Kutaisi Governorate Кутаисская губернія | |
---|---|
Country | Russian Empire |
Viceroyalty | Caucasus |
Established | 1849 |
Abolished | 1917 |
Capital | Kutais (present-day Kutaisi) |
Area | |
• Total | 19,956.06 km2 (7,705.08 sq mi) |
Highest elevation (Shkhara) | 5,193 m (17,037 ft) |
Population (1916) | |
• Total | 1,034,468 |
• Density | 52/km2 (130/sq mi) |
• Urban | 8.51% |
• Rural | 91.49% |
Part of a series on the |
History of Georgia |
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The Kutaisi or Kutais Governorate [lower-alpha 1] was a province ( guberniya ) of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire. It roughly corresponded to most of western Georgia throughout most of its existence, and most of the Artvin Province (except the Hopa and Yusufeli districts) of Turkey between 1878 and 1903. Created out of part of the former Georgia-Imeretia Governorate in 1846, the governorate also included Akhaltsikhe uezd before its cession to the Tiflis Governorate in 1867. The Kutaisi Governorate bordered the Sukhumi Okrug to the northwest, the Kuban Oblast to the north, the Terek Oblast to the northeast, the Tiflis Governorate to the southeast, the Batum Oblast to the southwest, and the Black Sea to the west. The governorate was eponymously named for its administrative center, Kutais (present-day Kutaisi). [1]
The Kutaisi Governorate was formed in 1846 as a result of the division of the Georgia-Imeretia Governorate. In 1883, the governorate included the Sukhumi Okrug and two districts (Artvin and Batum) of the then abolished Batum Oblast. In 1903, the Artvin and Batum districts were detached and re-formed into the Batum Oblast. In 1905, the Sukhumi Okrug also received the status of a special district of the Russian Empire, tantamount to a governorate or oblast. [1]
Following the Russian Revolution, in 1918 the Kutaisi Governorate became part of the short-lived Georgian Democratic Republic. [1]
The counties ( uezds ) of the Kutaisi Governorate in 1917 were as follows: [2]
Name | Capital | Population | Area | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1897 | 1916 | |||
Zugdidi uezd (Зугдидскій уѣздъ) | Zugdidi | 114,869 | 127,978 | 2,346.43 square versts (2,670.38 km2 ; 1,031.04 sq mi ) |
Kutaisi uezd (Кутаисскій уѣздъ) | Kutais (Kutaisi) | 221,665 | 291,969 | 2,042.64 square versts (2,324.65 km2 ; 897.55 sq mi ) |
Lechkhumi uezd (Лечхумскій уѣздъ) | Tsagery (Tsageri) | 47,779 | 61,914 | 4,281.88 square versts (4,873.05 km2 ; 1,881.49 sq mi ) |
Ozurgeti uezd (Озургетскій уѣздъ) | Ozurgety (Ozurgeti) | 90,326 | 115,339 | 1,899.04 square versts (2,161.23 km2 ; 834.45 sq mi ) |
Racha uezd (Рачинскій уѣздъ) | Oni | 60,421 | 88,162 | 2,476.58 square versts (2,818.50 km2 ; 1,088.23 sq mi ) |
Senaki uezd (Сенакскій уѣздъ) | Senaki | 115,785 | 159,678 | 1,869.20 square versts (2,127.27 km2 ; 821.34 sq mi ) |
Shorapani uezd (Шорапанскій уѣздъ) | Kvirily (Zestafoni) | 156,633 | 189,428 | 2,619.35 square versts (2,980.98 km2 ; 1,150.96 sq mi ) |
According to the Russian Empire Census, the Kutaisi Governorate had a population of 1,058,241 on 28 January [ O.S. 15 January] 1897, including 549,504 men and 508,737 women. The plurality of the population indicated Georgian to be their mother tongue, with significant Imeretian and Mingrelian speaking minorities who were considered to be within the Kartvelian language group. [3]
Language | Native speakers | % |
---|---|---|
Georgian | 343,929 | 32.50 |
Imeretian | 270,513 | 25.56 |
Mingrelian | 238,655 | 22.55 |
Abkhaz | 59,469 | 5.62 |
Turkish | 46,665 | 4.41 |
Armenian | 24,043 | 2.27 |
Russian | 19,273 | 1.82 |
Svan | 15,669 | 1.48 |
Greek | 14,482 | 1.37 |
Jewish | 7,006 | 0.66 |
Ossetian | 4,240 | 0.40 |
Ukrainian | 4,008 | 0.38 |
Polish | 1,938 | 0.18 |
Kurdish | 1,824 | 0.17 |
German | 1,065 | 0.10 |
Persian | 1,022 | 0.10 |
Tatar [lower-alpha 2] | 750 | 0.07 |
Estonian | 621 | 0.06 |
Lithuanian | 450 | 0.04 |
Romanian | 197 | 0.02 |
Belarusian | 162 | 0.02 |
Sartic | 156 | 0.01 |
Avar-Andean | 148 | 0.01 |
English | 135 | 0.01 |
Kazi-Kumukh | 111 | 0.01 |
Other | 1,710 | 0.16 |
TOTAL | 1,058,241 | 100.00 |
Faith | Male | Female | Both | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Number | % | |||
Eastern Orthodox | 462,243 | 438,687 | 900,930 | 85.13 |
Muslim | 64,043 | 53,577 | 117,620 | 11.11 |
Armenian Apostolic | 11,610 | 7,370 | 18,980 | 1.79 |
Judaism | 4,674 | 4,190 | 8,864 | 0.84 |
Armenian Catholic | 2,631 | 2,894 | 5,525 | 0.52 |
Roman Catholic | 3,065 | 1,195 | 4,260 | 0.40 |
Lutheran | 999 | 676 | 1,675 | 0.16 |
Old Believer | 156 | 92 | 248 | 0.02 |
Karaite | 29 | 17 | 46 | 0.00 |
Reformed | 15 | 13 | 28 | 0.00 |
Buddhist | 16 | 5 | 21 | 0.00 |
Anglican | 12 | 6 | 18 | 0.00 |
Baptist | 2 | 10 | 12 | 0.00 |
Mennonite | 5 | 2 | 7 | 0.00 |
Other Christian denomination | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0.00 |
Other non-Christian denomination | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 |
TOTAL | 549,504 | 508,737 | 1,058,241 | 100.00 |
According to the 1917 publication of Kavkazskiy kalendar , the Kutaisi Governorate had a population of 1,034,468 on 14 January [ O.S. 1 January] 1916, including 546,957 men and 487,511 women, 990,297 of whom were the permanent population, and 44,171 were temporary residents. The population total of the governorate is slightly less than in 1897 due to the province's administrative reorganization involving the detachment of the Artvin, Batum and Sukhumi okrugs (to be administered separately): [2]
Nationality | Urban | Rural | TOTAL | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
Georgians | 56,543 | 64.20 | 936,869 | 98.99 | 993,412 | 96.03 |
Jews | 11,346 | 12.88 | 6,450 | 0.68 | 17,796 | 1.72 |
Russians | 14,506 | 16.47 | 1,379 | 0.15 | 15,885 | 1.54 |
Armenians | 3,416 | 3.88 | 1,189 | 0.13 | 4,605 | 0.45 |
Asiatic Christians | 1,450 | 1.65 | 29 | 0.00 | 1,479 | 0.14 |
Other Europeans | 654 | 0.74 | 328 | 0.03 | 982 | 0.09 |
Sunni Muslims [lower-alpha 3] | 70 | 0.08 | 74 | 0.01 | 144 | 0.01 |
Shia Muslims [lower-alpha 4] | 95 | 0.11 | 38 | 0.00 | 133 | 0.01 |
North Caucasians | 0 | 0.00 | 32 | 0.00 | 32 | 0.00 |
TOTAL | 88,080 | 100.00 | 946,388 | 100.00 | 1,034,468 | 100.00 |
Tiflis Governorate was a province (guberniya) of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire with its administrative centre in Tiflis. In 1897, it constituted 44,607 square kilometres (17,223 sq mi) in area and had a population of 1,051,032 inhabitants. Tiflis Governorate bordered Elizavetpol Governorate to the southeast, Erivan Governorate to the south, Kars Oblast to the southwest, Batum Oblast to the west, Kutaisi Governorate to the northwest, Terek Oblast to the north, Dagestan Oblast to the northeast, and after 1905, the Zakatal Okrug to the east. The governorate covered areas of central and southeastern Georgia, the partially recognised state of South Ossetia, most of the Lori Province of Armenia, small parts of northwestern Azerbaijan, and a minuscule southern part of Ingushetia of Russia.
The Dagestan Oblast was a province (oblast) of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire. It roughly corresponded to most of present-day southeastern Dagestan within the Russian Federation. The Dagestan oblast was created in 1860 out of the territories of the former Caucasian Imamate, bordering the Terek Oblast to the north, the Tiflis Governorate and Zakatal Okrug to the west, the Elizavetpol Governorate to the south, and Baku Governorate to the east. The administrative center of the oblast was Temir-Khan-Shura.
The Batum oblast was a province (oblast) of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire, with the Black Sea port of Batum as its administrative center. The Batum oblast roughly corresponded to most of present-day southwestern Georgia, and part of the Artvin Province of Turkey.
The Caucasus Viceroyalty was the Russian Empire's administrative and political authority in the Caucasus region exercised through the offices of glavnoupravlyayushchiy and namestnik ("viceroy"), situated in the modern areas of the Russian Federation, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. These two terms are commonly, but imprecisely, translated into English as viceroy, which is frequently used interchangeably with governor general. More accurately, glavnoupravlyayushchiy is referred to as the High Commissioner of the Caucasus, and namestnik as Viceroy.
The Sukhumi or Sukhum okrug was a special administrative district (okrug) in the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire, part of the Kutaisi Governorate from 1883 until 1905. The administrative center of the district was the Black Sea port city of Sukhum. The okrug bordered the Kutaisi Governorate to the southwest, the Kuban Oblast to the north and the Black Sea Governorate to the northwest and in terms of its area corresponded to most of contemporary Abkhazia. During 1905–1917, the Sukhumi okrug was one of the smallest independent administrative units of the Russian Empire, second to the Zakatal okrug.
The Ozurgeti uezd was a county (uezd) of the Kutaisi Governorate of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire. It bordered the Senaki uezd to the north, the Kutaisi uezd to the east, the Akhaltsikhe uezd of the Tiflis Governorate to the southeast, the Batum Okrug of the Batum Oblast to the south, and the Black Sea to the west. The area of the Ozurgeti uezd corresponded to most of the contemporary Guria region of Georgia. The county was eponymously named for its administrative center, Ozurgeti.
The Zugdidi uezd was a county (uezd) of the Kutaisi Governorate of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire. It bordered the Sukhumi Okrug to the north, the Lechkhumi uezd to the east, the Senaki uezd to the south, and the Black Sea to the west. The area of the Zugdidi uezd corresponded to most of the contemporary Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region of Georgia. The county was eponymously named for its administrative center, Zugdidi.
The Akhalkalaki uezd was a county (uezd) of the Tiflis Governorate of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire, and then of Democratic Republic of Georgia, with its administrative centre in Akhalkalak. The county bordered the Gori uezd to the north, the Borchaly uezd to the east, the Alexandropol uezd of the Erivan Governorate and the Kars and Ardahan okrugs of the Kars Oblast to the south, and the Akhaltsikhe uezd to the west. The area of the county roughly corresponded to the contemporary Samtskhe–Javakheti region of Georgia.
The Akhaltsikhe uezd was a county (uezd) of the Tiflis Governorate of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire, and then of Democratic Republic of Georgia, with its administrative center in Akhaltsikh. The uezd bordered the Gori uezd and the Kutaisi Governorate to the north, the Akhalkalaki uezd to the east, the Ardahan Okrug of the Kars Oblast to the south, and the Batum Okrug of the Batum Oblast to the west. The area of the uezd roughly corresponded to the contemporary Samtskhe-Javakheti region of Georgia.
The Dusheti uezd was a county (uezd) of the Tiflis Governorate of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire, and then of Democratic Republic of Georgia, with its administrative centre in Dushet. The area of the uezd roughly corresponded to the contemporary Mtskheta-Mtianeti region of Georgia.
The Tiflis uezd was a county (uezd) of the Tiflis Governorate of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire, and then of Democratic Republic of Georgia, with its administrative centre in Tiflis. The area of the uezd roughly corresponded to the contemporary Kvemo Kartli region of Georgia. The district bordered the Telavi uezd to the northeast, the Tionety and Dusheti uezds to the north, the Gori uezd to the northwest, the Borchaly uezd to the west, the Kazakh uezd of the Elizavetpol Governorate to the south, and the Signakh uezd to the east.
The Artvin okrug was a district (okrug) of the Batum Oblast of the Russian Empire, existing between 1878 and 1918. The district was eponymously named for its administrative centre, Artvin, presently part of the Artvin Province of Turkey. The district bordered with the Olti okrug to the south, the Ardahan okrug to the east, the Batumi okrug to the north, and the Ottoman Empire to the west. Between 1883 and 1903, the Artvin okrug formed a part of the Kutaisi Governorate.
The Batumi okrug was a district (okrug) of the Batum Oblast of the Russian Empire existing between 1878 and 1918. The district was eponymously named for its administrative center, the town of Batum, now part of Adjara within Georgia. The okrug bordered with the Artvin okrug in the south, the Ardahan okrug of the Kars Oblast to the southeast, the Tiflis Governorate to the northeast, the Kutaisi Governorate to the north, and the Trebizond Vilayet of the Ottoman Empire to the west.
The Kutaisi uezd was a county (uezd) of the Kutaisi Governorate of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire. It bordered the Akhaltsikhe uezd of the Tiflis Governorate to the south, the Ozurgeti and Senaki uezds to the west, the Lechkhumi and Racha uezds to the north, and the Shorapani uezd to the east. The area of the uezd corresponded to most of the contemporary Imereti region of Georgia. The Kutaisi uezd was eponymously named for its administrative center, Kutais.
The Lechkhumi uezd was a county (uezd) of the Kutaisi Governorate of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire. It bordered the Terek and Kuban oblasts to the north, the Sukhumi Okrug to the west, the Zugdidi, Senaki, and Kutais uezds to the south and the Racha uezd to the east. The area of the uezd corresponded to most of the contemporary Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region of Georgia. The administrative center of the Lechkhumi uezd was the town of Tsageri.
The Racha uezd was a county (uezd) of the Kutaisi Governorate of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire. It bordered the Terek Oblast to the north, the Lechkhumi uezd to the west, the Kutaisi and Shorapani uezds to the south, and the Gori uezd of the Tiflis Governorate to the east. The area of the uezd corresponded to most of the contemporary Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti region of Georgia. The administrative centre of the Racha uezd was Oni.
The Senaki uezd was a county (uezd) of the Kutaisi Governorate of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire. It bordered the Zugdidi uezd to the west, the Lechkhumi uezd to the north, the Kutaisi uezd to the east, and the Ozurgeti uezd to the south. The area of the uezd corresponded to most of the contemporary Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region of Georgia. The Senaki uezd was eponymously named for its administrative center, Senaki.
The Shorapani uezd was a county (uezd) of the Kutaisi Governorate of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire. It bordered the Racha uezd to the north, the Kutaisi uezd to the west, and the Tiflis Governorate to the east. The area of the uezd corresponded to most of the contemporary Imereti region of Georgia. The administrative center of the Shorapani uezd was Kvirila.
The Sochinsky okrug was a district (okrug) of the Black Sea Governorate of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire. It bordered the Kuban Oblast to the north, the Tuapsinsky okrug to the west, the Sukhumi okrug to the east, and the Black Sea to the south. The area of the Sochinsky okrug mostly corresponds to the Krasnodar Krai region of the Russian Federation. The district was eponymously named for its administrative centre, Sochi.
The Batalpashinsky otdel was a Cossack district of the Kuban oblast of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire. It bordered the Stavropol Governorate to the north, the Labinsky and Maykopsky otdels to the west, the Sochi and Sukhumi okrugs to the south, and the Terek Oblast to the east. The area of the Batalpashinsky otdel included most of the contemporary Karachay-Cherkessia region of Russia. The administrative capital was the city of Batalpashinskaya.