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Vakhushti Bagrationi Institute of Geography  

  

The Institute of Geography was established on 

March 16, 1933 at Tbilisi State University by the 

initiative of the founder of Georgian Geography 

School, Academician Alexandre Javakhishvili. He 

was the first director of the Institute and supervised 

it for 29 years (1933-1962). 

In 1962-1979, the director of the Institute was 

Acad. Feofan Davitaya; in 1980-1981 – Acad. m/c, 

Prof. Alexandre Aslanikashvili; in 1982-1991 – 

Doctor of Geological-Mineralogical Sciences 

Tamaz Kiknadze; in 1991-1993 – Doctor of 

Geographical Sciences, Prof. Roman 

Kverenchkhiladze; in 1993-2005 – Acad. m/c, 

Prof. Zurab Tatashidze; in 2005-2006 – Doctor of 

Geographical Sciences, Prof. Ramin Gobejishvili; 

since 2007 to present – Geography Acad. Doctor 

Nana Bolashvili. 

The Institute has had several deputies, including 

David Tsereteli, Alexander Aslanikashvili, Roman 

Kverenchkhiladze, Revaz Khazaradze, Nodar 

Elizbarashvili, Nana Bolashvili and Zurab 

Janelidze. Currently, Elene Salukvadze is a deputy 

director. 

The following employees worked as scientific 

secretaries: Ioseb Kurdiani, Ivane Charkviani, 

Ilarion Jibladze, George Chirakadze, Shalva 

Kipiani, Tamar Nutsubidze, Alexander 

Aslnikashvili, David Ukleba, Guram Dondua, 

Tinatin Gabrichidze, Natela Gvasalia, Vasil 

Kandelaki, Jemal Kapanadze, Nana Bolashvil, 

Elene Salukvadze, and Nino Lomidze. Mariam 

Tsitsagi currently holds the position of a scientific 

secretary. 

A rich and diverse scientific literature of the 

Institute’s Scientific Library (Heads: Elene 

Sakvarelidze, L. Mgaloblishivili, M. Mirzoeva, V. 

Zaalishvili, Mariam Sharashidze, Tsiala Tsinadze, 

Eter Eliozashvili and now–Mariam Beburishvili) 

counts 120 000 units; it includes the manuscript 

collections, Georgian, Russian, English, French, 

German, Armenian, Azerbaijanian literature, etc. 

Over the period of its 90-year activity from 1933 

to 2023, the Institute conducted extensive scientific 

research that focused on complex geographical 

studies of mountainous regions, including those in 

Georgia and the Caucasus. 

The scientific activity of the Institute was 

dedicated to the physical-geographical and 

economic-geographical study of Georgia and 

publications of papers. 

The Institute of Geography was incorporated into 

the Academy of Sciences of Georgia on March 9, 

1945, as stated by the Praesidium of the 

Commissars Council of the Georgian SSR. On 

December 6 of the same year, the Institute of 

Geography was officially designated with the name 

of the esteemed Georgian scholar Vakhushti, as 

stated in the Decree of the Praesidium of the 

Supreme Council of the Georgian SSR. Following 

the transition of the Institute to the Academy 

System, three distinct departments were 

established: the Department of General Geography, 

the Department of Regional Geography, and the 

Department of Cartography. During WW II, a 

comprehensive and regional analysis of Georgia's 

natural and economic features was conducted 

through a geographical survey. 

Famous scientists worked at the Institute in 

different periods: Academicians of the Academy of 

Sciences of Georgia: Alexander Javakhishvili and 

Feofan Davitaya; Academy member-

correspondents: Alexander Aslanikashvili, 

Vakhtang Jaoshvili, ZurabTatashidze and Archil 

Kiknadze; Professors:  George Gekhtman, Luarsab 

Karbelashvili, Levan Maruashvili, David Tsereteli, 

Mitrophane Kordzakhia, George Gvelesiani, Lev 

Vladimirov, Grigol Zardalishvili, Vsevolod 

Zenkovich, David Ukleba, Nikoloz Astakhov, 

Konstantine Gogishvili, Shota Javakhishvili, 

Roman Kverenchkhiladze, Demur Tabidze, Emil 

Kobakhidze, Vladimer Gvakharia, Aexander 

Motserelia, Tamaz Kiknadze, Lidia Koghoshvili, 

Natela Gvasalia, Elene Sokhadze, Givi 

Gigineishvili, Jansugh kekelia, Besarion 

Kavrishvili, Iase Shakarishvili, Shalva 

Gogebashvili, Boris Klopotovski, Shalva Kipiani, 

Simon Nemanishvili, Nodar Nachkhebia, Guram 

Dondua, Katevan Kavrishvili, George 

Changashvili, Boris Gergedava, Ilya Apkhazava, 



 

 

Garsevan Kurdghelaidze, Tengiz Lashkhi, Tinatin 

Gabrichidze, Revaz Shengelia, Vladimer 

Kakabadze, Nino Klopotovskaia, Karlo Liponava, 

Arsen Okrojanashvili, Nana Mamatsashvili, Irakli 

Matureli, David Matkava, Zinaida Bondireva, 

Rostom Chekurishvili, Anatoli Kukushkin, Akaki 

Makacaria, Omar Cheishvili, Robinzon 

Bazerashvili, Ioseb Kartvelishvili, Otar 

Samadbegishvili, Merab Tvalchrelidze, Tsisana 

Zhorzhikashvili, Nata Ghoghoberidze, Ala Chigiri, 

Nugzar Zakharashvili, Omar Erkomaishvili, Shalva 

Jaoshvili, Nikoloz Shurghaia, Tengiz Minashvili, 

Zurab Tavartkiladze, Levan Mikeladze, 

Aleqsandre (Sandro) Javakhishvili, Igor Bondyrev, 

Ramin Gobejishvili, Emil Tsereteli, Koba 

Kharadze, Nino Machavariani, Givi Gagua, Dali 

Mumladze, Vajha Neidze, Mikheil Khabazishvili, 

etc. 

Since the 1970s, the Institute’s scientific research 

topics have widened. The main attention was given 

to the study of mountainous geographical 

regularities. In this regard, the institute works 

brought great authority to the Institute and it was 

considered among the states of the former Soviet 

Union the leading scientific institution in 

researching geographical problems of the 

mountainous countries. The international authority 

of the Institute of Geography is confirmed by the 

fact that during this period, a number of national 

and international conferences, congresses and 

symposiums were held in Georgia. Prominent 

Soviet scientist, Academician of the Academy of 

Sciences of the USSR, I. Gerasimov noted: “It can 

be said that in Georgia was established one of the 

strongest schools of the modern geographical 

science”. Recognition of the Georgian 

geographical school was the fact that in Montreal 

in 1972 and in Moscow in 1976, the Vice President 

of the International Geographical Union was 

elected the Institute Director, Academician F. 

Davitaya. 

Many problems and themes were developed in 

the institute that were related to the study of water 

resources of Georgia, as well as the hydrology, 

limnology and glaciology, the pollution of 

atmosphere and modification of its air 

composition, palaeoclimatology, natural processes 

forecasting methods, theoretical problems of 

geography, etc. The remote sensing method of 

research on environmental pollution developed at 

the Institute has been successfully used in cosmic 

space research. 

Important and successful studies were conducted 

in geomorphology, speleology and landscape 

science, and geoecological studies and elaboration 

of environmental measures were conducted in the 

direction of constructive geography. 

In 1950-1989, the whole series of complex 

economic, geographical and physical-geographical 

studies of the regions of Georgia (Shida and 

Kvemo Kartli, Kakheti, Zemo and Kvemo Imereti, 

Guria, Samegrelo, Svaneti, Samtskhe - Javakheti, 

Adjara, Abkhazia and eastern Caucasus), Tbilisi 

and the industrial centers were created, which were 

published as collective monographs. A total of 

over 200 monographs and 80 collected papers were 

published, along with atlases and maps, many of 

which received several prestigious awards. These 

publications include: 

– “Geomorphology of Georgia”, 1971, in Russian (the principal author and editor Prof. L. 

Maruashvili was awarded the N. Przhevalski Gold Medal of the All-Union Geographical Society, 

1972); 

– "Agroclimatic and water resources of the regions of development of virgin and rested lands" (the 

author F. Davitaya was awarded the Alexander Voeikov Prize in 1956); 

– “Development and distribution of Socialist production in Georgian SSR" (G. Gvelesiani, 1965, was 

marked by Al. Javakhishvili Prize, 1978); 

– “Population of Georgia”, 1968, in Russian; (Prof. V. Jaoshvili, the member correspondent of the 

Academy of Sciences of Georgia was awarded the P. Semionov-Tian-Shanski Gold Medal of the 

All-Union Geographical, 1970); 

– “Cartography, issues of the general theory" (Al. Aslanikashvili, 1968, was awarded the State Prize, 

1971); 



 

 

– “Natural landscapes and physical- geographic regions of eastern Georgia’s mountainous areas”, 

1974 (the Vakhushti Bagrationi Prize to Prof. D. Ukleba, 1987); 

– “Water balance of Georgia" (L. Vladimirov, G. Gigineishvili, A. Javakhishvili, N. Zakarashvili, 

1974, in Russian, were awarded the Al. Javakhisvili Prize, 1993); 

– “Georgia’s Brown and meadow brown soils”,1977 (Doctor of Geographical Sciences E. Nakaidze 

was awarded the Williams Prize, 1979, in Russian); 

– “Anthropogenic Landscapes of Georgia" (D. Ukleba, 1983, was awarded the Vakhushti Bagrationi 

Prize, 1993, in Russian); 

– “Geographical problems of transport of Georgia", (R. Kverenchkhiladze 1986, in Russian, was 

awarded the Al. Javakhishvili Prize, 1989); 

– “Economic - Geographical study of Tbilisi”, 1989 (V. Jaoshvili, E. Kobakhidze, V. Neidze and R. 

Kverenchkhiladze were awarded the Vakhushti Bagrationi Prize, 1993); 

– “Modern climate change in Georgia, radiatively active small atmosoheric admixtures” (K. 

Tavartkiladze et al., 2005., in English, K. Tavartkiladze was awarded the National Prize of 

Georgia in 2009 for this and other works dedicated to climate change); 

Atlases:  

– Atlas of Georgia (Georgian and Russian versions, 1964; Al. Javakhishvili, F. Davitaya, Al. 

Aslanikashvili, G. Gvelesiani, M. Kordzakhia, L. Vladimirov and V. Jaoshvili were awarded the 

State Prize of the Georgian SSR in 1971); 

–  Atlas of resorts and resort resources of Georgia, 1989 (E. Kobakhidze was awarded the State 

Prize of Georgia in 1993); 

– Study Atlas of Geography of Georgia, 1992 (R. Kverenchkhiladze, T. Kiknadze, D. Ukleba and I. 

Kartvelishvili were awarded the State Prize of Georgia in 1994); 

– Atlas of Georgia by Vakhushti Bagrationi, 1997; 

– Atlas of Georgia, 2012. 

– National Atlas of Georgia, 2018 (in English), (N. Bolashvili, V. Neidze, A. Dittmann and L. King 

were awarded the Vakhushti Bagrationi Prize, 2023. 

– Georgian Geographical Atlas, 2018 

The Institute employees participated in the compilation of: 

– Climatic Atlas of the USSR (3 volumes, 1960, in Russian), second time F. Davitaya was awarded 

the Voeikov Prize in 1966; 

– The National Atlas of Cuba (1970, in Spainish, in Russian) was prepared and published by the 

direct involvement of Georgian geographers; F. Davitaya was awarded the USSR State Prize for 

compilation and publication of the atlas in 1973; 

– Atlas of the snow and ice resources of the World (it was prepared and published with the direct 

participation of the Georgian geographers, 1997, in Russian); 

Employees of the Institute of Geography give 

lectures in the different high educational 

institutions and public schools; many of them are 

the authors of textbooks. 

In 1972, in the Institute, a laboratory of the 

coastal zone was created (Heads: A Kiknadze in 

1972-2002 and V. Zenkovich in 1975), and in 

1981, for the first time in our country under the 

leadership of A. Kiknadze, the great scientific-

industrial union “Sakzghvanapirdatsva” was 

created (Director General A. Kiknadze), the work 

of which gave very useful and fruitful results. As a 

result of joint scientific and practical industrial 

activities, an important part of the Black Sea 



 

 

beaches survived the washing-off. Laboratory 

work was carried out to obtain the full picture of 

coastal dynamics of the sea of Georgia and based 

on it for specification of its development prognosis 

(K. Liponava, Sh. Jaoshvili, J. Mamaladze, G. 

Tsenteradze, L. Tigishvili, V. Kandelaki, N. 

Dzidzikashvili, G. Ruso, I. Gelovani, I. Papashvili, 

G. Lominadze and others). 

The Institute of Geography was actively involved 

in the process of developing the Colchis utilization 

problem of national importance, which was 

reflected in the collective monograph “Colchis 

lowland. Scientific preconditions of utilization” 

(1990, Moscow, in Russian) dedicated to the 

complex-geographical research of Colchis 

lowland. 

Important works were carried out to reveal the 

territorial regularities of the elements of 

atmospheric precipitation runoff and the water 

balance. Fundamental works were created 

dedicated to the water balance, river runoff, water 

resources, lakes of the Caucasus, evaporation from 

mountain reservoirs, solid runoff and other 

important issues. Very important were the 

elaboration of methods and principals of 

calculation of water balance in the conditions of 

high mountain volcanic and karst relief, mapping 

of natural landscapes, research of caves, physical-

geographical zoning of mountain areas, study of 

factors and problems of distribution of industrial 

sectors, urban and rural population, and 

specification of economic-geographical structure 

issues and economic-geographical zoning 

principles. 

The Institute had great achievements in 

karstology and speleology. The discovery and 

study of the Akhali Athoni Cave System is the 

greatest merit of Docent Sh. Kipiani, Prof. Z. 

Tatashidze, A. Okrojanashvili, J. Jishkariani, B. 

Gergedava and others, which was marked by the 

State Prize of the USSR (1977). For the first time 

in the former Soviet Union, the International 

Symposium of Speleologists was held in Tbilisi on 

the basis of the Institute of Geography (1987). It 

was important to discover the Tskaltubo 

(Kumistavi) Cave System (J. Jishkariani, T. 

Kobulashvili, A. Jamrishvili and V. Kapanadze) in 

1984. 

In connection with the reorganization of the 

Academy of Sciences of Georgia, in 2006, the 

institute was granted the status of a Legal Entity of 

Public Law and went under the Ministry of 

Education and Science (Government Regulation 

№74), and in 2010, according to the Statement of 

the Government of Georgia (№278), it joined the 

Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University as an 

independent research institute. 

The Institute of Geography is a national research 

institution, and its main directions of study and 

research are as follows: physical geography 

(landscape science) of mountainous areas, 

economic and human geography, rational use of 

natural resources, geoecology (environmental 

protection), natural – hazardous processes, 

glaciology, karstology - speleology, modern 

climate change (global warming and 

desertification), hydrology, natural and 

anthropogenic landscape transformation, 

environmental analysis, ensuring the sustainable 

development of industry and population, tourism 

geography, compilation of geographical maps and 

atlases, and historical geography and toponymy 

issues, which are reinforced by the application 

point of view of constructive geography. These 

problems are studied in the Departments of 

Geomorphology and Geoecology (Head – Dr. 

George Lominadze), Physical geography (Head– 

Dr. Mariam Tsitsagi), Hydrology-Climatology 

(Head – Dr. Tamaz Karalashvili), Human 

Geography (Head – Dr. Marine Bokeria) and 

Cartography–Geoinformatics (Head – Dr. Guliza 

Liparteliani). 

The research being conducted in the Institute 

scientific Stations is supervised by Doctor of 

Phys.-Math. Sciences, Kukuri Tavartkiladze in 

Batumi, Geography Doctor Merab Gongadze in 

Zemo Khodasheni and Geography Doctor Tamaz 

Karalashvili in Sioni. 



 

 

The employees of the Institute actively 

participate in a wide range of international 

projects, as well as in funds provided by the 

Georgian National Science Foundation. They also 

contribute to workshops, symposia, conferences, 

and seminars. 

The Institute of Geography employs numerous 

talented young scientists who will carry on the 

legacy of distinguished academics with honour in 

the future. 

 

 

Dr. Nana Bolashvili 

Director of VBIG 

Section Editor-in-Chief