Geography of Georgia (country) facts for kids
Georgia is a fascinating country located where Europe and Asia meet, right by the Black Sea. It's known for its stunning mountains and diverse landscapes. Many people consider Georgia a part of Europe because of its history, culture, and connections with European organizations.
.svg) |
|
| Continent | Europe and Asia |
|---|---|
| Region | Caucasus |
| Coordinates | 42°00′N 43°30′E / 42.000°N 43.500°E |
| Area | Ranked 119 |
| • Total | 69,700 km2 (26,900 sq mi) |
| • Land | 100% |
| • Water | 0% |
| Coastline | 310 km (190 mi) |
| Borders | 1,814 km (1,127 mi)
|
| Highest point | Mount Shkhara 5,201 m (17,064 ft) |
| Lowest point | Between Poti and Kulevi, (-1.5-2.3 m) |
| Longest river | Alazani River 407 km (253 mi) |
| Largest lake | Paravani Lake, 37.5 km2 (14.5 sq mi) |
| Climate | Temperate to subtropical |
| Terrain | Mountainous with a coastal plain |
| Natural resources | timber, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper, minor coal and petroleum deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for important tea and citrus growth |
| Natural hazards | earthquakes |
| Environmental issues | air and water pollution, soil pollution from toxic chemicals |
| Exclusive economic zone | 21,946 km2 (8,473 sq mi) |
Contents
Where is Georgia Located?
Georgia sits in a special place between Europe and Asia, near the Black Sea. It's surrounded by the mighty Greater Caucasus Mountains and Lesser Caucasus ranges. These mountains act like natural borders.
Over time, people have had different ideas about where the exact line between Europe and Asia is. Some ancient thinkers even thought parts of Georgia were in Europe and others in Asia!
Today, Georgia is generally seen as part of Europe. This is because of its close ties to European history, culture, and politics. Georgia has joined important European groups like the Council of Europe. In 2022, it applied to join the European Union and was accepted as a candidate member state. This shows its strong connection to Europe.
Georgia's Mountains and Rivers
Georgia is a very mountainous country, even though it's not very big. Most of it lies within the impressive Caucasus Mountains. The Greater Caucasus Mountains form part of its northern border.
Mountain Ranges and Their Impact
Other important mountain ranges include the Lesser Caucasus and the Surami Range. These mountains create natural barriers. They have even led to different cultures and languages developing in various regions. During winter, some mountain villages can become quite isolated due to heavy snow and high elevations.
Natural Challenges in the Mountains
Sometimes, natural events like earthquakes and landslides happen in these mountainous areas. These events can cause damage to homes and roads. People work to build safely and prepare for such events.
Georgia's Many Rivers
Georgia is home to about 25,000 rivers! Many of these rivers are used to create hydroelectricity, which is clean energy. Rivers in western Georgia flow into the Black Sea. Rivers in the east flow towards the Caspian Sea through Azerbaijan.
Major Rivers: Kura and Rioni
The longest river is the Kura River. It travels over 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) from Turkey, through eastern Georgia, and past the capital city, Tbilisi. It then flows into the Caspian Sea. In western Georgia, the Rioni River is the largest. It starts in the Greater Caucasus and flows into the Black Sea near the port of Poti. Long ago, engineers helped turn the land near the Black Sea coast into rich farmland using these rivers.
Georgia's Black Sea Coast
,_with_skyline_of_Batumi_on_the_horizon.jpg)
Georgia has a coastline of about 315 kilometers (196 miles) along the Black Sea. A part of this coast belongs to the Ajaria region. Georgia also has a special area in the Black Sea called an Exclusive Economic Zone. This zone covers about 21,946 square kilometers (8,473 sq mi). This is where Georgia has special rights to explore and use marine resources.
Georgia's Diverse Climate
Georgia has a very interesting climate because it's influenced by both the Black Sea and its high mountains. The Greater Caucasus Mountains act like a shield, blocking cold air from the north. This helps keep the weather milder.
Coastal Climate: Warm and Wet
Along the Black Sea coast, the climate is subtropical. This means it's warm and humid, with lots of rain. Places like Batumi get a lot of rainfall each year. You can even find palm trees and citrus fruits growing here! In winter, the average temperature is around 5°C (41°F), and in summer, it's about 22°C (72°F).
Eastern Plains: Drier and More Varied
The mountains protect eastern Georgia from the Black Sea's humid air. This gives the eastern plains a more continental climate. Summers are warm, averaging 20 to 24°C (68 to 75°F), and winters are cooler, around 2 to 4°C (36 to 39°F). It's also drier, with less rainfall than the coast.
Mountain Climates: Cold and Snowy
As you go higher into the mountains, the climate changes a lot. In the highest areas, called alpine regions, it's much colder and wetter. Above 3,600 meters (11,800 feet), you'll find snow and ice all year long!
| Climate data for Tbilisi (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1881–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 19.5 (67.1) |
22.4 (72.3) |
28.9 (84.0) |
34.4 (93.9) |
35.1 (95.2) |
40.2 (104.4) |
42.0 (107.6) |
40.4 (104.7) |
37.9 (100.2) |
33.3 (91.9) |
27.2 (81.0) |
22.8 (73.0) |
42.0 (107.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 6.6 (43.9) |
7.7 (45.9) |
12.6 (54.7) |
18.9 (66.0) |
23.1 (73.6) |
28.1 (82.6) |
31.2 (88.2) |
30.9 (87.6) |
26.4 (79.5) |
19.8 (67.6) |
12.8 (55.0) |
8.4 (47.1) |
18.9 (66.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 2.3 (36.1) |
3.1 (37.6) |
7.2 (45.0) |
12.7 (54.9) |
17.2 (63.0) |
21.7 (71.1) |
24.9 (76.8) |
24.7 (76.5) |
20.2 (68.4) |
14.2 (57.6) |
7.9 (46.2) |
3.7 (38.7) |
13.3 (55.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −0.8 (30.6) |
0.0 (32.0) |
3.2 (37.8) |
8.4 (47.1) |
12.4 (54.3) |
16.5 (61.7) |
19.8 (67.6) |
19.5 (67.1) |
15.4 (59.7) |
10.4 (50.7) |
4.9 (40.8) |
1.3 (34.3) |
9.3 (48.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −24.4 (−11.9) |
−14.8 (5.4) |
−12.8 (9.0) |
−3.8 (25.2) |
1.0 (33.8) |
6.3 (43.3) |
9.3 (48.7) |
8.9 (48.0) |
0.8 (33.4) |
−6.4 (20.5) |
−7.1 (19.2) |
−20.5 (−4.9) |
−24.4 (−11.9) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 21 (0.8) |
23 (0.9) |
29 (1.1) |
51 (2.0) |
92 (3.6) |
85 (3.3) |
49 (1.9) |
37 (1.5) |
27 (1.1) |
41 (1.6) |
29 (1.1) |
23 (0.9) |
507 (20.0) |
| Average rainy days | 4 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 100 |
| Average snowy days | 6 | 8 | 3 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 | 1 | 4 | 22 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 74 | 72 | 68 | 66 | 67 | 64 | 61 | 62 | 66 | 73 | 76 | 76 | 69 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 99 | 102 | 142 | 171 | 213 | 249 | 256 | 248 | 206 | 164 | 103 | 93 | 2,046 |
| Source 1: Pogoda.ru.net | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: NOAA (Sunshine hours 1961–1990) | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Mta-Sabueti (1991-2020, extremes 1981-2020) 42°02′N 43°28′E / 42.033°N 43.467°E | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 13.3 (55.9) |
16.4 (61.5) |
19.4 (66.9) |
27.8 (82.0) |
26.5 (79.7) |
30.0 (86.0) |
31.1 (88.0) |
34.4 (93.9) |
31.4 (88.5) |
26.1 (79.0) |
23.6 (74.5) |
15.9 (60.6) |
34.4 (93.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 0.3 (32.5) |
1.0 (33.8) |
5.1 (41.2) |
11.2 (52.2) |
16.0 (60.8) |
19.5 (67.1) |
22.1 (71.8) |
23.1 (73.6) |
18.8 (65.8) |
13.4 (56.1) |
6.7 (44.1) |
2.0 (35.6) |
11.6 (52.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −2.5 (27.5) |
−2.3 (27.9) |
0.9 (33.6) |
5.9 (42.6) |
10.8 (51.4) |
14.4 (57.9) |
17.0 (62.6) |
17.7 (63.9) |
13.7 (56.7) |
8.9 (48.0) |
3.2 (37.8) |
−0.8 (30.6) |
7.2 (45.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −4.7 (23.5) |
−4.8 (23.4) |
−2.0 (28.4) |
2.3 (36.1) |
7.1 (44.8) |
10.7 (51.3) |
13.5 (56.3) |
13.9 (57.0) |
10.2 (50.4) |
5.9 (42.6) |
0.7 (33.3) |
−3.0 (26.6) |
4.2 (39.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −18.3 (−0.9) |
−18.2 (−0.8) |
−14.6 (5.7) |
−11.8 (10.8) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
0.1 (32.2) |
3.1 (37.6) |
5.0 (41.0) |
1.6 (34.9) |
−5.2 (22.6) |
−8.6 (16.5) |
−13.4 (7.9) |
−18.3 (−0.9) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 150.1 (5.91) |
124.8 (4.91) |
118.6 (4.67) |
78.6 (3.09) |
94.2 (3.71) |
79.6 (3.13) |
54.3 (2.14) |
54.1 (2.13) |
69.3 (2.73) |
89.4 (3.52) |
122.8 (4.83) |
128.1 (5.04) |
1,163.9 (45.81) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 14.2 | 13.8 | 14.9 | 12.2 | 13.4 | 12.4 | 10.3 | 9.2 | 9.5 | 10.7 | 11.3 | 13.7 | 145.6 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 88.7 | 88.7 | 86.6 | 82.3 | 84.5 | 86.6 | 86.2 | 83.7 | 85.8 | 87.9 | 87 | 88.2 | 86.4 |
| Source: NCEI | |||||||||||||
Protecting Georgia's Environment
Georgia faces some environmental challenges, just like many other countries. It's important to protect its beautiful nature.
Water Quality and the Black Sea
One concern has been pollution in the Black Sea. This has affected Georgia's tourism. A big reason for this pollution is that not all wastewater is treated before it goes into the sea. For example, in the early 1990s, only a small amount of wastewater in Batumi was treated. Improving water treatment helps keep the sea clean and safe for everyone.
Caring for Natural Habitats
The country's unique natural places, like those in Abkhazia, need careful protection. Experts believe Georgia's environmental problems are less severe than some highly industrialized countries. However, protecting the environment is still a very important job.
Working Together for a Greener Future
Georgia is part of many international agreements to protect the environment. These agreements cover topics like Air Pollution, Biodiversity, and Climate Change. By working with other countries, Georgia helps protect our planet for the future.
Extreme Points of Georgia
- Northernmost point: (de jure): Abkhazia
- Northernmost point (de facto): Mestia Municipality, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti
- Southernmost point: Dedoplistsqaro Municipality, Kakheti
- Westernmost point (de jure): Abkhazia
- Westernmost point (de facto): Adjara
- Easternmost point: Dedoplistsqaro Municipality, Kakheti (border with Azerbaijan)
See also
- Glaciers of Georgia
- List of earthquakes in Georgia (country)
