Geographic location:
Southwestern Asia (Caucasus)
Longitude: 40 o - 47 o E
Latitude: 41 o - 44 o N
Land bordaries: 1970 km (1224 miles)
Land border: 1655 km (1028 miles)
Georgian section of the Black Sea coast line: 315 km (195 miles)
Armenia: 164 km
Azerbaijan: 322 km
Russia: 723 km
Turkey: 252 km
Area: 69.700 km 2 (26,911 sq miles)
water: 0 sq km
land: 69,700 sq km
Land use:
arable land: 11.21%
permanent crops: 4.09%
other: 84.71% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 4,700 sq km (1998 est.)
Elevation extremes:
Highest: Mt. Shkhara-5068.m
Lowest: Black Sea 0 m
Georgia is a mountainous country. The Northern geographical boundaries
run along the Great Caucasian Range, which includes the Main Caucasian
Range, and its other chains stretch to the South. The Southern boundary
coincides with the mountainous system of the Minor Caucasus, including
the Meskheti - Trialeti volcanic plateau. Between the Great and Minor
Caucasus plains are located. The Western part of the country is washed
by the Black Sea.
Highest mountains:
Shkhara - 5068 m (16,627 ft)
Janga - 5059 m (16,597 ft)
Mkinvartsveri (Kazbek) - 5047 m (16,558 ft)
Shota Rustaveli - 4860 m (15,944 ft)
Tetnuldi - 4858 m (15,938 ft)
Ushba - 4700 m (15,419 ft)
Ailama - 4547 m (14,917 ft)
Longest rivers:
Mtkvari (Kura in Russian) - 1364 km (847.5 miles)
Chorokhi - 438 km (272.1 miles)
Alazani - 351 km (218.1 miles)
Rioni - 327 km (203.1 miles)
Tori - 320 km (198.8 miles)
Enguri - 213 km (132.3 miles)
Largest lakes:
Paravani - 37.5 sq.km (14.4 sq ml)
Kartsakhi - 26.3 sq.km (10.1 sq ml)
Paliastomi - 18.2 sq.km (7.0 sq ml)
Tabatskuri - 14.2 sq.km (5.4 sq ml)
Khanchali -13.3 sq.km (5.1 sq ml)
Jandari - 10.6 sq.km (4.0 sq ml)
Georgia is located in wrinkled Alpine
zone, in Subtropical zones of northern periphery.
The geological constitution is
characterized by the precipitation is basically of Mesozoic and
Cainozoic era. According to the wrinkles it's divided by several
Geotectonical units: from North to the South by Caucasian main ring's
Antiklinorium, main Caucasian range, wrinkles system, Georgian Belt,
Achara-Trialeti system, Artvin-Bolnisi Belt and Loc-Karabag's wrinkled
zone.
Georgia differs by it's contrast
relief. It is represented by high, middle and low mountain highland
plane unity. The Caucasus are reflected sharply, inter mountain lowland.
The territory of the Georgia features a
highly contrasting topography. The north of the country is occupied by
the Greater Caucasus chain (highest point - Mt. Shkhara, 5068 m), which
includes the Great Caucasian Range (the main watershed) and Gagra, Bzipi,
Kodori, Svaneti, Egrisi, Racha, Lomisi, Kartli and other ranges. The
inter mountain depression to the south of the Greater Caucasus
encompasses the Kolkheti lowland, Inner Kartli, Lower Kartli and the
Alazani Plain. Still further to the south the Minor Caucasian ranges
rise to the medium height (Meskheti, Shavsheti and other ranges),
reaching 2850 m. The southernmost area of the country is covered by the
volcanic South Georgian Upland (Mt. Didi Abuli, 3301 m, its highest
peak), dissected by specific canyon-like river gorges.
The Greater Caucasus and the South
Georgian Upland join with the Likhi Range, which at the same time
divides Georgia into two contrasting climatic zones: Western and Eastern
Georgia.
The rivers of Georgia belong to the
basins of the Black and Caspian Basin flows the Mtkvari river with its
numerous tributaries (left) the Didi Liakhvi, the Aragvi, the Iori, the
Alazani, (right) the Paravani, the Algeti, and Khrami. The Black Sea
Basin rivers include the Rioni, the Enguri, the Acharistskali, the Bzipi
and others. There are not many lakes in Georgia, the largest being Lake
Paravani (37 sq. km), and Lake Paliastomi (17,3 sq. km), and the deepest
Lake Ritsa (116 m) and Lake Amtkeli (72-122 m) (both are impounded
lakes).
The glaciers are only on Caucuses (688)
and occupy 508 sq. km (country area's 0.7%). Regular snow line hesitates
on 2800-3600 meter
Georgia is rich with underground waters, there are mineral and thermal
waters (Borjomi, Utsera, Dzau, Nabeglavi, Sairme, Zvare, Nunisi etc.).
Soils: Spatial distribution of soils in Georgia is characterized by
vertical variability.
On the Georgian territory there are
almost all types of soil:
Red soil of the humid subtopic zone of the west Georgia.
Black soil of the east Georgian valleys and desert-valleys
Brown soils of the east Georgian transient forest-valley
Mountain-forest soils
Mountain black soils
Mountain-meadow soils
Alluvial soils
Moor soils
Salted soils
Kolkheti lowland is dominated by swamp
soils with an area totaling to 200 600 ha (3.0% of the countries
territory).
In Atchara and Guria foothills at an
elevation of 300-400 m from the sea level red earth with an area of 130
400 ha. (1.9%). is the predominant type of soil.
In Imereti and Apkhazeti yellow earth
soils are spread at 300-400 m (above the sea level), 225 800 ha (3.2%).
In the southern part of Samegrelo the old sea terraces are dominated by
subtropical soils, 317 600 ha (4.5%).
In western Georgia, at an elevation of
400-1000m non calcareous parent rocks are covered by yellow and brown
forest soils, 106 000 ha (1.5%).
In Western and Eastern Georgia soil variability is observed only under
1000m. At high elevations soil types are homogeneous. At the same time,
the southern parts of the country is characterized by vertical
variability.In Western and Eastern Georgia at an elevation of 1000-2000m
(above the sea level) soils are of brown forest type, 1 172 200 ha
(16.9%).
On the whole territory of the country
1800-2000m (above the sea level) elevations are covered by
mountain-forest-meadow soils, 492 000 ha (7.2%); 2000-3700m (above the
sea level) -- mountain-meadow soils, 1 477 200 ha (22.1%). Calcareous
parent rocks above the 700m (above the sea level) humus carbonate soils
are dominant, 317 200 ha (4.5%).
In the East of the country (Gardabani and Marneuli districts), 350-500m
(above the sea level), grey-cinnamon and meadow-grey-cinnamon soils
cover the surface, 511 400 ha (7.3%).
The south-eastern parts of the country
is dominated by black soils, 266 800 ha (3.7%).
In the Eastern Georgia and mainly on
Alazani lowland dominate salt soils, 112 600 ha (1.6%).
Middle belts of the Southern Georgia
mountains are covered by black earth soils, 157 600 (2.2%) |