Geographic records of Georgia. Mass media. The largest lake in Georgia

Georgia can boast not only this. It is amazingly beautiful, diverse nature, climate and topography.

Sputnik collected unique places in Georgia, which break geographical records.

The highest peak in Georgia

The mountain peak Shkhara, located in the central part of the Main Caucasian Range, is the highest point in Georgia. Geographers and climbers call it the "Alps of Svaneti". The mountain is covered with glaciers and snow. According to the latest data, the height of the main peak of Shkhara is 5203 meters above sea level.

The mountain is located in Svaneti. The name "shkhara" is also Svan and means "white stripe". At the foot of the southern slopes of Shkhara, at an altitude of 2200 meters above sea level, there is the village of Ushguli in the Mestia region of Svaneti, which is included in the list world heritage UNESCO.

Shkhara is not only the main peak of Georgia, it is also the third highest mountain in Russia. This is explained by the fact that the mountain is located on the border of both states and consists of several peaks.

The first successful ascent of the mountain was by Anglo-Swedish climbers in 1888. June, July, August, September are best for climbing to the top. To conquer such a peak as Shkhara, a serious approach is required. All routes have difficult sections, so you need special equipment and experience to successfully climb the mountain.

Thomas Vahe

The lowest place in Georgia

The lowest point in Georgia is in the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region. These are swamps located between port city Poti and the village of Kulevi near Lake Paliastomi. The swamps are below sea level by 1.5 - 2.3 meters.

Wettest place

Mount Mtirala is located at an altitude of 1761 meters above sea level in Western Georgia between Chakvi and Kobuleti. Mtirala is translated as "weeping", and this is not surprising - after all, the mountain is in fog all year round and it almost always rains here.

The microclimate of the mountain is considered the wettest not only in Georgia, but also in Europe. It receives 4.5 thousand millimeters of precipitation per year.

And all due to the fact that Mtirala is located between the Black Sea and the Adjara Mountains. Moist air from the sea is intercepted by mountains and determines the very humid climate of Adjara.

On Mount Mtirala is located national park, which is considered the most beautiful place in the region. Here you can see incredibly beautiful waterfalls and Georgian nature.

Photo: Courtesy of Official Tourism Portal of Adjara

Most dry place in Georgia

The pole of dryness of Georgia is located in the eastern part of the country and is called the Eldar lowland. The minimum amount of precipitation falls here - 250-300 millimeters per year.

The Eldar Lowland in Georgia is the only place where there is a semi-desert landscape. This is the driest region in the country.

In the Eldar lowland, there is a sharply negative moisture balance, which is equal to 0-2% - 0-3%.

The largest lake in Georgia

Paravani is the most large lake Georgia. It is located in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region at an altitude of 2073 meters above sea level. The volume of Lake Paravani is 91 million cubic meters. Area - 37.5 sq. meters, and maximum depth reservoir - 3.3 meters.

Lake Paravani is considered mysterious. The fact is that at the very bottom of the lake there is a strange structure. As a result of research at the bottom of the lake, archaeologists discovered a Bronze Age burial mound. From the bottom, various antique objects were raised to the surface, which are dated to the 4th century BC.

Under the muddy waters of Paravani, scientists expect to find many more interesting things. After all, the finds say that in ancient times people of a rather high culture lived here.

Most large reservoir Georgia

The Tsalka reservoir is the largest reservoir in Georgia. It was created artificially for energy purposes, thanks to the waters of the fast-flowing Khrami River in the middle of the 20th century.

The reservoir is located at an altitude of more than 1500 meters above sea level. Its length is 12 meters, width - 4 meters, and maximum point depth reaches 26 meters.

During the functioning of the reservoir, several residential buildings and a church were flooded, which, presumably, was built in the 11th century.

In winter, the reservoir freezes and the water level drops. At this time, the church appears. Today, only three walls of the basilica have survived, and they are in a rather deplorable state.

The most long river Georgia

The mountain river Alazani is the longest river in Georgia. She feeds on groundwater, rain and snow. The length of the river is 390 kilometers, the basin area is more than 11.8 thousand square kilometers.

The Alazani flows through eastern Georgia and Azerbaijan and partially forms the borders of the two countries. The river starts from the southern slopes Greater Caucasus and flows into the Mingachevir reservoir located in Azerbaijan. Before the Mingachevir reservoir was built, the Alazani River flowed directly into the Kura (Mtkvari in Georgian).

The oldest nature reserve in Georgia

The Lagodekhi Nature Reserve is the largest of the 15 protected areas in Georgia and, at the same time, the oldest in the Caucasus. The reserve was founded in 1912. It is located on the southern slopes of the eastern part of the Main Caucasian Range, near the city of Lagodekhi (Kakheti region).

total area Lagodekhi protected areas is 24,258 hectares. On the territory you can see almost 2/3 of the plants common in Georgia - more than 1,100 species.

Three rivers flow through the territory of the reserve: Shromishevi, Mitsimistskali and Lagodekhistskali. Here you can also find many waterfalls and several picturesque mountain lakes of glacial origin.

The reserve is included in the number of natural monuments of world importance by UNESCO.

The village of Ushguli, which is located in the highlands of Svaneti, is considered the highest settlement in Georgia. However, some experts argue that the village of Bochorna in the Dusheti region deserves this status, which is located 200 meters above Ushguli - at an altitude of 2,327 meters above sea level.

It is possible that soon the village of Bochorna will be given the status of not only the highest locality in Georgia, but also in Europe. To date, the leader is one of the villages in Switzerland, which is located at an altitude of 2,150 meters above sea level.

Countries:
18-04-2014, 16:33

Mountain peaks

• Bethlem cave
  The cave, located on the massif of the Kazbek peak, at an altitude of about 4100 meters above sea level. The entrance to the cave is carved into the red andesitic sheer rock at a height of 350-400 meters from the base.
• Kazbek
  An extinct stratovolcano, the easternmost five-thousander of the Caucasus, is located in the eastern part Central Caucasus, on the border of Russia and Georgia, in the eastern part of the Khokhsky ridge. Last eruption happened in 650 BC. e. The height in the Baltic system of heights is 5033.8 m.
• Kolka
  Karovo-valley glacier, located in the upper reaches of the Genaldon river valley of the Terek river basin of the Greater Caucasus mountain system in the Genaldon gorge on the northern slope of the Kazbek-Dzhimarai mountain range. According to widespread, widely circulating data, the length of the Kolka glacier is 3.2 km, the area is 2.5 km². According to other, more accurate scientific data, the length of the glacier is much longer - 8.4 km, area 7.2 sq. km
• barbalo
  Mountain on the site of the Main Caucasian Range, located. Some start here big rivers: Iori, Alazani - and many tributaries of other rivers, incl. flowing to the north (Argun rivers, Terek basin) and east (Andean Koisu, Sulak basin). To the south of Barbalo, two significant spurs separate, serving as a watershed, one [Kartala (Kartli) ridge] - between the Pshav Aragvi and Iori, the other [Kakheti (Tsivi-Gombori) ridge] - between Iori and Alazani (all - the Kura basin). Barbalo (together with Tebulos-mta located to the north) serves as the boundary of the geological structure of the Main Caucasian Range; thus, to the west of Barbalo, the mountains mainly consist of eruptive rocks (granite, crystalline schist, porphyry, etc.), and to the east - of rocks of sedimentary origin (clay shale, sandstones). Barbalo-big has a height of 3296 m above sea level, Barbalo-small is located somewhat north of the big one.
• Dzhangitau
  Mountain peak in the central part of the Main Caucasian (Dividing) Range. Height 5085 m. It is part of a unique 12-kilometer mountain range, known as the Bezengi Wall. It is located on the border of Russia (Kabardino-Balkaria) and Georgia. According to the latest topographic data, Dzhangitau peak is the highest point of the GKH and the highest point of Georgia. Previously, the highest accurate GKH and the highest point of Georgia was the Shkhara peak and had a height of 5203m., But according to the latest topographic data, this height was not accurate, and on this moment the peak of Shkhara has a height of 5068 meters, which is 17 meters lower than the peak of Dzhangitau Main, with a height of 5085 meters above sea level. popular place mountaineering.
• Diklosmta
  A mountain range in the eastern part of the Greater Caucasus on the crest of the Snegovoi Ridge, which is the natural border of Chechnya, Dagestan and Georgia. It is mainly composed of Lower Jurassic shales and sandstones. The massif has significant glaciation, the total area of ​​nine large permanent glaciers is 5.1 km². Glaciers feed the Hulandoy, Chero, Gakko rivers, as well as tributaries of the Khargabe river.
• denunciation
  Peak in the Main Caucasian Range (Pirikit Range), on the border of Russia (Chechnya) and Georgia (Tushetia). The name is based on the name of the Sharoev clan Donoi (Danei), similarly to Maistismta.
• Zilga-Khokh
  Top of the watershed Caucasian Range, on the border of South Ossetia and Georgia. Altitude: 3,853 m (12,645 ft) above sea level. On the northeastern slope of the mountain is the source of the Terek.
• Kideganis
  A mountain in the east of the Main Caucasian Range, on the border of the northern outskirts of the municipality of Dusheti and the Republic of Ingushetia, on the watershed of the Armkhi and Assa rivers. The main peak has a height of 4275 m, several minor peaks. The mountain is composed of Jura shales. Glaciers. Fauna and flora characteristic of the mountain - meadow and glacial - nival-glacial zone.
• Komito
  Mountain peak in the Sharoi region of Chechnya. The height above sea level is 4261 meters. Located on the border with Georgia
• Tetnuld
  Peak in the spur of the Bezengi Wall, the Main Caucasian Range in the region of Upper Svaneti, Georgia, 2 km south of Gestola Peak and the border Russian Federation(Kabardino-Balkaria). Height - 4 869 m. The peak is two-headed, composed of ancient crystalline rocks. The glaciers Oish, Nageb, (sources of the Enguri), Adish and others flow down from Tetnuld. The total area of ​​glaciers is 46 km². 22 km west of the summit is the regional center of Mestia.
• Ushba
  One of the peaks of the Greater Caucasus in the Georgian region of Upper Svaneti, 1.5 km south of the border with Russia (Kabardino-Balkaria). Although not among the 10 highest peaks in the region, Ushba is known as the "Matterhorn of the Caucasus" due to its picturesque double peak. Due to its steep profile and unstable weather, Ushba is considered by many climbers to be the most difficult peak in the Caucasus to climb.
• shang
  One of the peaks of the main ridge of the Greater Caucasus, on the border of Georgia and Ingushetia. The highest point of Ingushetia (4451 m.). Between the ridges Shan (in the east) and Kuro-Shino (in the west) is the gorge of the Kistinka River.
• Shoda
  Mountain on the southern slope of the Main Caucasian Range, forms the Shoda-Kedela Range, height 3609 meters. It has two peaks covered with eternal snow. There are deposits of albite - spectacular druses on sandstones, rock crystal - in the cavities of quartz veins; quartz - veins of the Alpine type in clay shales and sandstones, calcite, chlorite. At the foot of the mountain passes the Ossetian Military Road.
• Shkhara
  A mountain peak in the central part of the Main Caucasian (Dividing) Range, the highest point in Georgia. Height 5,068 m above sea level, some sources give an estimate of 5,201 m. Located in Svaneti from the south and Bezengi in Kabardino-Balkaria from the north, on the border with Russia, about 90 km north of the city of Kutaisi. It is part of a unique 12-kilometer mountain range known as the Bezengi wall.

mountain ranges

• Arsian Ridge
  A mountain range in the northwestern frame of the Armenian Highlands (the Lesser Caucasus system) located in southern Georgia and eastern Turkey. Northern part The ridge, entering Georgia, borders the upper reaches of the Adzharistskali River from the east and adjoins the western tip of the Lesser Caucasus. The southwestern end of the ridge lies at the confluence of the Oltu and Chorukha rivers. The total length of the ridge is about 150 km. Max Height- 3165 m (Mount Arsiyan). The ridge is composed of shales and sandstones, which alternate with volcanogenic strata. Retains moisture brought from the sea. The slopes of the ridge are covered below with beech-chestnut, above with beech and fir-spruce forests, then with alpine meadows.
• Bezengi wall
  13-kilometer mountain range, the highest section of the Main Caucasian (Dividing) Range.
• side ridge
  The mountain range of the Greater Caucasus, stretching from north side parallel to the Main Range. Unlike the Main Caucasian Range, the Side Range does not represent a single continuous chain of mountains, but is divided into independent mountain ranges by transverse faults. It is separated from the Main Caucasian Range by a deep intermountain depression - a depression that runs along the fault line of the earth's crust.
• Main Caucasian Range
  An uninterrupted mountain range extending over 1,100 km from the northwest to the southeast from the Black Sea (Anapa region) to the Caspian Sea (Mount Ilkhydag northwest of Baku). The Caucasian Range divides the Caucasus into two parts: Ciscaucasia (Northern Caucasus) and Transcaucasia (South Caucasus). The Main Caucasian Ridge separates the basins of the Kuban, Terek, Sulak and Samur rivers in the north and the Inguri, Rioni and Kura rivers in the south. The mountain system, which includes the Main Caucasian Range, is called the Greater Caucasus (or the Greater Caucasian Range), in contrast to the Lesser Caucasus, a vast highland located south of the Rioni and Kura valleys and directly connected with the uplands of Western Asia.
• Javakheti Range
  The mountain range in Georgia and Armenia is about 50 km long. The highest peak of the range is Mount Achkasar (3196 m, Armenia). The Javakheti Range is formed by a chain of numerous volcanoes active in the Quaternary period. The name Wet Mountains is associated with the climate of these places - there is a lot of precipitation here. The vegetation is characteristic of mountain steppes, subalpine and alpine meadows. The rivers Tzakhkashen, Ghukasyan and Chichkhan originate on the ridge.
• Kartli Range
  A mountain range in Georgia, on the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus, located between the Pshavskaya Aragvi and Iori rivers. The length of the ridge is over 100 km. Heights reach 3000 m in the north. The ridge is composed mainly of sandstones, marls, and shales. The slopes are covered with beech and oak forests. On the tops there are mountain meadows.
• Kakheti Range
  Mountain range in Georgia, in the southern part of the Greater Caucasus. It serves as a watershed for the Iori and Alazani rivers. The length of the ridge is about 120 km. The maximum height is 2506 m. The ridge is composed mainly of sandstones, marls, and shales. The slopes are covered with broad-leaved forests and shrubs. At an altitude of 2000 m - mountain meadows. In the lower parts of the slopes there are vineyards.
• Lechkhum Range
  Mountain range in Georgia. It is the front range of the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus. The length of the ridge is about 60 km. highest height- 3584 m (Mount Samertskhle). It is composed of porphyrites, shales, and flysch in the northeast. Subalpine and alpine meadows, beech and dark coniferous forests.
• Likhsky ridge
  The ridge of the Georgian-Imereti and Meskhi mountains. Located on the territory of South Ossetia and Georgia. It is the only continuous watershed ridge connecting the Greater Caucasus with the Lesser. Altitude up to 1926 m. It starts at the top of Zikari (12563 feet) of the Main Caucasian Range, then goes southwest and, adjoining the latitudinal chain, which is the northern margin of the Lesser Caucasus, divides the Kura and Rioni basins, dividing Transcaucasia into two very different climates , vegetation and other parts - eastern and western. The Likh Range is composed of granites and chalk rocks. In the middle part, there is a rather convenient Suramsky pass (3027 feet), leading (at Russian Empire) from Imeretia to Kartaliniya (from Kutaisi to Tiflis).
• Meskheti Range
  Mountain range in Georgia, in the northern part of the Lesser Caucasus. The length from west to northeast is about 240 km. The highest height is 2850 m (Mepistskaro). Karst is widely developed. On the slopes, broad-leaved and dark coniferous forests are not uncommon, and at an altitude of more than 2000 m, subalpine and alpine meadows, which serve as excellent pastures in the warm season. It is one of the ridges along which the watershed between the Black and Caspian Seas passes.
• Pontic mountains
  Mountain system in northern Turkey, stretching along south coast Black Sea, from the mouths of the Yeshilyrmak River to the mouths of the Chorokh River and even a little further to the top of Karchal (3428 meters), which can be considered its eastern tip.
• Racha Range
  Mountain range in Georgia and South Ossetia, in the central part of the Greater Caucasus on the south side. The highest height is 2862 m. The Racha Range separates the basins of the Kishelta, Tsata, Bolshaya Liakhvi in ​​the east and Jochiara, Jodzhora and Rioni in the west. Karst is widely developed. On the slopes there are beech and dark coniferous forests, subalpine and alpine meadows. The Tkibul coal deposit is located near the southwestern spurs. Near the north-eastern - Kvaisskoe deposit of lead-zinc ores.
• Samsar Range
  The watershed plateau (3000 m above sea level) separates the basins of the Paravani and Khrami rivers, the right tributaries of the Kura. The Samsar plateau is composed mainly of trachyte lavas. Samsari peak (3284 m) rises in the center of the Samsari plateau, located between the lakes of Tabatskuri and the largest lake in Georgia, Paravani. The climate on the plateau is the most severe in Georgia: summers are short and cool, winters are unusually cold (frosts -25 to -35 degrees Celsius). There are no forests on the plateau.
• Svaneti Range
  Mountain range in Georgia. It is the front range of the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus. The length of the ridge is 85 km. The highest height is 4,008 m (Mount Laila). It is composed of shales and quartzites. The crest of the ridge is occupied by glaciers with a total area of ​​about 30 km². On the slopes there are alpine meadows, turning into coniferous and beech forests. The northern slopes of the ridge face the valley of the upper reaches of the Inguri River (the historical region of Upper Svaneti), the southern slopes face the upper reaches of the Tskhenistskali River (the historical region of Lower Svaneti).
• Somkhet Range
  A mountain range in Armenia and Georgia, located in the middle part of the Lesser Caucasus. The length of the ridge is 75 km. The maximum height reaches 2543 m (Mount Lalvar). The ridge is dissected by the transverse gorge of the Debed River. It is composed of basalts, andesites, sandstones and limestones with granitoid intrusions. The ridge has gentle slopes in the western half, steep slopes in the eastern. The northern slope of the ridge is covered with forest, the southern slope is dominated by mountain steppe with sparse shrubs. Also, a deposit of copper ores (Alaverdi) was discovered on the southern slope.
• Trialeti ridge
  A mountain range in Georgia on the right bank of the Kura to the west of Tbilisi, the length is estimated from 150 to 200 km, the width is about 30 km. The ridge serves as a major watershed. Formed by volcanic activity of the Paleogene era, it is composed of flysch and volcanogenic rocks. On the northern slope of the ridge is the medieval monastery of Kvatakhevi.
• Tusheti ridge
  Mountain range, in the eastern part of the Greater Caucasus, on the border of Georgia, as well as Chechnya, Ingushetia and Dagestan. It is located between the upper reaches of the Argun and Andi Koisu rivers. The ridge belongs to the system of the Lateral Range of the Greater Caucasus, extending parallel to the lower Dividing Range. The length of the ridge is 80 km. The highest point is Mount Tebulosmta (4493 m). The ridge is composed of shales and sandstones of the Lower Jurassic age. On the slopes there are alpine and subalpine meadows. There are glaciers on the highest massifs.
• Khokhsky ridge
  A mountain range in the Caucasus Mountains, part of the Lateral Caucasian Range, passing through the territory of Georgia and Russia ( North Ossetia). The Khokhsky Range runs north of the Main Caucasian Range, separated from it by the Trusovsky Gorge. The ridge is cut by the Ardon and Terek gorges. It includes mountains: Kazbek (5034 m), Siveraut (3767 m), Jimara (4780 m), Maylihokh (4598 m); glaciers: northern slope - Midagrabin, Mayli, Chach, Devdoraksky; southern slope - Abana, Mna, Savitisi.
• Shavshetsky ridge
  A mountain range in the southwest of Transcaucasia, on the border of Adjara and Turkey. The length of the ridge is about 65 km. The highest point is Mount Kheva (2812 m). The ridge is composed of volcanogenic flysch and sandstones. Plateau-like surfaces predominate. Broad-leaved and spruce-fir forests with evergreen undergrowth grow on the slopes. On the ridge - subalpine meadows.
• Egrisi Ridge
  A mountain range on the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus, located on the territory of Georgia. It stretches parallel to the Main Caucasian Range between the Inguri and Tskhenistskali rivers. The highest peak of the ridge is Mount Chitagwala with a height of 3226 m. Broad-leaved forests of oak, beech and other trees grow on the slopes of the ridge. Above 2000 m there are subalpine and alpine meadows.

passes

• Becho
  Alpine pass, located in the central part of the Main, or Dividing Range of the Greater Caucasus, between mountain ranges Donguz-Orun and Shkhelda. Until the middle of the 20th century, it was of great trade and economic importance, as it connected the Becho valley in the South Caucasus (Upper Svaneti region, Georgia) with the Baksan Gorge North Caucasus(now in Russia). The pass is located at an altitude of 3,375 meters above sea level; for most of the year it is covered by a glacier, and therefore is accessible to pedestrians only in summer. Compared to other passes of the Caucasus, it is considered relatively easy to cross. In Soviet times, there was laid hiking trail from the Baksan River, which ran along the valley of the Yusenga River (Kabardino-Balkarian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic) to the river. Enguri (along the Dolra Valley, Georgian SSR). After 2008, the use of the pass for recreational, tourist and economic purposes is difficult due to tensions in Russian-Georgian relations.
• Donguzorun
  Mountain pass through the Main Caucasian Range, located on the border of Georgia and Kabardino-Balkaria (Russia). The pass connects the Donguzorun Gorge in Kabardino-Balkaria with the Nakra River Gorge in Georgia. The height of the pass reaches 3203 m. The name comes from the words donguz - "pig" and orun - "place", that is, it means "pen for pigs".
• Zekarsky pass
  Pass through the Dvaletsky Range (part of the Main Caucasian Range) on the border of Russia (North Ossetia) and South Ossetia (Georgia).
• Zekarsky pass
  A pass through the Meskheti Range (the northernmost of the Lesser Caucasus) in Georgia, located at the headwaters of the Khanistskali rivers. Through the Zekar pass there is a road from Kutaisi (through the Zekari resort on the northern slope of the ridge) to mountain resort Abastumani (on the southern slope), which is further connected to the Batumi-Akhaltsikhe highway. It is located on the border of Imereti (Bagdat municipality) and Samtskhe-Javakheti (Adigeni municipality) regions of Georgia.
• whalelod
  Mountain pass through the Main Caucasian Range, on the border of Kabardino-Balkaria and Georgia. Located between the peaks of Tikhtengen and Kulak-tau, it connects the upper reaches of the Chegem Gorge (in the north) and the upper reaches of the Mulkhra River (in the south). The name is translated from Turkic as “pass behind the peak” and is due to the fact that the pass, when observed from the Kulak glacier, along which the path to the pass goes, is not visible, as it is obscured by the peak of the same name
• Kodori pass
  Pass through the Main Caucasian Range, connecting the valley upstream Andean Koisu in Dagestan with the Alazani valley in Georgia. Height - 2365 m. Rivers flow: Metlyuta, Khufri, Sokori, Intsoba, Alazani.
• Cross Pass
  Pass on the Georgian Military Highway (Vladikavkaz - Tbilisi) at an altitude of 2379 m through the Main Caucasian Range. It leads from the valley of the Terek River to the valley of the Aragvi River. To the west of the pass is the Kelskoe volcanic plateau.
• Laba
  Mountain pass in the Western Caucasus, on the border of Karachay-Cherkessia and Abkhazia. The height of the pass is 2614 m.
• Laschedar
  Mountain pass through the Main Caucasian Range, located on the border of Georgia and Kabardino-Balkaria (Russia). The pass connects the Bashil (in the north) and Laskhedar (in the south) glaciers. The height reaches 3629 m.
• Marukh pass
  Pass at an altitude of 2748 m through the Main Caucasian Range in the western part of the Greater Caucasus. The pass leads from the valley of the Marukha river (Kuban basin) to the Atsgara valley (a tributary of the Kodori). The Marukh Pass now belongs to the Republic of Abkhazia.
• Sanchar pass
  Pass at an altitude of 2589 m in the Western Caucasus. From August 1942 to January 1943, battles took place on the Sancharsky Pass between the 49th Mountain Rifle Corps of General Rudolf Konrad with two Romanian mountain rifle divisions on the one hand, and units of the 46th Army of the Transcaucasian Front on the other. The pass changed hands several times.
• Seven Pass
  Mountain pass in the southern spur of the Main Caucasian Range, on the border of Kabardino-Balkaria and Georgia. The pass connects the Kitlod and Tsaneri glaciers. Its height is 3769 m. According to one version, the name of the pass is translated from Svan as “third” or “triple” and is due to the fact that in order to pass from the Chegem gorge to the Bezengi gorge, it is necessary to pass three passes in a row: Kitlod, Semi, Upper Tsanner (on this route, the Semi Pass is the middle one). According to another version, the pass got its name in honor of the seven Soviet climbers who passed it in 1929.
• Suram pass
  Mountain pass Likhsky (Suramsky) mountain range(connects the Greater Caucasus with the Lesser) on the territory of present-day Georgia. It is the lowest pass of this range (height 949 meters above sea level). A highway and a railway pass through the pass (section Khashuri - Zestaponi). In 1932 this railway section was electrified and the operation of the first electric locomotives in the Soviet Union began on it.
• Truso
  The pass on the border of Georgia and Russia (North Ossetia), between the Trusovsky Gorge and the Zakinsky Gorge. The height of the pass is 3150 m.
• zanner
  The common name of two mountain passes through the Main Caucasian Range: Upper Tsanner and Lower Tsanner. Located on the border of Kabardino-Balkaria and Georgia, between the peaks of Ortokara and Lyalver. The height of the Lower Tsanner pass is 3900 m.

Mountains

• Caucasian mountains
  Mountain system between the Black, Azov and Caspian seas. The etymology of the name has not been established. It is divided into two mountain systems: the Greater Caucasus and the Lesser Caucasus. The Caucasus is often divided into the North Caucasus and Transcaucasia, the border between which is drawn along the Main, or Watershed, ridge of the Greater Caucasus, which occupies a central position in the mountain system. The Greater Caucasus stretches for more than 1,100 km from the northwest to the southeast, from the Anapa region and the Taman Peninsula to Absheron Peninsula on the Caspian coast, near Baku. The Greater Caucasus reaches its maximum width in the region of the Elbrus meridian (up to 180 km). In the axial part there is the Main Caucasian (or Dividing) Range, to the north of which a number of parallel ranges extend ( mountain ranges), including a monoclinal (cuest) character (see Greater Caucasus). Southern slope of the Greater Caucasus for the most part consists of echelon-shaped ridges adjacent to the Main Caucasian ridge. Traditionally, the Greater Caucasus is divided into 3 parts: Western Caucasus(from the Black Sea to Elbrus), the Central Caucasus (from Elbrus to Kazbek) and the Eastern Caucasus (from Kazbek to the Caspian Sea).
• Kehl plateau
  Volcanic plateau in the Caucasus, zone of extinct volcanoes and volcanic lakes. Located on the territory of Georgia and South Ossetia in the upper reaches of the Belaya Aragvi River, with south side The main Caucasian ridge at an altitude of about 2600-3300 m above sea level. From the west it is bounded by the valley along which the Transcaucasian highway passes, from the east the highlands adjoin the Cross Pass, through which the Georgian Military Highway runs. In the north is the Trusovskoye gorge, which separates the plateau from Kazbek. Extinct volcanoes: Khorisar (3736 m), Shadilkhokh, Sharkhokh, Mepiskalo (3519 m), Narvankhokh (3247 m).
• Latsga
  One of the peaks of the Main Caucasian Range in the Latsga-Chegettau massif above the slopes of the Dzhantugan plateau in the Svaneti region, Georgia. The southern slopes of the mountain and adjacent valleys are covered by the Lekzyr glacier. Popular with climbers. Height varies depending on from the source from 3995 to 4019 m w. y. m.
• maistismta
  Mountain peak in the Itum-Kalinsky region of Chechnya. The name is based on the name of the Chechen clan (teip) Maisto. The height above sea level is 4081 meters. The mountain is located on the border with Georgia
• Mtatsminda
  Mountain in Tbilisi, part of the Trialeti Range. It is located on the right bank of the Kura River (the Georgian name of the river is Mtkvari), practically in the center of the city. Mtatsminda dominates the surrounding hills and is a kind of symbol of the capital of Georgia.
• Tichtengen
  Mountain range in the central part of the Greater Caucasus. It is located on the Main Caucasian Range, in the upper reaches of the Chegem River, on the border of Kabardino-Balkaria and Georgia. The height reaches 4611 m. The massif is composed of crystalline schists, gneisses and granites. The sources of many large glaciers (Zaneri and others) are located on Tikhtengen. The total area of ​​glaciation is about 46.8 km².
• Shota Rustaveli Peak
  A mountain in the center of the Main Caucasian Range, located on the border of Svaneti (Georgia) and Kabardino-Balkaria (Russia). Named after the Georgian statesman Shota Rustaveli. The height of the mountain is 4859 meters. It is considered the ninth highest peak of the Caucasus. There is a danger of glaciers descending into the neighboring valley.

Georgia is a state located in the west of the Transcaucasian region. The country stretches along the Caucasus Mountains and borders Russia in the east and north, Turkey and Armenia in the south, and Azerbaijan in the southeast. In the west it is washed by the waters of the Black Sea.

Relief of Georgia

The northern territories of the state are occupied by the mountain system of the Greater Caucasus, where the height of the mountains reaches 4500-5000 meters above sea level. The highest point is at the level of 5068 meters and is called Shkhara. The east of the territory is seismically dangerous, earthquakes reach 5-7 points.

The south of the country is covered with mid-mountain ranges of the Lesser Caucasus (their height is up to 2800 m). Between the Greater and Lesser Caucasus is the Colchis lowland, which resembles a triangle.

The Kura River flows in the east. The Inverian depression is also located here.

Georgia is located mainly in the region And only in the east it becomes moderate. The Caucasus Mountains play a very important role in shaping the climate of Georgia. Thanks to them, even in the most remote parts of the country, the influence of the Black Sea air masses is noticeable. They are a powerful barrier to the northern cold masses. They mix with warm air currents coming from the Black Sea. The relief and climate of Georgia are very interconnected. The country is much warmer than in other regions located at the same latitude.

The climate of Georgia is so diverse that tourists can observe all four seasons in just 2-3 days. It combines evergreen palm trees on the Black Sea coast, young, fresh grass and spring flowers in the foothills, fog with rain and snow in the mountains, and, finally, the mountain peaks deeply covered with snow.

In winter, Georgia is quite warm, but the sun is very rare. The tourist season at sea is closed, only in the mountains there are many tourists who want to relax on the mountains. There are quite a lot of people, but there is no queue for the lifts.

If you decide to go to Georgia in winter, then choose a hotel very carefully, because there is no central heating here.

Spring is the most unpredictable, but at the same time beautiful time. In the first half, the temperature changes unpredictably. You can continue to walk in a winter down jacket, as in the mountains, or you can wear short-sleeved clothes. By the beginning of May, the air temperature rises to 25-27 degrees, and the number of cloudless days increases sharply.

Opens in summer bathing season. The peak is in the middle of summer. Most tourists relax on the beach because of the great heat. Often the air temperature rises to 30 degrees, and the water temperature - up to 25. Even in the mountains, the air temperature often overcomes the mark of 25 degrees. If you are a fan of outdoor activities, it is recommended to visit Georgia in early June.

Autumn in Georgia is the time of fruits and berries. The markets are filled with grapes, watermelons, melons, tangerines, hazelnuts, which are simply in abundance everywhere. by the most best months For comfortable rest September and October are considered by the sea. At this time, the suffocating heat is not felt outside (temperature is about 25 degrees). Also hiking in the mountains is most popular during these months.

Holidays in Georgia

First of all, Georgia is very hospitable country. Before you have time to look back, they are already pouring chacha and putting khachapuri on a plate, while saying a toast to your long health. Refusing food is not accepted here. The main wealth of Georgia is not mountains, not the sea, but people - sincere and open.

In some places it resembles Barcelona, ​​in some places it resembles Italy, and in some places it is very similar to the south of France. Amazing nature, mountains, good-natured and friendly people - all this makes Georgia attractive at any time of the year.

; also partially attributed to Eastern Europe.

The nature of Georgia is extremely diverse due to its geographic location, complex relief and altitudinal zonality. The Caucasus region, in which Georgia is located, belongs to the mobile alpine belt of the earth's crust, which causes its contrasting relief and diverse landscapes with many different types of climate, hydrological regime, soil cover, vegetation and wildlife. In addition, Georgia is located at the junction of the humid Mediterranean, the arid drainless Aral-Caspian depression and the continental Asiatic highlands, which also determines the diversity of its natural conditions.

The total area of ​​the country is 69.7 thousand km².

Relief

The northern part of the republic is occupied by the mountain system of the Greater Caucasus (gr. Kavkasioni) with altitudes up to 4500-5000 m above sea level. The highest point is Mount Shkhara (5068m.), and Kazbek (5033m). The Caucasus belongs to young folded systems (i.e., tectonic processes have not been completed here). Most of the coast of Georgia is slowly sinking. On average, the sinking of the land of the Colchis lowland is about 13 cm per century. There is a high seismicity of the territory (especially in the east, earthquakes up to 5-7 points). In the watershed part of the Central Caucasus there are well-known passes - Cross (2384 m) and Mamison (2829 m). The Georgian Military Road used to lead through the Caucasus Range to Georgia (closed in 2006). Two more routes to Georgia from the north: along the Black Sea coast and through the Roki tunnel along the Transcaucasian highway due to the unresolved Georgian-Abkhazian and Georgian-Ossetian conflicts, are practically not used for through communication between Russia and Georgia.

The highlands of the Caucasus are characterized by glaciers, karst phenomena in the west, and young volcanic forms in the east.

In total, there are over 600 glaciers in Georgia with a total area of ​​520 km². Most large glaciers located in Svaneti.

In the south of the country - the mid-mountain ranges of the Lesser Caucasus (heights up to 2850 m), between the Greater and Lesser Caucasus - Colchis lowland, having the shape of a triangle with a base facing the Black Sea, and in the east - the Iberian depression, where the river Kura flows.

The Colchis lowland is inclined to the west. In the coastal strip, it barely rises above sea level, and to the east it gradually rises to 150 m, until it rests on a granite ridge that connects the Greater and Lesser Caucasus and is a watershed between the basins of the Black and Caspian Seas. Colchis is described by Konstantin Paustovsky in his story of the same name. It was here, according to legend, that the Argonauts went for the Golden Fleece.

In political geography, the Pankisi Gorge is known - a region near the border with Chechnya, where Kist Chechens, related to the Chechens of the North Caucasus, live. Refugees from Chechnya also settled here, who left it during the second Chechen campaign (1999-2000).

In the extreme south of Georgia, there is the South Georgian (Javakheti) volcanic highland, which is characterized by lava plateaus, chains of volcanoes and canyon-like river gorges. The highest point of the highlands is Mount Didi Abuli, 3301 m.

The main minerals are manganese ores (Chiatura), coal (Tkibuli), small oil reserves. One of the main natural resources is numerous and. Up to 50 resorts have been created on the basis of mineral springs. The most popular are Borjomi and Tskhaltubo.

Sea

Hydrography

The river network is unevenly developed. It is most dense in Western Georgia.

The rivers of Georgia belong to two basins - the Black Sea (75% of the flow) and the Caspian. Almost the entire flow of the Caspian Basin is carried by the Kura River, on which the Mingechevir reservoir is located. The rivers of the Black Sea basin (Western Georgia) do not form a single system, flowing into the sea on their own. The main one is the Rioni, which flows in the lower section along the Colchis lowland. Inguri and others are also significant.

Most of the rivers originating in the mountains have a maximum flow (flood) in the spring, when the snow melts. The rivers, fed mainly from glaciers, carry most of the water in summer and at this time have a pronounced daily flow rate with a maximum in the evening hours and a minimum before dawn. With a fast current, mountain rivers rarely freeze. They flow into deep gorges, have a significant number of thresholds. In the limestone zone of the Greater Caucasus and the volcanic rocks of the Javakheti Highlands, the underground runoff (groundwater flows) exceeds the surface one. Georgia is rich in hydropower resources. On many mountain rivers cascades of hydroelectric power stations were built, reservoirs were built. The total length of irrigation systems exceeds 1000 km.

There are few lakes in Georgia, mainly in the Javakheti Highlands. The largest of them is Lake Paravani.

Climate

The climate of Georgia is transitional from subtropical to temperate.

Vegetable world

very rich vegetable world. According to botanists, the number of species of flowering plants is greater than in the entire European part of the former USSR. The relative stability of the climate in the past contributed to the preservation of ancient elements of flora, relict and endemic plants (rhododendrons, boxwood, laurel cherry, persimmon, etc.).

Forests cover over a third of the territory. Previously, the entire Colchis lowland and most of the Iverian depression were covered with forest. Now the lowland forests of Colchis and the Alazani valley have almost everywhere been replaced by cultivated plantations. Among the trees, the most common are broad-leaved (oak, hornbeam, chestnut, beech) and coniferous (fir, spruce, pine). Alpine meadows are extensive, extending from the upper border of the forest to 2800-3500 m. The steppes are mainly replaced by cultivated plantations.

Among the specific landscape zones of Georgia, it is necessary to note the Colchis broad-leaved liana forests with evergreen trees and shrubs, as well as woodlands from the Pitsunda pine in Adzharia, the Caucasian pine in the Borjomi Gorge, the Eldar pine in Eastern Georgia. About 200 thousand hectares of the Colchis lowland are occupied by swamps.

Animal world

The fauna of Georgia is quite diverse. Over 11,000 species of invertebrates live on the territory of Georgia, including almost 9,150 arthropods (of which over 8,230 species are insects). 84 species of freshwater fish were recorded, as well as 6 introduced species. Amphibians are represented by 12 species. The 52 species belonging to the class of reptiles include 3 species of turtles, 27 species of lizards and 23 species of snakes (of which 3 species of snakes and 12 lizards are endemic to the Caucasus). 109 species of mammals inhabit the territory of Georgia.

Large mammals such as bear, wolf, fox, red deer, roe deer, wild boar are common in Georgia's ecosystems. On the verge of extinction is the leopard , which was considered a species that had disappeared in the Caucasus and was rediscovered by Georgian zoologists in 2001 . The striped hyena and goitered gazelle are also critically endangered. In the 20th century, the Black Sea monk seal and the Turanian tiger finally disappeared, but new species appeared (were introduced), such as the striped raccoon ( North America) and raccoon dog (Far East).

Protected areas

In Soviet times, 15 reserves were established to protect flora and fauna. Among them are Lagodekhi, Borjomi and Babaneur. The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline passes through the Borjomi Reserve.

In 1996, the Parliament of Georgia adopted a law on nature protection zones, dividing them into six categories. In particular, in Georgia there are five national parks, three national monuments and one natural area(“protected landscape”, eng. protected landscape).

Write a review on the article "Geography of Georgia"

Notes

Comments

Links

An excerpt characterizing the Geography of Georgia

Natasha was calmer, but not more cheerful. She not only avoided all external conditions of joy: balls, skating, concerts, theater; but she never laughed so that her tears were not heard because of her laughter. She couldn't sing. As soon as she began to laugh or tried to sing alone with herself, tears choked her: tears of remorse, tears of memories of that irrevocable, pure time; tears of annoyance that so, for nothing, she ruined her young life, which could have been so happy. Laughter and singing especially seemed to her a blasphemy against her grief. She never thought of coquetry; she didn't even have to refrain. She said and felt that at that time all men were to her exactly the same as the jester Nastasya Ivanovna. The inner guard firmly forbade her any joy. And she did not have all the former interests of life from that girlish, carefree, hopeful way of life. More often and most painfully, she recalled the autumn months, the hunt, her uncle, and Christmas time spent with Nicolas in Otradnoe. What would she give to bring back even one day from that time! But it was over forever. The foreboding did not deceive her then that that state of freedom and openness to all joys would never return again. But I had to live.
It was comforting to her to think that she was not better, as she had thought before, but worse and much worse than everyone, everyone, who only exists in the world. But this was not enough. She knew this and asked herself: “What next? And then there was nothing. There was no joy in life, and life passed. Natasha, apparently, tried only not to be a burden to anyone and not to interfere with anyone, but for herself she did not need anything. She moved away from everyone at home, and only with her brother Petya was it easy for her. She liked to be with him more than with the others; and sometimes, when she was with him eye to eye, she laughed. She hardly left the house, and of those who came to see them, she was glad only for Pierre. It was impossible to treat her more tenderly, more carefully, and at the same time more seriously than Count Bezukhov treated her. Natasha Osss consciously felt this tenderness of treatment and therefore found great pleasure in his company. But she was not even grateful to him for his tenderness; nothing good on the part of Pierre seemed to her an effort. It seemed so natural for Pierre to be kind to everyone that there was no merit in his kindness. Sometimes Natasha noticed Pierre's embarrassment and awkwardness in her presence, especially when he wanted to do something pleasant for her or when he was afraid that something in the conversation would bring Natasha to painful memories. She noticed this and attributed it to his general kindness and shyness, which, according to her, the same as with her, should have been with everyone. After those inadvertent words that, if he were free, he would ask her hands and love on his knees, said at a moment of such strong excitement for her, Pierre never said anything about his feelings for Natasha; and it was obvious to her that those words, which then so comforted her, were spoken, as all sorts of meaningless words are spoken to comfort a crying child. Not because Pierre was a married man, but because Natasha felt between herself and him in the highest degree that force of moral barriers - the absence of which she felt with Kyragin - it never occurred to her that she could get out of her relationship with Pierre not only love on her part, or still less on his part, but even that kind of tender, self-confessing, poetic friendship between a man and a woman, of which she knew several examples.
At the end of the Petrovsky post, Agrafena Ivanovna Belova, the Rostovs' Otradnenskaya neighbor, came to Moscow to bow to the Moscow saints. She invited Natasha to go to bed, and Natasha seized on this idea with joy. Despite the doctor’s prohibition to go out early in the morning, Natasha insisted on fasting, and not fasting as usual in the Rostovs’ house, that is, listening to three services at home, but in order to fast as Agrafena Ivanovna used to, that is, all week without missing a single Vespers, Mass or Matins.
The countess liked Natasha's zeal; in her soul, after unsuccessful medical treatment, she hoped that prayer would help her with more medicines, and although with fear and hiding from the doctor, she agreed to Natasha's desire and entrusted her to Belova. Agrafena Ivanovna came at three o'clock in the morning to wake Natasha, and for the most part found her no longer asleep. Natasha was afraid to oversleep the time of matins. Hastily washing herself and humbly dressing in her worst dress and an old mantilla, shuddering with freshness, Natasha went out into the deserted streets, transparently lit by the morning dawn. On the advice of Agrafena Ivanovna, Natasha did not go to church in her parish, but in the church, in which, according to the pious Belova, there was a very strict priest and high life. There were always few people in the church; Natasha and Belova took their usual place in front of the icon mother of God, built into the back of the left kliros, and Natasha’s new sense of humility in front of the great, incomprehensible, seized her when, at this unusual hour in the morning, she looked at the black face of the Mother of God, illuminated by candles burning in front of him, and the light of the morning falling from windows, listened to the sounds of the service, which she tried to follow, understanding them. When she understood them, her personal feeling with its shades joined her prayer; when she did not understand, it was still sweeter for her to think that the desire to understand everything is pride, that it is impossible to understand everything, that one must only believe and surrender to God, who at that moment—she felt—ruled her soul. She crossed herself, bowed, and when she did not understand, she only, horrified by her abomination, asked God to forgive her for everything, for everything, and have mercy. The prayers to which she devoted herself most were the prayers of repentance. Returning home at the early hour of the morning, when there were only masons going to work, janitors sweeping the street, and everyone was still sleeping in the houses, Natasha experienced a new feeling for her of the possibility of correcting herself from her vices and the possibility of a new, pure life and happiness.
During the whole week in which she led this life, this feeling grew every day. And the happiness of communion or communication, as Agrafena Ivanovna said to her joyfully playing with this word, seemed to her so great that it seemed to her that she would not live to see this blessed Sunday.
But the happy day came, and when Natasha, on that memorable Sunday, in a white muslin dress, returned from communion, for the first time after many months she felt calm and unburdened by the life that lay ahead of her.
The doctor who came that day examined Natasha and ordered to continue the last powders that he prescribed two weeks ago.
“It is imperative to continue—in the morning and in the evening,” he said, evidently himself conscientiously pleased with his success. “Just please be careful. Be calm, countess, - said the doctor jokingly, deftly picking up the golden one in the flesh of his hand, - soon he will sing again and become frisky. Very, very much in favor of her last remedy. She brightened up a lot.
The countess looked at her nails and spat, returning to the living room with a cheerful face.

At the beginning of July, more and more disturbing rumors about the course of the war spread in Moscow: they talked about the sovereign's appeal to the people, about the arrival of the sovereign himself from the army to Moscow. And since the manifesto and appeal had not been received before July 11, exaggerated rumors circulated about them and about the situation in Russia. They said that the sovereign was leaving because the army was in danger, they said that Smolensk had been surrendered, that Napoleon had a million troops, and that only a miracle could save Russia.
July 11th, Saturday, the manifesto was received but not yet printed; and Pierre, who was with the Rostovs, promised the next day, on Sunday, to come to dinner and bring a manifesto and an appeal, which he would get from Count Rostopchin.
On this Sunday, the Rostovs, as usual, went to Mass at the house church of the Razumovskys. It was a hot July day. Already at ten o'clock, when the Rostovs got out of the carriage in front of the church, in the hot air, in the cries of peddlers, in the bright and light summer dresses of the crowd, in the dusty leaves of the trees of the boulevard, in the sounds of music and the white pantaloons of the battalion that passed for divorce, in the thunder of the pavement and In the bright glare of the hot sun there was that summer languor, contentment and dissatisfaction with the present, which is especially sharply felt on a clear hot day in the city. In the church of the Razumovskys there was all the nobility of Moscow, all the acquaintances of the Rostovs (this year, as if expecting something, a lot of wealthy families, usually moving around the villages, remained in the city). Passing behind the livery footman, who was parting the crowd near her mother, Natasha heard the voice of a young man speaking in a too loud whisper about her:
- This is Rostov, the same one ...
- How thin, but still good!
She heard, or it seemed to her, that the names of Kuragin and Bolkonsky were mentioned. However, it always seemed to her. It always seemed to her that everyone, looking at her, was only thinking about what had happened to her. Suffering and dying in her soul, as always in the crowd, Natasha walked in her purple silk dress with black lace the way women know how to walk - the calmer and more majestic, the more painful and ashamed she felt in her soul. She knew and was not mistaken that she was good, but this did not please her now, as before. On the contrary, it tormented her most of all lately, and especially on this bright, hot summer day in the city. “Another Sunday, another week,” she said to herself, remembering how she had been here that Sunday, “and still the same life without life, and all the same conditions in which it used to be so easy to live before. I'm good, young, and I know that now I'm kind, before I was bad, but now I'm good, I know, she thought, best years". She stood beside her mother and exchanged relations with close acquaintances. Natasha, out of habit, looked at the ladies' toilets, condemned the tenue [demeanor] and the indecent way of crossing herself with the hand in the small space of one standing close by, again thought with annoyance that they were judging her, that she was judging, and suddenly, hearing the sounds of the service, she was horrified at her vileness, horrified at the fact that her former purity was again lost by her.