Рача-Лечхуми және Квемо-Сванетия аймағы

Region (mkhare) of Georgia

Racha Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti (, Rach’a Lechkhumi da Kvemo Svaneti) is a region (mkhare) in northwestern Georgia with a population of 28,500 (2021), making it the most sparsely populated region in the country. It has a nominal area of , of which is de facto controlled by Georgia. The remainder is effectively under South Ossetian control. The region has Ambrolauri as its administrative center and Parmen Margvelidze is governor of the region since June 2021. Racha Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti includes the historical provinces of Racha, Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti (or Lower Svaneti).

Racha Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti is located in the north of Georgia and covers an area of The eastern tip of the region is de facto in South Ossetia and is not under Georgian control. This concerns approximately Racha Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti borders the Samegrelo Zemo Svaneti region to the west, the Russian Caucasian republics of Kabardino Balkaria and North Ossetia Alania to the north, the Georgian Shida Kartli region to the southeast, and Imereti to the south. Racha Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti is traversed by the northeasterly line of equal latitude and longitude. The region is surrounded by mountain ranges as a natural border. The north south watershed and main ridge of the Greater Caucasus forms the natural northeastern boundary of Racha Lechkumi and Kvemo Svaneti while the Racha Range form the southern boundary from the main ridge of the Greater Caucasus to the outlet of the region's Rioni and Tskhenistsqali rivers. To the west of this, the Egrisi Range forms the southwestern natural border and the Svaneti Range the northwestern. In addition, the region itself is also separated into separate areas by mountain ranges. The Shoda Kedela Ridge, together with the Lechkhumi Range, form a natural division between the historical regions of Mountain , Upper and Lower Racha, Lechkhumi and Lower Svaneti. Upper and Lower Racha have their natural boundary in the kHidiskari Gorge in the Rioni River between the villages of Tsesi and Kmimsi. The largest river entirely in Georgia, the Rioni, has its major origins in Racha Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, more specifically in Mountain Racha in the Greater Caucasus main ridge northwest of the village of Ghebi at the 3779 meter high Mt Pasismta. The Tskhenistsqali, the sixth river of Georgia, which flows into the Rioni after 176 kilometers at Samtredia, also finds its origin in this region, like the Rioni at Mt Pasismta. Both rivers flow in opposite directions through the region and find their exit in the southwest corner through the Khvamli chalk massif.

The population of (Georgian controlled) Racha Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti consists almost entirely of Georgians. The 2014 census counted no more than 112 inhabitants belonging to a minority group, with ethnic Russians (29) and Ossetians (28) being the most represented. Others include Armenians, Ukrainians, and Greeks.

The population of (Georgian controlled) Racha Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti almost entirely identifies themselves as Orthodox Christians, with only 90 people belonging to another religion. Jehovah's Witnesses are the most significant religious minority with 69 followers, according to the 2014 census, followed by s small number of Jews, Armenian Gregorians and Muslims. Oni has long been one of the main centers of Georgian Jews. At its peak, the community is said to have been as large as 3,500 people. According to the census of the period 1920 1970, around 1,100 1,200 Jews lived in Oni. Migration to Israel, in particular, started from 1968 when the Soviet Union began to allow emigration. Under Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze, this was made easier, accelerating the exodus in the late 1980s. By the early 1990s, most Jews had left Oni, especially to Beer Sheva in Israel's Negev desert. This town has had a twinning relationship with Oni ever since. The synagogue in Oni is the third largest in Georgia, and was opened in 1895 after a 4 year construction period. The synagogue is inspired by the Great Synagogue in Warsaw (Poland). This road reaches a highest point of almost meters above sea level and replaces the old route from Gori via Tskhinvali to Oni which has been effectively closed since the 1990s. A direct road between the towns of Lentekhi and Mestia in Upper Svaneti via the Laskadura valley and a 6 kilometer long tunnel through the Svaneti Range has been announced several times, especially in election campaign times. In 2017, an airport was opened in Ambrolauri to develop tourism and to serve the local population. Vanilla Sky Airlines operates flights between Ambrolauri and the regional airport of Natakhtari, which is close to Tbilisi. Since 1887, the nearest train station has been in Tkibuli (Imereti), the terminus of the line from Kutaisi.

The majority of the region is mountainous, while the economy mostly relies on agriculture from the valleys. In the region, cultivation of potatoes and viticulture) and animal husbandry is mostly developed. The regional production's part in the GDP of Georgia is 0.6%, with a GDP of GEL 300m ($100m) in 2020. The area around Ambrolauri is mostly known for its Khvanchkara wine production. Due to the protected climate, the Rioni valley is used for viticulture: the red wine Khvanchkara, popular in the former Soviet Union, is produced in this area. This is also reflected in the design of the coat of arms of the municipality. The namesake of the wine, which is a mixture of the Aleksandrouli and Mujuretuli grapes, is the village of Khvanchkara, which is located west of Ambrolauri.