Ethnic minorities in Georgia (country)

Last updated

The main ethnic minorities in Georgia are Azerbaijanis, Armenians, Ukrainians, Russians, Greeks, Abkhazians, Ossetians, Kists, Assyrians and Yazidi.

Contents

There is also a small Jewish community. [1]

Georgia is the only country in the region, along with Turkey, to have Roma, Dom and Lom communities living there. [2]

Ethnic minorities

According to the "National Integration and Tolerance in Georgia Assessment Survey Report" 2007–2008, [3] implemented by the UN Association of Georgia and supported by USAID, the following ethnic groups are living in Georgia:

Ethnic groupsTotal population
Total4,371,535
Georgians 3,661,173
Azerbaijanis 284,761
Armenians 248,929
Russians 67,671
Ossetians ~60,000
Yazidis 18,329
Greeks 15,166
Kists 7,110
Ukrainians 7,039
Abkhazians 125,567
Assyrians 4,000

Historical background

Georgia's ethnic composition varied from one historical epoch to another and this happened as the result of certain economic, political or social factors. Georgian academic Vakhtang Jaoshvili identified four major stages in the history of Georgia that influenced the ethnic composition of Georgia: from medieval times to the late 18th century; from the 19th century to the 1921 Soviet invasion of Georgia; from 1921 to the collapse of the USSR; and present days, starting with the Georgian declaration of independence. [4]

As Georgia during medieval times remained the victim of military aggression coming from its neighbors, its territories near the borders were often abandoned by Georgians, and the vacated areas were occupied by other ethnic groups. In the 15th century Muslim populations moved to the Kvemo Kartli province. In this era, Ossetians also moved from Northern Caucasus, settling in Georgia. By the early 19th century Georgians made up only four-fifths of the total population. [5]

In the beginning of the 19th century Georgia saw big influx of foreign populations which were deliberately settled in Georgia. In 1832 Georgians were 75.9 percent of total population in comparison to the 79,4 percent in 1800. This policy was started by the Russian Empire after establishing its rule over Georgia, replacing the Georgians populations near the borders with other ethnic groups because of economical or military interests. In the beginning of the 19th century Russia forced Muslim Georgians to move from Samtskhe-Javakheti to the Ottoman Empire, replacing them with Armenians who were encouraged by Russia to leave Iran and Turkey through the 1828 Treaty of Turkmenchay and the 1829 Treaty of Adrianople as signed respectively with the two. [6] [7] In 1830 the number of Armenian settlers reached 35,000. By 1830 18 Greek settlements appeared in Georgia as well. In addition Georgia also remained a potential place of residence for Russian demoralized soldiers and religious sects like Dukhobors. During World War I Kurds and Assyrians also settled in Georgia. [8]

Under Soviet rule Georgia initially received a massive influx of immigrants, especially Ukrainians, Russians, Ossetians and Armenians. In addition, the increase of the birth rate among Jews, Azerbaijanis or other ethnic groups led to a significant decrease in ethnic Georgians and by 1939, for the first time in the history of Georgia, Georgians were less than two-thirds of the whole population. After the World War II, the immigration decreased, and starting from 1957, the number of non-Georgian emigrants increased in comparasion to the number of immigrants. [9] By 1979 the share of Georgians was 62.1 percent in urban areas and 75.7 percent in rural areas.

These tendencies continued after collapse of the Soviet Union, with emigration from Georgia, especially from war zones in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Thus, ethnic minorities in 1989 constituted 30 percent of total population, and by 2002 this number had dropped to 16 percent. [10]

Rule of law

As a member of the international community Georgia has ratified several international agreements providing guarantees for ethnic minorities living on the territory of Georgia. Following is a list of such agreements, followed by the date of ratification by Georgia:

Education

According to the Georgian Law on General Education every citizen of Georgia has a right on receiving secondary education in their native language if Georgian is not their native language. In addition it is also obligatory to teach state language in schools. As of 2008, the Georgian government funded: [11]

In order to provide equal opportunity for every citizen of Georgia to receive higher education, the students can choose to pass national examination in general skills in Russian, English, Azerbaijani, Armenian, Ossetian or Abkhaz language. After this, if they pass the general skills tests, the students go through the state-funded special training program in Georgian language, and continue their education in Georgian universities. [12]

In 2005 the Zurab Zhvania School of Public Administration was founded with the assistance of President and State in order to implement and promote democratic values in regional governmental and self-governmental institutions, and to improve the quality of social services and civil service. The school focuses on the preparation of civil servants and on the promotion of the teaching of Georgian language to ethnic minorities. [13]

Media

The Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) has special new programmes in Abkhaz, Azerbaijani, Armenian, Russian and Ossetian languages. In addition, there is special public broadcasting in the Abkhaz and Ossetian languages focused on Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions. [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Demographics of Georgia (country)</span>

The demographic features of the population of Georgia include population growth, population density, ethnicity, education level, health, economic status, religious affiliations, and other aspects of the population.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caucasus</span> Transcontinental region between the Black and Caspian seas

The Caucasus, or Caucasia, is a transcontinental region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range, have historically been considered as a natural barrier between Eastern Europe and West Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgia (country)</span> Country straddling East Europe and West Asia in the Caucasus

Georgia is a transcontinental country in Eastern Europe and West Asia. It is part of the Caucasus region, bounded by the Black Sea to the west, Russia to the north and northeast, Turkey to the southwest, Armenia to the south, and Azerbaijan to the southeast. Georgia covers an area of 69,700 square kilometres (26,900 sq mi). It has a population of 3.7 million, of which over a third live in the capital and largest city, Tbilisi. Georgians, who are indigenous to the region, constitute a majority and a titular nation in Georgia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ossetians</span> Iranian ethnic group of the Caucasus

The Ossetians, also known as Ossetes, Ossets, and Alans, are an Eastern Iranian ethnic group who are indigenous to Ossetia, a region situated across the northern and southern sides of the Caucasus Mountains. They natively speak Ossetic, an Eastern Iranian language of the Indo-European language family, with most also being fluent in Russian as a second language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Ossetia</span> State in the South Caucasus

South Ossetia, officially the Republic of South Ossetia or the State of Alania, is a partially recognised landlocked state in the South Caucasus. It has an officially stated population of just over 56,500 people (2022), who live in an area of 3,900 square kilometres (1,500 sq mi), with 33,000 living in the capital city, Tskhinvali.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgian–Ossetian conflict</span> 1989–present conflict between Georgia and the partially recognized South Ossetia

The Georgian–Ossetian conflict is an ethno-political conflict over South Ossetia, which evolved in 1989 and developed into a war. Despite a declared ceasefire and numerous peace efforts, the conflict remained unresolved. In August 2008, military tensions and clashes between Georgia and South Ossetian separatists erupted into the Russo-Georgian War. Since then, South Ossetia has been under a de-facto Russian control.

For articles related to Georgia, see Category:Georgia (country)

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ethnic groups in the Caucasus</span> Diverse group comprising more than 50 ethnic groups

The peoples of the Caucasus, or Caucasians, are a diverse group comprising more than 50 ethnic groups throughout the Caucasus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Azerbaijanis in Georgia</span> Ethnic group in Georgia

Azerbaijanis in Georgia or Georgian Azerbaijanis are Georgian citizens of an ethnic Azerbaijani background. According to the 2014 census, there are 233,024 ethnic Azerbaijanis living in Georgia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Abkhazia</span>

The history of Abkhazia, a region in the South Caucasus, spans more than 5,000 years from its settlement by the lower-paleolithic hunter-gatherers to its present status as a partially recognized state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abkhaz Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic</span> Former autonomous soviet socialist republic of a union republic of the Soviet Union

The Abkhaz Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, abbreviated as Abkhaz ASSR, was an autonomous republic of the Soviet Union within the Georgian SSR. It came into existence in February 1931, when the Socialist Soviet Republic of Abkhazia, originally created in March 1921, was transformed to the status of Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic within the Georgian SSR.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Socialist Soviet Republic of Abkhazia</span> Soviet country (1921–1931)

The Socialist Soviet Republic of Abkhazia was a short-lived republic within the Caucasus region of the Soviet Union that covered the territory of Abkhazia, and existed from 31 March 1921 to 19 February 1931. Formed in the aftermath of the Red Army invasion of Georgia in 1921, it was independent until 16 December 1921 when it agreed to a treaty that united it with the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic. The SSR Abkhazia was similar to an autonomous Soviet republic, though it retained nominal independence from Georgia and was given certain features only full union republics had, like its own military units. Through its status as a "treaty republic" with Georgia, Abkhazia joined the Transcaucasian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, which united Armenian, Azerbaijani, and Georgian SSRs into one federal unit when the latter was formed in 1922. The SSR Abkhazia was abolished in 1931 and replaced with the Abkhaz Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic within the Georgian SSR.

An international diplomatic crisis between Georgia and Russia began in 2008, when Russia announced that it would no longer participate in the Commonwealth of Independent States economic sanctions imposed on Abkhazia in 1996 and established direct relations with the separatist authorities in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The crisis was linked to the push for Georgia to receive a NATO Membership Action Plan and, indirectly, the unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abkhazian State University</span>

The Abkhazian State University is the only university in Abkhazia, a disputed entity located in Georgia. It was founded in 1979 on the basis of the Sukhumi Pedagogical Institute. Its first rector was Zurab Anchabadze. The study language is mainly Russian in the university.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Background of the Russo-Georgian War</span> Overview of the background of the war

This article describes the background of the Russo-Georgian War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abkhazia</span> Partially recognised state in the South Caucasus

Abkhazia officially the Republic of Abkhazia, is a partially recognised state, in the South Caucasus, on the eastern coast of the Black Sea, at the intersection of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It covers 8,665 square kilometres (3,346 sq mi) and has a population of around 245,000. Its capital and largest city is Sukhumi.

The Armenians in Abkhazia form the second largest ethnic group in Abkhazia after the native Abkhazians. Armenians settled in Abkhazia in late 19th and the early 20th centuries and are now the largest ethnic group in Sukhumi, Gulripsh and Gagra Districts forming 20% of the Abkhazian population with approximately 42,000 out of a total of 242,862.

Abkhazia is a de facto independent, partially recognised country lying on the eastern coast of the Black Sea, its southern border. It is bordered by Russia to the north, and Georgia to the east recognised by Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and the de facto independent republics of South Ossetia and Transnistria, in which context it is referred to as the Republic of Abkhazia with Sukhumi as its capital.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgia–Russia border</span> International border

The Georgia–Russia border is the state border between Georgia and Russia. It is de jure 894 km in length and runs from the Black Sea coast in the west and then along the Greater Caucasus Mountains to the tripoint with Azerbaijan in the east, thus closely following the conventional boundary between Europe and Asia. In 2008 Russia recognised the independence of two self-declared republics within Georgia, meaning that in a de facto sense the border is now split into four sections: the Abkhazia–Russia border in the west, the western Georgia–Russia border between Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the South Ossetia–Russia border and the eastern Georgia–Russia border between South Ossetia and Azerbaijan. At present most of the international community refuse to recognise the independence of the two territories and regard them as belonging to Georgia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abkhazia–Georgia border</span>

The Abkhazia–Georgia separation line is a de facto boundary set up in aftermath of the War in Abkhazia and Russo-Georgian War, which separates the self-declared Republic of Abkhazia from the territory controlled by the Government of Georgia. Republic of Abkhazia, and those states that recognise its independence, view the line as an international border separating two sovereign states, whereas the Georgian government and most other countries refer to it as an 'Administrative Border Line' within Georgian territory. The Georgian government views Abkhazia as a Russian-occupied Georgian territory and designates the de facto boundary as an occupation line in accordance with the Georgian "Law on Occupied Territories of Georgia". The Constitution of Georgia recognizes Abkhazia as autonomous within Georgia, therefore the line corresponds to the 'Administrative Border' of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia within Georgian territory.

References

  1. ↑ Georgia - World Directory of Minorities & Indigenous Peoples
  2. ↑ "Size, composition, language, lifestyle and situation of the groups in question in participating countries".
  3. ↑ "Assessment Survey Report 2007-2008" (PDF). National Integration and Tolerance in Georgia. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2011-07-21.
  4. ↑ Komakhia 2008, p. 154.
  5. ↑ Komakhia 2008, p. 154-155.
  6. ↑ "Griboedov not only extended protection to those Caucasian captives who sought to go home but actively promoted the return of even those who did not volunteer. Large numbers of Georgian and Armenian captives had lived in Iran since 1804 or as far back as 1795." Fisher, William Bayne;Avery, Peter; Gershevitch, Ilya; Hambly, Gavin; Melville, Charles. The Cambridge History of Iran Cambridge University Press, 1991. p. 339.
  7. ↑ (in Russian) A. S. Griboyedov. "Записка о переселеніи армянъ изъ Персіи въ наши области" Archived January 13, 2016, at the Wayback Machine , Фундаментальная Электронная Библиотека
  8. ↑ Komakhia 2008, p. 156.
  9. ↑ Komakhia 2008, pp. 156–157.
  10. ↑ Mamuka, Komakhia. |15|13 "Georgia's Ethnic History and the Present Migration Processes". Diversity.ge. Archived from the original Archived April 14, 2013, at the Wayback Machine on July 21, 2011.
  11. ↑ "Tolerance and Civil Integration – State Policy" (PDF). Administration of the President of Georgia. 2008. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2011-07-21.
  12. ↑ "Exams in General Skills" . Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  13. ↑ "President Saakashvili unveils Zurab Zhvania School of Public Administration in Kutaisi". 12 September 2005. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  14. ↑ "Georgia 4.1.8". Compendium of Cultural Policies & Trends. 9 April 2024. Retrieved 30 March 2024.

Sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.