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The Georgians (ქართველი ერი (Kartveli Eri) or ქართველები (Kartvelebi) in the Georgian language) are a nation or an ethnic group, originating in the Caucasus. The Georgian ethnic group (as a single entity) is one of the oldest ethnic groups in the world. Georgians are a part of the Ibero-Caucasian peoples (იბერიელ-კავკასიელი ხალხები) and are classified in the South Caucasian family both linguistically and culturally. The Georgian language has a rich literary tradition and the Georgian Alphabet is one of the fourteen unique alphabets which exist in the world today.

Origins

Most historians and scholars of Georgia as well as anthropologists, archeologists and linguists tend to agree that the ancestors of modern Georgians inhabited the southern Caucasus and northern Asia Minor since the Neolithic period. Scholars usually refer to them as Proto-Kartvelian tribes. Some European historians of the 19th century (eg, Humboldt, Krettschmer) as well as Georgian scholars (R. Gordeziani, S. Kaukhchishvili and Z. Gamsakhurdia) came to the conclusion that Proto-Kartvelians were closely related linguistically and culturally to the indigenous (pre-Indo-European) peoples of ancient Europe including the Etruscans, Pelasgians and Proto-Basques.

Population and geographical spread

The total population of Georgians in the world is estimated to be around 6,000,000.

• Around 4 million Georgians live in Georgia (where they comprise 83% of the population),

• In Turkey, Georgians form the majority in parts of Artvin Province east of the Çoruh River in Shavsheti (შავშეთი) region (Upper Machakheli in the north of Borçka district, Imerkhevi in the north of Şavşat district, and Murgul district) and in individual villages along the Çoruh valley of Livana (ლივანა) vicinity in the territory of the ancient Georgian regions of Tao-Klarjeti (Klarjeti (კლარჯეთში) is presently a village renamed officially as Bereket in Ardanuç district), southwards to the district of Yusufeli (Kiskim) in Amier-Tao (ამიერტაო) subregion. They also live as Chveneburi (ჩვენებური) muhajirs in various provinces. The total population of Georgians in Turkey is estimated to be more than 1,500,000.

• Around 200,000 in Russia.

• 50,000-100,000 (numbers are not totally known) in Iran mainly in (Fereydoon Shahr, Najaf Abad, Rahmat Abad, Orji Mahalle, Sadeh)

• More than 50,000 in Azerbaijan especially in the Kakhi, Belokani and Zakatala districts, which are parts of the historical Georgian region Saingilo.

• 200,000 in other countries such as (USA, Germany, the Netherlands, France, etc.).

Ethnographic subdivisions

Ethnographic groups of the Georgian people are: Megrels (მეგრელები), Svans (სვანები), Lazs (ლაზები), Imeretians (იმერლები), Guruls (გურულები), Ajarians (აჭარლები), Meskhs (მესხები), Lechkhums (ლეჩხუმელები), Rachvels (რაჭველები), Kartlis (ქართლელები), Kakhetians (კახელები), Khevsurs (ხევსურები), Tushs (თუშები), Pshavs (ფშაველები), Mokhevians (მოხევეები), Ingilos (ინგილოები), Fereydanians (ფერეიდნელები)

Gallery of Georgians

External links

• "The Bagrationi Royal Dynasty of Georgia" by Dr. Levan Z. Urushadze.- Issued by the International Academy for the Promotion of Historical Studies (IAPHS), 2005
• "Kartuli Idea - The Georgian Idea"

See also

• Chveneburi - Georgians in Turkey
• Culture of Georgia
• Demographics of Georgia
• Demographics of Turkey
• Demographics of Russia
• Georgian language
• Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church
• History of Georgia
• List of Georgians
• Peoples of the Caucasus in Turkey
• Republic of Georgia

• Ancient peoples
• Ethnic groups in Europe
• Georgian society
• Christian people
• European people