500 were Muslim (Adjarians,Turks,Circassians, andAbkhazians). In the 1897 census, the Orthodox Christian population was 15,495 (mostly Slavs) while Muslims numbered 3,156, including some of whom were citizens of Turkey.[51]
A sculpture byTamara Kvesitadze of two standing figures on the seashore shows the story first told in the 1937 Austrian novel,Ali and Nino, of lovers who are parted after World War I. Each day, the two figures move toward each other but never stay together. Ali, an Azerbaijani Muslim, falls in love with Georgian princess, Nino, but sadly, after they are finally able to get together, the war hits home and Ali is killed. It was installed in 2010.[55]
The city is served byBatumi Airport, one of three international airports in the country.[56]
The main types of public transport are buses, minibusses, and taxis. Batumi has modern electric buses. Using the service is possible byBATUMICARD, transit card, or debit/credit cards. Buses connect almost everywhere in the city. Abike-sharing system namedBatumVelo allows you to rent a bicycle on the street with a smart card.[57]
Theport of Batumi is on one of the routes of China's proposedEurasian Land Bridge (part of the "New Silk Road"), which would see an eastern freight link to China via Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea, and a western link by ferry to Ukraine and on to Europe.[58]
Batumi has become an emerging centre for medical education in theCaucasus region, attracting international students due to its affordable tuition and English-language programs. Institutions such asBatumi Shota Rustaveli State University, BAU International University offer accredited medical degrees recognized across America, Europe and Asia.[59]
The city’s growth in medical education is supported by modern infrastructure and increasing foreign enrollment. According toThe Times of India, many Indian students choose Batumi for MBBS studies due to simplified admission processes andNMC-recognized curriculum.[60]
^Clifford, John Herbert, ed. (1907).The Standard History of the World. Vol. 6. New York: University Society Inc. p. 3735. Retrieved13 August 2025 – via Google Books.
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^Lang, David Marshall (1957).Last Years of the Georgian Monarchy, 1658–1832. New York: Columbia University Press. p. 36.
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^Zürcher, Erik-Jan (2004).Turkey: A Modern History. London: I.B. Tauris. p. 26.
^Allen, W.E.D. (2017) [1932].A History of the Georgian People. London: Routledge. pp. 226–228.ISBN978-1-351-89934-3.{{cite book}}:Check|isbn= value: checksum (help)
^Kozlov, Sergei (2017). "Batumi as a Free Port in the Russian Empire".Journal of Eurasian Studies.8 (2):135–150.doi:10.1016/j.euras.2017.04.002 (inactive 7 September 2025).ISSN1879-3674.{{cite journal}}:Check|issn= value (help)CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of September 2025 (link)
^Gammer, Moshe (2003).Muslim Resistance to the Tsar: Shamil and the Conquest of Chechnia and Daghestan. London: Routledge. p. 278.ISBN978-0-7146-5588-9.{{cite book}}:Check|isbn= value: checksum (help)
^Patmore, J.A. (1969).Railways, Geography and Economic Growth. Macmillan. pp. 92–94.
^Yergin, Daniel (1991).The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power. Simon & Schuster. pp. 60–61.ISBN978-0-671-79932-8.
^Woodcock, George (1968).The Doukhobors. Oxford University Press. pp. 102–108.
^Lang, David Marshall (1962).A Modern History of Georgia. Weidenfeld and Nicolson. pp. 221–223.
^Suny, Ronald Grigor (1994).The Making of the Georgian Nation. Indiana University Press. pp. 184–186.ISBN978-0-253-20915-3.
^Reynolds, Michael (2006). "Britain and the Caucasus, 1918–1920".Middle Eastern Studies.42 (5):759–782.doi:10.1080/00263200600826232 (inactive 7 September 2025).{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of September 2025 (link)
^Allen, W.E.D. (2017) [1932].A History of the Georgian People. Routledge. pp. 260–261.ISBN978-1-351-89934-3.{{cite book}}:Check|isbn= value: checksum (help)
^Harris, George S. (1953).The Origins of the Soviet-Georgian Dispute. Stanford University Press. pp. 146–149.
^Walker, Christopher J. (1990).Armenia: The Survival of a Nation. Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 342–343.ISBN978-0-333-54546-1.
^Suny, Ronald Grigor (1994).The Making of the Georgian Nation. Indiana University Press. pp. 201–202.ISBN978-0-253-20915-3.
^Gachechiladze, Revaz (1992). "The New Role of Tbilisi and Batumi in Soviet and Post-Soviet Economic Geography".Eurasian Geography and Economics.33 (2):79–93.doi:10.1080/10889388.1992.10641089 (inactive 7 September 2025).{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of September 2025 (link)
^Fowkes, Ben (1997).The Disintegration of the Soviet Union: A Study in the Rise and Triumph of Nationalism. Macmillan. pp. 45–46.ISBN978-0-333-61565-2.
^Mitchell, Lincoln A. (2008).Uncertain Democracy: U.S. Foreign Policy and Georgia's Rose Revolution. University of Pennsylvania Press. pp. 34–36.ISBN9780812241273.
^Кавказский календарь на 1917 год [Caucasian calendar for 1917] (in Russian) (72nd ed.). Tiflis: Tipografiya kantselyarii Ye.I.V. na Kavkaze, kazenny dom. 1917. pp. 182–185. Archived fromthe original on 4 November 2021.
^Sichinava, V (1958).Batumis ist'oriidanბათუმის ისტორიიდან [From the History of Batumi] (in Georgian). Batumi. p. 110.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
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