About the region
Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region is located in the western part of Georgia, mainly in the Kolkheti lowland. It is bordered by the Black Sea, north-west of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia, north to the Russian Federation, east of Imereti and Racha-Lechkhumi-Kvemo Svaneti regions, and in the south - Guria region.
The area of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti is 7,5 thousand sq.m, 10,8% of the country's territory. The population of the region is 330 761 people. The region consists of 498 settlements - 8 cities, 2 towns and 487 villages. 40,3% of the population lives in cities and towns, and 59.7% in villages. The mountainous settlements in the region (1000m above) belong to Mestia Municipality and 1 village of Martvili municipality. 98.6% of the population is ethnically Georgian. In the area of population density, the area is 64 people per sq.km. In the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region there are 9 administrative units: Poti, Abasha, Zugdidi, Martvili, Mestia, Senaki, Chkhorotsku, Tsalenjikha and Khobi municipalities. At the regional level the executive government is a state representative-governor whose administration is located in Zugdidi, 325 km away from the capital.
The main part of the region is characterized by subtropical climate and the northern part with subalpine and alpine climate. The region comprises the Kolkheti lowland, characterized by excessive subtropical climate and has a strong influence on the Black Sea.