📰 Tbilisi · page 2

Soviet rule

In 1921, the Democratic Republic of Georgia was occupied by the Soviet Bolshevik forces from Russia, and until 1936, Tbilisi functioned first as the capital city of the Transcaucasian SFSR (which included Armenia, Azerbaijan corpus, and Georgia), and afterward until 1991 as the capital of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic.88 During Soviet rule, Tbilisi's population grew significantly, the city became more industrialized, and it also came to be an important political, social, and cultural centre of the Soviet Union.89 In 1980, the city hosted the first state-sanctioned rock festival in the USSR.90 As a major tourist destination for both Soviet citizens and foreign visitors, Tbilisi's "Old Town" (the neighborhoods within the original city walls) was reconstructed in the 1970s and 1980s.[50]91

Tbilisi witnessed mass anti-Russian demonstrations during 1956 in the 9 March Massacre, in protest against the anti-Stalin policies of Nikita Khrushchev.92 Peaceful protests occurred in 1978, and in 1989 the April 9 tragedy was a peaceful protest that turned violent.93

Post-independence

Since the break-up of the Soviet Union, Tbilisi has experienced periods of significant instability and turmoil.94 After a brief civil war, which the city endured for two weeks from December 1991 to January 1992 (when pro-Gamsakhurdia and Opposition forces clashed), Tbilisi became the scene of frequent armed confrontations among various mafia clans and illegal business operators.95 During the Shevardnadze Era (1992–2003), crime and corruption were rampant.96 Many segments of society became impoverished because of unemployment caused by the crumbling economy.97 Average citizens of Tbilisi started to become increasingly disillusioned with the existing quality of life in the city (and in the nation in general).98 Mass protests took place in November 2003 after falsified parliamentary elections forced more than 100,000 people into the streets and concluded with the Rose Revolution.99 Since 2003, Tbilisi has experienced considerably more stability with decreasing crime rates, an improved economy, and a real estate boom.[51]100 During the 2008 South Ossetia war, the Tbilisi area was hit by multiple Russian air attacks.101

After the war, several large-scale projects were started, including a streetcar system,[52] a railway bypass and a relocation of the central station,[53] and new urban highways.[54]102 In June 2015, a flood killed at least twenty people and caused animals from the city's zoo to be released into the streets.[55]103

Politics and administration

See also: List of mayors of Tbilisi, Tbilisi City Assembly

The status of Tbilisi, as the nation's capital, is defined by Article 10 of the Constitution of Georgia (1995) and the Law on Georgia's Capital – Tbilisi (20 February 1998).[56]104

Tbilisi is governed by the Tbilisi City Assembly (Sakrebulo) and the Tbilisi City Hall (Meria).105 The City Assembly and mayor are elected once every four years by direct elections.106 The Mayor of Tbilisi is Kakha Kaladze and the Chairman of the Tbilisi city Assembly is Giorgi Alibegashvili.107

Administratively, the city is divided into raions (districts), which have their own units of central and local government with jurisdiction over a limited scope of affairs.108 This subdivision was established under Soviet rule in the 1930s, following the general subdivision of the Soviet Union.109 After Georgia regained independence, the raion system was modified and reshuffled.110 According to the latest revision, Tbilisi raions include:111

• Mtatsminda District, including neighborhoods: Mtatsminda, Sololaki, Vera, Kiketi, Kojori, Shindisi, Tsavkisi, Tabakhmela, Okrokana112
• Vake District, including neighborhoods: Vake, Bagebi, Upper Saburtalo, Nutsubidze Plateau, Tskneti113
• Saburtalo District, including neighborhoods: Lower Saburtalo, Vedzisi, Lisi, Vashlijvari, Didi Dighomi, Patara Dighomi, Zurgovana114
• Krtsanisi District, including neighborhoods: Krtsanisi, Abanotubani, Kala, Ortachala, Ponichala115
• Isani District, including neighborhoods: Avlabari, Isani, Navtlughi, Metromsheni, Vazisubani, Elia116
• Samgori District, including neighborhoods: Varketili, Orkhevi, Dampalo, Lilo, Airport Settlement, Navtlughi-2, Africa, Zeemka117
• Chughureti District, including neighborhoods: Chughureti, Ivertubani, Kukia, Svanetisubani118
• Didube District, including neighborhoods: Didube, Dighomi Massive119
• Nadzaladevi District, including neighborhoods: Nadzaladevi, Sanzona, Temka, Lotkini120
• Gldani District, including neighborhoods: Gldani, Avchala, Mukhiani, Gldanula, Zahesi121
• District Name; Population (2017)[57]; Area ( Km2)[58]122
• Mtatsminda District; 49,052; 73123
• Vake District; 111,903; 61.7124
• Saburtalo District; 138,493; 75.5125
• Krtsanisi District; 39,286; 31.7126
• Isani District; 125,610; 16.7127
• Samgori District; 177,844; 128.4128
• Chughureti District; 65,230; 14.3129
• Didube District; 70,018; 8.4130
• Nadzaladevi District; 154,067; 42131
• Gldani District; 177,214; 50.3132
• 1,108,717; 502133
• Source: Geostat,[57] Tbilisi City Hall[58]134

Most of the raions are named after historic quarters of the city.135 The citizens of Tbilisi widely recognize an informal system of smaller historic neighborhoods.136 Such neighborhoods are several, however, constituting a kind of hierarchy, because most of them have lost their distinctive topographic limits.137 The natural first level of subdivision of the city is into the right and left banks of the Mtkvari river.138

The names of the oldest neighborhoods go back to the early Middle Ages and sometimes pose a great linguistic interest.139 The newest whole-built developments bear chiefly residential marketing names.140

In 19th-century Tbilisi, the Georgian quarter was confined to the southeastern part of the city; Baedeker describes the layout succinctly:141

In the north part of the town, on the left bank of the Kurá and to the south of the railway station, stretches the clean German Quarter, formerly occupied by German immigrants from Württemberg (1818).142 To the south is the Gruzinian or Georgian Quarter (Avlabár).143 On the right bank of the Kurá is the Russian Quarter, the seat of the officials and of the larger business firms.144 This is adjoined on the south by the Armenian and Persian Bazaars. — Karl Baedeker, Russia: A Handbook for Travelers[59]145

Geography

Location

Tbilisi is located in the South Caucasus at 41° 43' North and 44° 47' East.146 The city lies in Eastern Georgia on both banks of the Kura River (locally known as Mtkvari).147 The elevation of the city ranges from 380-770 m and has the shape of an amphitheatre surrounded by mountains on three sides.148 To the north, Tbilisi is bounded by the Saguramo Range, to the east and south-east by the Iori Plain, to the south and west by various endings (subranges) of the Trialeti Range.149

The relief of Tbilisi is complex.150 The part of the city which lies on the left bank of the Kura River extends for more than 30 km from the Avchala District to River Lochini.151 The part of the city which lies on the right side of the river, though, is built along the foothills of the Trialeti Range, the slopes of which in many cases descend all the way to the edges of the river.152 The mountains, therefore, are a significant barrier to urban development on its right bank.153 This type of a geographic environment creates pockets of very densely developed areas, while other parts of the city are left undeveloped due to the complex topographic relief.154

To the north of the city, a large reservoir (commonly known as the Tbilisi Sea) is fed by irrigation canals.155

Climate

Tbilisi has a humid temperate climate (Köppen: Cfa, Trewartha: Do) with considerable continental and semi-arid influences.156 The city experiences hot, humid summers and moderately cold dry winters.157 Like most other regions of Eastern Georgia, Tbilisi's precipitation maximum occurs in late spring and early summer, with a winter minimum in precipitation and a drought-like nadir in late summer.158 The city's climate is influenced both by dry (Central Asian/Siberian) air masses from the east and oceanic (Atlantic/Black Sea) air masses from the west.159 Because the city is bounded on most sides by mountain ranges, the close proximity to large bodies of water (Black and Caspian Seas) and the fact that the Greater Caucasus Mountains Range (further to the north) blocks the intrusion of cold air masses from Russia, Tbilisi has a relatively mild microclimate compared to other cities that possess a similar climate along the same latitudes.160

The average annual temperature in Tbilisi is 13.8 °C. January is the coldest month with an average temperature of 2.7 °C. July is the hottest month with an average temperature of 25.4 °C. Daytime high temperatures reach or exceed 32 °C on an average of 22 days during a typical year.161 The absolute minimum recorded temperature is -24.4 °C in January 1883 and the absolute maximum is 42.0 °C on 17 July 1882.[60]162 Lying in the partial rain shadow of the Trialeti Range and the Abul-Samsari and Likhi Ranges farther to the west, Tbilisi receives about half the precipitation of Western Georgia.163 The historical average annual precipitation of Tbilisi from 1961-1990 is 632 mm.[61]164 The average annual precipitation for the most recent period ranging from 2000-2024 was 673 mm.165 May is the wettest month (averaging 84.0 mm of precipitation) while January is the driest (averaging 16.4 mm of precipitation).166 Snow falls on average 15–25 days per year.167 Maximum snow depth in the city center never exceeds 40 cm, although snow depths in the adjacent foothills and suburbs can surpass 70 cm.168 The surrounding mountains often trap the clouds within and around the city, mainly during the Spring and Autumn months, resulting in prolonged rainy and/or cloudy weather.169 Northwesterly winds dominate in most parts of Tbilisi throughout the year.170 Southeasterly winds are common as well.171

Demographics

See also: Armenians in Tbilisi, Tbilisoba

Main ethnic groups of Tbilisi172

As a multiethnic city, Tbilisi is home to more than 100 ethnic groups.173 Around 90% of the population consists of ethnic Georgians, with significant populations of Armenians, Russians, and Azerbaijanis.174 Along with the above-mentioned groups, Tbilisi is home to other ethnic groups including Ossetians, Abkhazians, Ukrainians, Greeks, Jews, Assyrians, Yazidis, and others.[41][42][64][65][72]175

Religion

More than 95% of the residents of Tbilisi practise some form of Christianity, the majority being followers of the Georgian Orthodox Church.176 The Russian Orthodox Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church also have significant communities in the city.177 About 1.5% of the population identifies as Muslim, primarily of the Shia branch, while approximately 0.1% practise Judaism.[74]178 The city is also home to a Roman Catholic community and a Yazidi minority, who worship at the Sultan Ezid Temple.[75][76]179

Sports

The largest stadium is the Dinamo Arena (capacity 55,000), followed by the Mikheil Meskhi Stadium (capacity 24,680).180 The Sports Palace hosts basketball games and tennis tournaments, with a seating capacity of about 11,000.181 Vere Basketball Hall is a smaller indoor sports arena seating 2,500.182

Football is the most popular sport in Tbilisi, followed by rugby union and basketball.[77]183 Other popular sports include wrestling, tennis, swimming, and water polo.184

Tbilisi has several professional football and rugby teams, as well as wrestling clubs.185 Two U.S. National Basketball Association players, Zaza Pachulia and Nikoloz Tskitishvili, are Tbilisi natives.186

Tbilisi's signature football club, Dinamo Tbilisi, won the 1980–81 European Cup Winners' Cup, becoming the easternmost team to win a major European football tournament.187 The basketball club Dinamo Tbilisi also won the 1962 EuroLeague title.188

Tbilisi co-hosted Group A matches of the EuroBasket 2022 tournament at the new 10,000-seat Tbilisi Arena, along with Czech Republic (Prague), Germany (Berlin, Cologne), and Italy (Milan).[78][79]189