







































Georgian Geographical Journal 2023, Vol.3 (1) 

 

Administrative-territorial Organisation of Georgia in the 20th 

and 21st Centuries
Givi Tavadze1*

Abstract

The Russian Empire started incorporating Georgia at the beginning of the 19th century. The country was divided 

according to Imperial Russian patterns. This influenced the territorial changes and the administrative-territorial 

organisation of the later Democratic Republic of Georgia (1918–1921), the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic 

(1921–1991), and the Republic of Georgia (from 1991). The internal administrative-territorial changes that took 

place during the last two centuries represent the main topic of research. The most reliable information was 

discovered in two publications of the Soviet epoch, separated from each other by more than 40 years and 

published in 1930 and 1978, respectively. They contain different information, though the administrative-

territorial organisation of these periods is the primary basis for both. The formation of the ultimate 

administrative organisation of the territory is a fundamental problem today, as parts of the country are under 

foreign occupation. It should also be noted that in our survey, several maps were used to state and compare the 

validity of the obtained information. They contain rich information about Georgia during various periods from 

1900 to 2012.

Keywords: uezd, district, region, municipality

Introduction

The military administrative-territorial organisation of feudal Georgia was abolished during the 19th 

century and changed at least three times in the last two centuries. The Russian Empire and the USSR 

influenced Georgia's new and newest histories. The Russian Empire formed the basis for the modern 

administrative-territorial organisation of Georgia.
 

Georgia within the Russian Empire 

Georgia was part of the Caucasian Viceroyalty, the Russian Empire, at the end of the 19th century and the 

beginning of the 20th century. It was divided into various administrative and territorial units. The territorial 

organisation of the empire had several levels. The state was divided into "Governorates" (provinces) and 

"Oblasts" (counties), which were subdivided into "Uezds" and "Okrugs." They were further subdivided into 

smaller parts: police districts and rural village communities, which is another research topic. 

The Caucasian Viceroyalty comprised 11 high-level territorial regions by 1903: Tbilisi Governorate (the 

centre of the Viceroyalty was referred to as Tiflis in the empire and abroad), Kutaisi Governorate, Kars Oblast, 

Erevan (Erivan) Governorate, Elisavetpol (Ganja) Governorate, Baku Governorate, Dagestan Oblast, Terek 

Oblast, Kuban Oblast, Black Sea Governorate, and Stavropol Governorate. There were three regions on a lower 

taxonomical level: Sokhumi, Batumi, and Zaqatala okrugs. Tbilisi and Kutaisi governorates comprised 

Georgia’s modern and historical territories; the Kars Oblast included the historical lands of Georgia and 

Armenia. Interestingly, Tbilisi city was named "Tiflis" or "Tpilisi" even on Georgian maps till the 1930s. In this 

article, we refer to the capital as "Tbilisi". 

The Tbilisi Governorate comprised 9 uezds by the end of the 19th century: Tbilisi Uezd with its centre 

Tbilisi, Akhaltsikhe Uezd – Akhaltsikhe, Akhalkalaki Uezd – Akhalkalaki, Borchalo Uezd – Shulaveri, Gori 

Uezd – Gori, Dusheti Uezd – Dusheti, Tianeti Uezd – Tianeti, Telavi Uezd – Telavi and Sighnaghi Uezd – 

Sighnaghi. The Zaqatala Special Okrug was a separate administrative territory under the rule of the Tbilisi 

governor. In 1903, Zakatala was separated from the Tbilisi Governorate. According to the map of 1900, the 

Kutaisi Governorate comprised ten provinces, among them 7 uezds: Kutaisi Uezd – Kutaisi, Shorapani Uezd – 

Shorapani, Racha, Oni, Lechkhumi Uezd – Tsageri, Senaki Uezd – Senaki, Zugdidi Uezd – Zugdidi and 

Ozurgeti Uezd – Ozurgeti. The Sokhumi ­Okrug was a separate administrative territory under the rule of the 

Kutaisi governor. Batumi and Artvin okrugs were separate from the Kutaisi Governorate and united in the 

Batumi Oblast, which is confirmed by the map of the Caucasus before WW1 [1]. The Kars Oblast comprises 

four okrugs: Kars, with its capital Kars; Ardagan (Artaani in Georgian)—Adragan; Olti (Oltisi in Georgian)—

Olti; and Kagizman—Kagizman. Artaani and Oltisi okrugs used to be territories of the ancient Kingdom of 

 
1 Department of Human Geography, Vakhushti Bagrationi Institute Institute of Geography, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State 

University, Tbilisi, Georgia.  

* Corresponding author: Givitava1991@gmail.com 

 

mailto:Givitava1991@gmail.com


Tavadze. Georgian Geographical Journal 2023, Vol.3 (1) 

Georgia, conquered by the Ottoman Empire by the end of the 16th century; Kars and Kagizman okrugs were 

territories of the ancient Armenian Kingdom that had been under Muslim rule since the 13th century. 

 
Figure 1. Tbilisi Governorate at the end of the 19th century and in the beginning of the 20th century2 

The Tbilisi Governorate comprised parts of modern Eastern and Southern Georgia. The Tbilisi 

Uezd occupied the eastern part of the modern Kvemo Kartli Region, the southwestern part of the 

Kakheti Region, and the city of Tbilisi per se. The Borchalo Uezd was situated to the west and south 

of the latter. Its northern and central parts constitute the land of the modern Kvemo Kartli Region. The 

southern part of ancient Borchalo Uezd is part of the Republic of Armenia today. Akhalkalaki and 

Akhaltsikhe uezds were situated to the west of Borchalo Uezd. Their territory coincided with the 

modern Samtskhe-Javakheti Region of Georgia (Aspindza, Akhaltsikhe, Adigeni, Akhalkalaki, and 

Ninotsminda municipalities). The Gori Uezd was situated to the northwest of the Tbilisi Uezd. 

Mountainous regions of eastern Georgia were within Dusheti Uezd and Tianeti Uezd. The first one 

comprised the modern Mtskheta, Dusheti, and Kazbegi municipalities. The northernmost part of this 

Uezd, a part of the Dariali Gorge, belongs to the Russian Federation today. The Tianeti Uezd 

approximately occupied the modern Tianeti and Akhmeta municipalities. Telavi Uezd was situated to 

the northeast of the city of Tbilisi. It occupied the modern Telavi and Kvareli municipalities. The 

Sighnaghi Uezd was situated to the east of Tbilisi. It comprised the modern Gurjaani, Lagodekhi, 

Sighnaghi, and Dedoplistskaro municipalities. 

Two uezds of the Kutaisi Governorate, Kutaisi and Shorapani, were parts of the modern Imereti 

Region. The Shorapani Uezd approximately occupied the territory of the modern Sachkhere, Chiatura, 

Zestaponi, and Kharagauli municipalities. At the same time, the Kutaisi Uezd roughly occupied the 

territory of the modern Tkibuli, Terjola, Baghdati, Vani, and Tskaltubo municipalities and the city of 

Kutaisi. The modern Khoni and Samtredia municipalities’ lands, which are parts of the Imereti 

Region of today, were included in the Senaki Uezd, together with the territories of Martvili and 

Abasha, the Senaki municipalities, and the city of Poti. The Zugdidi Uezd was another part of the 

historical Samegrelo. Its territory approximately occupied the lands of the modern Tsalenjikha, 

Chkhorotsqu, Zugdidi, and Khobi municipalities. The Racha Uezd was situated north of the Kutaisi 

and Shorapani Uezds. It comprised the territory of the modern Ambrolauri and Oni municipalities. 

The Lechkhumi Uezd was situated west and northwest of the Racha Uezd. It occupied the historical 

Lechkhumi (the modern Tsageri municipality) and the Upper and Lower Svaneti (the modern Mestia 

and Lentekhi municipalities). The Ozurgeti Uezd encompassed the modern Guria Region almost 

within the same borders. The Batumi Okrug was situated to its south, with the northern and central 

parts representing the territory of the modern Adjara Autonomous Republic. 

In contrast, its southernmost part belongs to the Republic of Turkey. The Artvin Okrug, situated 

further to the south, is entirely on the territory of Turkey today. The Sokhumi Okrug occupied the 

territory of the modern Abkhazia Autonomous Republic. Besides, the southeastern part of the Black 

Sea Governorate became part of the Democratic Republic of Georgia according to its Treaty with the 

RSFSR of urkey today. The Sokhumi Okrug occupied the territory of the modern Abkhazia 

 
2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiflis_Governorate#/media/File:Tiflis_Governorate_ATD.png 



Tavadze. Georgian Geographical Journal 2023, Vol.3 (1) 

Autonomous Republic. Besides, the south-eastern part of the Black Sea Governorate became part of 

the Democratic Republic of Georgia according to its Treaty with the RSFSR of May 7, 1920, and was 

included in Abkhazia as the Gagra District. 

 
Figure 2. Kutaisi Governorate at the end of the 19th century and in the beginning of the 20th century3 

The Democratic Republic of Georgia (1918-1921) claimed the northern and south-western parts of 

the Kars Oblast (Ardagan and Oltisi Uezds) after the Russian Empire fell. However, Oltisi remained 

beyond Georgian control. This land became a part of Turkey according to the Moscow Treaty 

between RSFSR and Turkey on 16 March 1921. 

 
Figure 3. Kars Oblast at the end of the 19th century and in the beginning of the 20th century4 

The Democratic Republic of Georgia 

The map of the Democratic Republic of Georgia published in 1920 (Fig. 4.) is an interesting 

artefact to help research the administrative-territorial system of the epoch. It is based mainly on 

“wishful thinking”, as the southern borders of the independent republic were not demarcated and were 

contested with the neighbouring countries. The internal territorial organisation was based on the 

imperial system, with some exceptions. According to the Georgian Constitution of 1921, article 11, 

the Democratic Republic of Georgia was planning to form three autonomous regions: Sokhumi 

District or Abkhazia, Batumi District or “the Muslim Georgia Region”, and Zaqatala District. 

Nevertheless, the Georgian government could not fulfil these laws as the Constitution was adopted 

three days before the Soviet occupation. 

 
3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kutaisi_Governorate#/media/File:Kutaisi_Governorate_ATD_(1905-1917).png 
4 https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/Kars_Oblast_ATD.png 



Tavadze. Georgian Geographical Journal 2023, Vol.3 (1) 

 

Figure 4. Democratic Republic of Georgia (in Georgian)5 

“The Lore (Lori) Neutral Territory” was formed after the Georgian-Armenian War in 1918 and had 

to be under the observation of Entente (the UK and France at that time).  

However, this territory became the centre of the Bolshevik plot to attack the independent Georgian 

Republic in February 1921: they organised a rebellion on this land to make it a casus belli. 

 

The Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic 

Soon after the Soviet occupation, in 1922, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan were forced by 

Moscow to form the Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic. The Federation existed till 

1936 when it was dissolved by a decree issued in Moscow to form three separate Soviet republics of 

the Soviet Transcaucasia. 

According to the map of the South Caucasus of 1928 (Fig. 5), Georgia’s territory shrank compared 

to 1920 as some areas were annexed to RSFSR, Armenian SSR, Azerbaijanian SSR and Turkey. 

However, the internal administrative-territorial division was still formed according to the pattern 

established by the Russian Empire, which remained almost intact in the Democratic Republic of 

Georgia and the early years of the Georgian SSR.  

According to the book published in 1930 [2], which depicts the administrative-territorial 

organisation of that period, one can see what changes occurred in the 1920s. 

First of all, the authors of the book wrote about three autonomous units established in 1921-1922: 

“SSR Abkhazia allied to SSR Georgia,” which in 1931 has been transformed into “the Abkhazian 

ASSR,” “Adjaristan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic” and “South Ossetian Autonomous 

Oblast.” It ought to be reiterated that according to the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of 

Georgia, it was intended to grant autonomous status to the ethnic Abkhazians in the former Sokhumi 

Okrug and the ethnic Georgian Muslims in the former Batumi Okrug (Adjara of today). On the other 

hand, South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast was entirely a Communist creation. 

The administrative-territorial organisation of the Georgian SSR was in the process of formation in 

the 1920s and 1930s. The final law was issued in 1938 [4], according to which the Georgian SSR 

comprised 51 districts, Adjara ASSR, Abkhazian ASSR, South Ossetian AO, Tbilisi and Poti cities. 

The administrative-territorial borders are hardly discernible on the map of Georgia of 1938, though 

the map contains the list of districts (the modern municipalities) of that period. It allows us to group 

them in the borders of the modern Regions (Mkhare in Georgian). The following paragraphs analyse 

the changes that happened in the Georgian administrative-territorial system in the following 40 years, 

1938-1978. 

 

 
5 https://archive.gov.ge/ge/sakartelos-pirveli-demokratiuli-respublika 



Tavadze. Georgian Geographical Journal 2023, Vol.3 (1) 

 

Figure 5. The Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic 1928 (in Russian)6 

The modern Kakheti Region was divided into Sagarejo, Gurjaani, Telavi, Kvareli, Lagodekhi, 

Sighnaghi and Tsitelitskaro Districts (Raion in Russian and Georgian) in 1938, whereas by 1978, the 

Akhmeta District had been formed. The latter was part of the Telavi District till 1951 and 1963-1964, 

and it became a separate administrative unit in 1964. The modern Mtskheta-Mtianeti Region 

comprised Dusheti, Kazbegi, Tianeti and Leningori Districts in 1938: by 1978, the Mtskheta District 

had been formed as well, which earlier was a part of the Tbilisi District. The modern Kvemo Kartli 

Region comprised Karayaz, Borchalo, Aghbulagh, Luxemburg, Tsalka and Bashkichet Districts in 

1938. All these districts, except Tsalka, had been renamed and became Gardabani, Marneuli, 

Tetritskaro, Bolnisi and Dmanisi Districts, respectively. The modern Shida Kartli Region, except for 

the “Tskhinvali Region,” comprised Kaspi, Gori and Khashuri districts in 1938, while the Kareli 

District was formed in 1939 and comprised parts of Gori and Khashuri Districts. No other territorial 

changes occurred there from 1939-1978. The former South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast in 1938 

comprised Staliniri, Znauri, Java and Leningori Districts. There was only one change here by 1978: 

the historical name of Tskhinvali had been returned to the town of Staliniri in 1961: the last change 

resulted from a certain “destalinization” under Nikita Khrushchev in the early 1960s. There occurred 

no changes in the territory of the modern Samtskhe-Javakheti Region during these 40 years. It 

comprised the Borjomi, Aspindza, Akhaltsikhe, Adigeni, Akhalkalaki and Bogdanovka Districts in 

1938 and 1978. 

 
6 https://www.flickr.com/photos/levanrami/4339697868 



Tavadze. Georgian Geographical Journal 2023, Vol.3 (1) 

 

Figure 6. Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1944-1957 (in Russian)7 

The territory of the modern Imereti Region comprised Orjonikidze, Zestaponi, Chiatura, Tkibuli, 

Chkhari, Kutaisi, Baghdati, Vani, Tsulukidze and Samtredia districts in 1938. The Sachkhere District 

had been separated from Chiatura and the Tskaltubo District – from Kutaisi in 1939. The township of 

Chkhari lost its importance, and the district centre became the township of Terjola in 1950. Thus, the 

modern Imereti Region territory comprised eight districts and three city councils in 1978: 

Orjonikidze, Zestaponi, Terjola, Mayakovski, Vani, Tsulukidze, Samtredia and Sachkhere districts; 

Tskaltubo, Chiatura and Tkibuli city councils. The territory of the modern Samegrelo-Upper Svaneti 

Region comprised Abasha, Gegechkori, Tskhakaia, Khobi, Zugdidi, Chkhorotsqu, Tsalenjikha and 

Upper Svaneti, later renamed as Mestia district, as well as the Poti city council. Poti-city did not have 

a different status in 1978. The territories of the modern Guria, Racha-Lechkhumi and Lower Svaneti 

regions did not change during these 40 years. The Lanchkhuti, Makharadze, and Chokhatauri districts 

were parts of Guria; Ambrolauri, Oni, Tsageri and Lower Svaneti, later renamed as Lentekhi District, 

were parts of Racha-Lechkhumi and Lower Svaneti. 

According to the physical-geographic and historical sources, Tbilisi, the capital, had always been a 

part of Kvemo Kartli. The Tbilisi District should have been considered a separate administrative unit. 

Nevertheless, the modern Mtskheta Municipality was part of the Tbilisi District in various years of the 

1930s.  

Abkhazian ASSR comprised Gali, Ochamchire, Sokhumi, Gudauta and Gagra districts in 1938. 

The Gulripshi District separated from Sokhumi in 1946, whereas the Gagra city council ruled the area 

of the modern Gagra district in 1978. Adjara comprised Kobuleti, Batumi, Keda and Khulo districts in 

1938. The territory of the Batumi District became Khelvachauri District, whereas the city of Batumi is 

a self-governing unit today. The Shuakhevi District was separated from Khulo in 1952. As a result, 

the Adjara Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic comprised Kobuleti, Khelvachauri, Keda, 

Shuakhevi, Khulo districts and Batumi-city in 1978. The South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast 

comprised Staliniri, Leningori, Znauri, and Java districts in 1938, but Tskhinvali was separated from 

its district in 1978. 

Significant territorial changes happened in the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic from 1944-1957. 

The Chechen, Ingush, Balkar and Karachai peoples were exiled from their homeland by the decrees 

issued in Kremlin. These people were accused of collaborating with Nazi forces during the Second 

World War. Parts of the land of the modern Karachay-Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Ingushetia and 

 
7 https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/Gruzinskaja_SSR_%281944-1955%29.jpg 



Tavadze. Georgian Geographical Journal 2023, Vol.3 (1) 

Chechnya were given to the Georgian SSR – they formed Klukhori District in the west and 

Akhalkhevi District in the east. The latter had joined the Dusheti District at the beginning of the 

1950s. These territories were returned to the peoples of the North Caucasus after their amnesty and 

returning home in the 1950s. 

Changes were made not only in the naming of the Georgian districts. The Mtskheta District was 

separated from Tbilisi in 1930-1934; in 1934, it joined the capital and separated again in 1938. Other 

changes were made as well, which have already been mentioned above. So, we can see the 

administrative-territorial organisation of Georgia on the map of 1981, which contains similar 

information to the publication of 1978 [3]. This administrative-territorial system is the main base for 

the following organisation of the independent Republic of Georgia. 

 

Figure 7. Administrative-territorial organisation of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1981 (in Georgian)8 

The Republic of Georgia  

The Georgian internal conflicts of the 1990s became the main obstacle to solving the problem of 

the administrative-territorial organisation when the state restored its independence. According to the 

Georgian Constitution of 1995, this problem should be decided when the state restores its control over 

the entire territory. Two autonomous republics remain officially in Georgia: Abkhazia and Adjara. 

Abkhazia is beyond the control of Tbilisi as it is under Russian occupation. The remaining territory is 

divided into nine partially official "Regions" under state authority. The primary function of the state 

representatives ("governors") of the regions is to maintain coordination and consultation between the 

state and governments of the municipalities within the same region. These regions are Kakheti, 

Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Shida Kartli, Kvemo Kartli, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Imereti, Racha-Lechkhumi, 

Lower Svaneti, Samegrelo-Upper Svaneti, and Guria. Tbilisi, the state's capital, does not belong to 

any of the regions. 

 
8 https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ka/0/00/Saqartvelos_ssr_1981.jpg 



Tavadze. Georgian Geographical Journal 2023, Vol.3 (1) 

The South Ossetia Autonomous Oblast was officially abolished in 1991, though "The South 

Ossetia Temporary Administration" had been formed in 2007 with its headquarters in the village of 

Kurta. Nevertheless, due to the Russia-Georgia War of 2008, the Temporary Administration is exiled 

to Tbilisi. 

As for municipalities, Georgia was divided into 72 units in 2020, including five self-governing 

cities: Tbilisi, Rustavi, Kutaisi, Poti, and Batumi. The latter have the mayors and chairpersons of the 

city assemblies. Tbilisi is the biggest self-governing city in the country. 

The Kakheti Region comprises eight municipalities: Sagarejo, Akhmeta, Telavi, Gurjaani, Kvareli, 

Lagodekhi, Sighnaghi, and Dedoplistskaro. Telavi is its administrative centre.  

The Mtskheta-Mtianeti Region comprises five municipalities, among which Akhalgori remains 

under Russian occupation. Mtskheta, Tianeti, Dusheti, and Kazbegi are others. Mtskheta is the centre 

of the region. 

The Shida Kartli Region comprises four municipalities: Kaspi, Gori, Kareli, and Khashuri. Some 

changes have occurred there since 1991. This region was officially divided into five municipalities in 

1991–2007 before the South Ossetian Temporary Administration was created. Java was the fifth 

municipality, whereas territories of the former Tskhinvali and Znauri districts were declared parts of 

the Gori and Kareli municipalities. Gori is the centre of Shida Kartli. 

The Kvemo Kartli Region comprises seven municipalities: Gardabani, Marneuli, Tetritskaro, 

Bolnisi, Tsalka, Dmanisi, and the city of Rustavi, which is the centre of this region. 

The Samtskhe-Javakheti Region comprises six municipalities: Adigeni, Akhaltsikhe, Aspindza, 

Akhalkalaki, Ninotsminda, and Borjomi. The city of Akhaltsikhe is the centre of this region. 

The Imereti Region comprises 12 municipalities: Sachkhere, Chiatura, Kharagauli, Zestaponi, 

Terjola, Tkibuli, Baghdati, Vani, Tskaltubo, Khoni, Samtredia, and the city of Kutaisi, which is the 

centre of this region. 

The Racha-Lechkhumi and Lower Svaneti Region comprise four municipalities: Ambrolauri, Oni, 

Tsageri, and Lentekhi, with Ambrolauri as its centre. 

The Samegrelo-Upper Svaneti Region comprises nine municipalities: Abasha, Senaki, Khobi, 

Zugdidi, Martvili, Chkhorotsqu, Tsalenjikha, Mestia, and Poti-city. The city of Zugdidi is the centre 

of this region. 

The Guria Region comprises three municipalities: Lanchkhuti, Ozurgeti, and Chokhatauri. The city 

of Ozurgeti is its centre. 

The Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia comprises seven municipalities: Gali, Ochamchire, 

Gulripshi, Sokhumi, Gudauta, Gagra, and Azhara. The territory of the Azhara Municipality was the 

only one under Georgian control until the war in 2008. It was officially formed in 2006. The term 

"Upper Abkhazia" had been used as another name. Sokhumi is the capital of the Autonomous 

Republic of Abkhazia, but its official government is in exile in Tbilisi. 

The Autonomous Republic of Adjara comprises six municipalities: Kobuleti, Khelvachauri, Keda, 

Shuakhevi, Khulo, and the city of Batumi, which is the capital of this autonomous republic. 

Significant changes were made in the naming of the municipalities and their centres. The old 

names had been returned to the cities, towns, and respective districts in the early 1990s. Tsitelitskaro 

in the Kakheti Region has restored its old name of Dedoplistskaro; Leningori in the Mtskheta-

Mtianeti Region is Akhalgori. The township of Kazbegi restored its ancient name of Stepantsminda in 

2006, though its municipality retained the name of Kazbegi; Znauri became Kornisi in the Shida 

Kartli Region. Three names had been restored in the Imereti Region: Orjonikidze returned to 

Kharagauli; Tsulukidze became Khoni; and Mayakovski became Baghdati again. Bogdanovka 

returned to the old Georgian name of Ninotsminda in the Samtskhe-Javakheti Region. Tskhakaia 

became Martvili again, and Makharadze became Ozurgeti in Samegrelo and Guria, respectively.  

The last crucial administrative-territorial change was made in 2017 when seven self-governing 

cities—Telavi, Mtskheta, Gori, Akhaltsikhe, Ambrolauri, Zugdidi, and Ozurgeti—which were the 

centres of the Regions and municipalities at the same time, lost the status of "self-governing" 

settlements. 

Conclusion 

The administrative-territorial organisation of modern Georgia was based on Russian imperial laws. 

From 1801 until the 1870s, the Russian Empire conquered and annexed the historical Georgian lands 



Tavadze. Georgian Geographical Journal 2023, Vol.3 (1) 

from the Persian and Ottoman empires. The territory had been divided according to the historical 

patterns and Russian Imperial laws that became the basis for the territorial organisation of the later 

Democratic Republic of Georgia (1918–1921). In contrast, the Soviet Union took much time to 

replace it almost entirely. The district system, formed in the Soviet epoch, became the second step in 

forming the two-tier modern territorial organisation of "the Semi-federative" Georgia. 

Competing interests 

The author(s) declare that they have no competing interests. 

References 

1. Sanadze M., Beradze T., Thopuria K. Historical Atlas of Georgia. Caucasus before the WW1, p. 33. 

“Saqartvelos Macne”. 2012. Tbilisi. Georgia (in Georgian). 

2. Administrative-territorial Organisation of the Soviet Socialist Republic of Georgia. “Publishion of the 

Georgian SSR Central Committee”. 1930. Tiflis, Georgia (in Georgian). 

3. Gvaramadze Sh. O., Baghaturia M. P. Administrative-territorial Organisation of the Soviet Socialist 

Republic of Georgia. “Soviet Georgia.” 1977. Tbilisi, Georgia (in Georgian). 

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https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ka/0/00/Saqartvelos_ssr_1981.jpg
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https://droa.ge/?p=124286



