.svg) | |
| Continent | Europe andAsia |
|---|---|
| Region | Caucasus |
| Coordinates | 42°00′N43°30′E / 42.000°N 43.500°E /42.000; 43.500 |
| Area | Ranked 119 |
| • Total | 69,700 km2 (26,900 sq mi) |
| • Land | 100% |
| • Water | 0% |
| Coastline | 310 km (190 mi) |
| Borders | 1,814 km (1,127 mi)
|
| Highest point | Mount Shkhara 5,201 m (17,064 ft) |
| Lowest point | BetweenPoti andKulevi, (-1.5-2.3 m)[1] |
| Longest river | Alazani River 407 km (253 mi) |
| Largest lake | Paravani Lake, 37.5 km2 (14.5 sq mi) |
| Climate | Temperate tosubtropical |
| Terrain | Mountainous with a coastal plain |
| Natural resources | timber, hydropower,manganese deposits,iron ore,copper, minorcoal andpetroleum deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for importanttea andcitrus growth |
| Natural hazards | earthquakes |
| Environmental issues | air andwater pollution,soil pollution from toxic chemicals |
| Exclusive economic zone | 21,946 km2 (8,473 sq mi) |
Georgia is a country in theCaucasus region on the coast of theBlack Sea. Sometimes considered atranscontinental country, it is located at the intersection ofEastern Europe andWest Asia,[2] and is today generally regarded as part ofEurope.[3][4][5][6] It is bordered to the north and northeast byRussia, to the south byTurkey andArmenia, and to the southeast byAzerbaijan.[7][8]
Georgia is largely surrounded by theGreater Caucasus andLesser Caucasus mountains, which form part of a natural boundary between Eastern Europe and West Asia. Because theEurope–Asia boundary is essentially a "historical and cultural construct",[9] Georgia's continental placement has varied greatly.Anaximander placed the boundary between Europe and Asia along the Phasis River (the modernRioni River), which effectively located northern parts of Georgia in Europe and the south in Asia, a convention also followed byHerodotus.[10] According to one 18th century definition, which set theKuma–Manych Depression as the continental boundary, Georgia and the entire Caucasus fell into Asia. However, yet another definition drew the line atAras River, effectively placing all of Georgia in Europe.[11]
Notwithstanding variations in geographic placement, Georgia's proximity to the bulk of Europe, combined with various historical, cultural and political forces, has led to its inclusion in Europe. The country has joined European organizations, such as theCouncil of Europe andEurocontrol, and was deemed eligible to apply for membership of theEuropean Union,[12] which it did in 2022 and wasrecognized as a candidate member state.
Despite its small area, Georgia has one of the most varied topographies of the former Soviet republics.[13] It is one of the most mountainous countries in Europe,[14] lying mostly in theCaucasus Mountains, with its northern boundary partly defined by the Greater Caucasus range.[13] The Lesser Caucasus range, which runs parallel to the Turkish and Armenian borders, and theSurami Range, which connects the Greater Caucasus and the Lesser Caucasus, create natural barriers that are partly responsible for cultural and linguistic differences among regions.[13] Because of their elevation and a poorly developed transportation infrastructure, many mountain villages are virtually isolated from the outside world during the winter.[13]Earthquakes andlandslides in mountainous areas present a significant threat to life and property.[13] Among the most recent natural disasters were massive rock- and mudslides in Ajaria in 1989 that displaced thousands in southwestern Georgia, and two earthquakes in 1991 that destroyed several villages inRacha, upperImereti and theTskhinvali Region (South Ossetia).[13]
Georgia has about 25,000 rivers, many of which power smallhydroelectric stations.[13] Drainage is into the Black Sea to the west and through Azerbaijan to the Caspian Sea to the east.[13] The largest river is theKura River, which flows 1,364 km from northeast Turkey across the plains of eastern Georgia, through the capital, Tbilisi, and into the Caspian Sea.[13] TheRioni River, the largest river in western Georgia, rises in the Greater Caucasus and empties into the Black Sea at the port ofPoti.[13] Soviet engineers turned the river lowlands along the Black Sea coast into prime subtropical agricultural land, embanked and straightened many stretches of river, and built an extensive system of canals.[13] Deep mountain gorges form topographical belts within the Greater Caucasus.[13]
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Thecoastline of Georgia about 315 kilometres (196 mi):[15] of the coastline, 57 kilometres (35 mi) is the coastline ofAjaria (Ajara)[16] and 200 kilometres (120 mi) is the coastline ofAbkhazia.[17] Georgia has anExclusive Economic Zone of 21,946 km2 (8,473 sq mi) in theBlack Sea.
Georgia's climate is affected bytemperate humid influences from the west andcontinental influences from the east.[13] The Greater Caucasus range moderates local climate by serving as a barrier against cold air from the north.[13] Warm, moist air from the Black Sea moves easily into the coastal lowlands from the west.[13] Climatic zones are determined by distance from the Black Sea and by altitude.[13] Along the Black Sea coast, from Abkhazia to the Turkish border, and in the region known as theColchis Lowland inland from the coast, the dominant subtropical climate features high humidity and heavy precipitation (1,000 to 2,000 mm or 39.4 to 78.7 in per year; the Black Sea port of Batumi receives 2,500 mm or 98.4 in per year).[13] Several varieties ofpalm trees andcitrus grow in these regions, where the midwinter average temperature is 5 °C (41 °F) and the midsummer average is 22 °C (71.6 °F).[13]
The plains of eastern Georgia are shielded from the influence of the Black Sea by mountains that provide a morecontinental climate.[13] Summer temperatures average 20 to 24 °C (68.0 to 75.2 °F), winter temperatures 2 to 4 °C (35.6 to 39.2 °F).[13] Humidity is lower, and rainfall averages 500 to 800 mm (19.7 to 31.5 in) per year.[13]Alpine andhighland regions in the east and west, as well as asemi-arid region on theIori Plateau to the southeast, have distinct microclimates.[13]
At higher elevations, precipitation is sometimes twice as heavy as in the eastern plains.[13] In the west, the climate is subtropical to about 650 m (2,133 ft); above that altitude (and to the north and east) is a band of moist and moderately warm weather, then a band of cool and wet conditions.[13] Alpine conditions begin at about 2,100 m (6,890 ft), and above 3,600 m (11,811 ft) snow and ice are present year-round.[13]
| Climate data for Tbilisi (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1881–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 19.5 (67.1) | 22.4 (72.3) | 28.9 (84.0) | 34.4 (93.9) | 35.1 (95.2) | 40.2 (104.4) | 42.0 (107.6) | 40.4 (104.7) | 37.9 (100.2) | 33.3 (91.9) | 27.2 (81.0) | 22.8 (73.0) | 42.0 (107.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 6.6 (43.9) | 7.7 (45.9) | 12.6 (54.7) | 18.9 (66.0) | 23.1 (73.6) | 28.1 (82.6) | 31.2 (88.2) | 30.9 (87.6) | 26.4 (79.5) | 19.8 (67.6) | 12.8 (55.0) | 8.4 (47.1) | 18.9 (66.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 2.3 (36.1) | 3.1 (37.6) | 7.2 (45.0) | 12.7 (54.9) | 17.2 (63.0) | 21.7 (71.1) | 24.9 (76.8) | 24.7 (76.5) | 20.2 (68.4) | 14.2 (57.6) | 7.9 (46.2) | 3.7 (38.7) | 13.3 (55.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −0.8 (30.6) | 0.0 (32.0) | 3.2 (37.8) | 8.4 (47.1) | 12.4 (54.3) | 16.5 (61.7) | 19.8 (67.6) | 19.5 (67.1) | 15.4 (59.7) | 10.4 (50.7) | 4.9 (40.8) | 1.3 (34.3) | 9.3 (48.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −24.4 (−11.9) | −14.8 (5.4) | −12.8 (9.0) | −3.8 (25.2) | 1.0 (33.8) | 6.3 (43.3) | 9.3 (48.7) | 8.9 (48.0) | 0.8 (33.4) | −6.4 (20.5) | −7.1 (19.2) | −20.5 (−4.9) | −24.4 (−11.9) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 21 (0.8) | 23 (0.9) | 29 (1.1) | 51 (2.0) | 92 (3.6) | 85 (3.3) | 49 (1.9) | 37 (1.5) | 27 (1.1) | 41 (1.6) | 29 (1.1) | 23 (0.9) | 507 (20.0) |
| Average rainy days | 4 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 100 |
| Average snowy days | 6 | 8 | 3 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 | 1 | 4 | 22 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 74 | 72 | 68 | 66 | 67 | 64 | 61 | 62 | 66 | 73 | 76 | 76 | 69 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 99 | 102 | 142 | 171 | 213 | 249 | 256 | 248 | 206 | 164 | 103 | 93 | 2,046 |
| Source 1: Pogoda.ru.net[18] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: NOAA (Sunshine hours 1961–1990)[19] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Mta-Sabueti (1991-2020, extremes 1981-2020)42°02′N43°28′E / 42.033°N 43.467°E /42.033; 43.467 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 13.3 (55.9) | 16.4 (61.5) | 19.4 (66.9) | 27.8 (82.0) | 26.5 (79.7) | 30.0 (86.0) | 31.1 (88.0) | 34.4 (93.9) | 31.4 (88.5) | 26.1 (79.0) | 23.6 (74.5) | 15.9 (60.6) | 34.4 (93.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 0.3 (32.5) | 1.0 (33.8) | 5.1 (41.2) | 11.2 (52.2) | 16.0 (60.8) | 19.5 (67.1) | 22.1 (71.8) | 23.1 (73.6) | 18.8 (65.8) | 13.4 (56.1) | 6.7 (44.1) | 2.0 (35.6) | 11.6 (52.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −2.5 (27.5) | −2.3 (27.9) | 0.9 (33.6) | 5.9 (42.6) | 10.8 (51.4) | 14.4 (57.9) | 17.0 (62.6) | 17.7 (63.9) | 13.7 (56.7) | 8.9 (48.0) | 3.2 (37.8) | −0.8 (30.6) | 7.2 (45.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −4.7 (23.5) | −4.8 (23.4) | −2.0 (28.4) | 2.3 (36.1) | 7.1 (44.8) | 10.7 (51.3) | 13.5 (56.3) | 13.9 (57.0) | 10.2 (50.4) | 5.9 (42.6) | 0.7 (33.3) | −3.0 (26.6) | 4.2 (39.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −18.3 (−0.9) | −18.2 (−0.8) | −14.6 (5.7) | −11.8 (10.8) | −2.2 (28.0) | 0.1 (32.2) | 3.1 (37.6) | 5.0 (41.0) | 1.6 (34.9) | −5.2 (22.6) | −8.6 (16.5) | −13.4 (7.9) | −18.3 (−0.9) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 150.1 (5.91) | 124.8 (4.91) | 118.6 (4.67) | 78.6 (3.09) | 94.2 (3.71) | 79.6 (3.13) | 54.3 (2.14) | 54.1 (2.13) | 69.3 (2.73) | 89.4 (3.52) | 122.8 (4.83) | 128.1 (5.04) | 1,163.9 (45.81) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1.0 mm) | 14.2 | 13.8 | 14.9 | 12.2 | 13.4 | 12.4 | 10.3 | 9.2 | 9.5 | 10.7 | 11.3 | 13.7 | 145.6 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 88.7 | 88.7 | 86.6 | 82.3 | 84.5 | 86.6 | 86.2 | 83.7 | 85.8 | 87.9 | 87 | 88.2 | 86.4 |
| Source:NCEI[20][21] | |||||||||||||
Beginning in the 1980s, Black Sea pollution has greatly harmed Georgia's tourist industry.[13] Inadequate sewage treatment is the main cause of that condition.[13] In Batumi, for example, only 18 percent of wastewater was treated before release into the sea as of the early 1990s.[13] As of the early 1990s, an estimated 70 percent of surface water contained health-endangering bacteria to which Georgia's high rate of intestinal disease was attributed.[13]
The war in Abkhazia did substantial damage to the ecological habitats unique to that region.[13] In other respects, experts considered Georgia's environmental problems less serious than those of more industrialized former Soviet republics.[13] Solving Georgia's environmental problems was not a high priority of the national government in the post-Soviet years, however; in 1993 the minister for protection of the environment resigned to protest this inactivity.[13] In January 1994, the Cabinet of Ministers announced a new, interdepartmental environmental monitoring system to centralize separate programs under the direction of the Ministry of Protection of the Environment.[13] The system would include a central environmental and information and research agency.[13] TheGreen Party used its small contingent in the parliament to press environmental issues in 1993.[13]
Georgia participates in a number of international environmental agreements. It is a party to:Air Pollution,Biodiversity,Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, and Wetlands.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:Curtis, Glenn E. (1995).Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia : country studies (1st ed.). Washington, D.C.:Federal Research Division. pp. 175–177.ISBN 0-8444-0848-4.OCLC 31709972.The country has a coastline of 315 kilometers (196 miles).
The Ajara coastline is 57 km long.
Moreover, the Abkhazian coast stretches 200 kilometres, which has the potential to significantly increase the influence of either Russia or Georgia on the Black sea, including their military presence.
