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Georgia is located in wrinkled Alpine zone, in Subtropical
zones of northern periphery between (the 41 07 and 43 35 latitudes
and West 40 05 and 46 44 longitudes). The border length is
1970 km (315 km of which (16%) is coastline). The country
is bounded by Russian federation from North, from East - Azerbaijan,
from South - Armenia and Turkey, from West - the Black Sea.
The geological constitution is characterised by the precipitation
is basically of Mesozoic and Cainozoic era. According to the
wrinkles it's divided by several Geotectonical units: from
North to the South by Caucasian main ring's Antiklinorium,
main Caucasian range, wrinkles system, Georgian Belt, Achara-Trialeti
system, Artvin-Bolnisi Belt and Loc-Karabag's wrinkled zone.
Georgia is reach by minerals resources: oil, coal, peat, iron,
magnum, copper, projectile-zinc, arsenic, mercury, andezit,
barite, talc, serpentit, agate, quartz, basalt, granite, diorite,
marble, etc.
Georgia differs by it's contrast relief. It is
represented by high, middle and low mountain highland plane
unity. The Caucasus are reflected sharply, inter mountain
lowland.
The territory of the Georgia features a highly
contrasting topography. The north of the country is occupied
by the Greater Caucasus chain (highest point - Mt. Shkhara,
5068 m), which includes the Great Caucasian Range (the main
watershed) and Gagra, Bzipi, Kodori, Svaneti, Egrisi, Racha,
Lomisi, Kartli and other ranges. The inter mountain depression
to the south of the Greater Caucasus encompasses the Kolkheti
lowland, Inner Kartli, Lower Kartli and the Alazani Plain.
Still further to the south the Minor Caucasian ranges rise
to the medium height (Meskheti, Shavsheti and other ranges),
reaching 2850 m. The southernmost area of the country is covered
by the volcanic South Georgian Upland (Mt. Didi Abuli, 3301
m, its highest peak), dissected by specific canyon-like river
gorges.
The Greater Caucasus and the South Georgian Upland join with
the Likhi Range, which at the same time divides Georgia into
two contrasting climatic zones: Western and Eastern Georgia.
The location of Georgia on the border between
the moderate humid Mediterranean and the dry continental Aral-Caspian
areas is responsible for the climate of the country. A humid
subtropical climate dominants in the Western Georgia, while
Eastern Georgia features a transition from subtropical to
moderate. The mean January temperature varies from -2 degree
(Kolkheti) to 3 degree; in August from 23 to 26 degree. In
the mean annual precipitation varies from 1000 to 2800 mm,
in Eastern Georgia from 300 to 600 mm.
According to the climate conditions, hydrological network
is not equally distributed in Georgia. In comparison with
the East, the Western part of the country is highly satiated
with river basins.
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The rivers of Georgia belong to the basins of
the Black and Caspian Basin flows the Mtkvari river with its
numerous tributaries (left) the Didi Liakhvi, the Aragvi,
the Iori, the Alazani, (right) the Paravani, the Algeti, and
Khrami. The Black Sea Basin rivers include the Rioni, the
Enguri, the Acharistskali, the Bzipi and others. There are
not many lakes in Georgia, the largest being Lake Paravani
(37 sq. km), and Lake Paliastomi (17,3 sq. km), and the deepest
Lake Ritsa (116 m) and Lake Amtkeli (72-122 m) (both are impounded
lakes).
The glaciers are only on Caucuses (688) and occupy 508 sq.
km (country area's 0.7%). Regular snow line hesitates on 2800-3600
metre.
Georgia is rich with underground waters, there are mineral
and thermal waters (Borjomi, Utsera, Dzau, Nabeglavi, Sairme,
Zvare, Nunisi etc.).
The vegetation of Georgia is extremely rich and diverse, with
numerous relict and endemic plants (dioskeria, Pontic and
Caucasian rhododendron, boxtree, zelkva, persimmon,
etc.).
Forest covers over 1/3 of the area, with broad-leafed species
(oak, horn beam, chestnut, peach, etc.) common at lower levels,
dark conifers (fir and spruce) in a higher mountain belt,
and pine in higher-mountain valleys. Alpine meadows are spreading
above 1880 m. The Kolkheti and Alazani plains and the lava
plateau's of the South Georgian Upland are dominated by cultivated
plants (tea, citrus's, grapes).
The animal world is represented by variety of different mountain
and plain is as plain species (Caucasian tur, roe deer, wolf,
lynx, eagle, sparrow-hawk, falcon, sturgeon, salmon, shoat-fish,
trout etc.
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