Kobuleti Municipality Explained

Official Name:Kobuleti Municipality
Native Name:ქობულეთის მუნიციპალიტეტი
Native Name Lang:geo
Mapsize:280
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:Autonomous Republic
Subdivision Type2:Administrative centre
Subdivision Name2:Kobuleti
Leader Title:mayor
Leader Name:Levan Zoidze (GD)
Area Total Km2:712
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:104,013
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone:Georgian Time
Utc Offset:+4
Website:http://kobuleti.gov.ge

Kobuleti (Georgian: ქობულეთის მუნიციპალიტეტი) is a district of Georgia, in the autonomous republic of Adjara. Its main town is Kobuleti.

Since 1921, the municipality's territory has been included in the Kobuleti Mazra of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara. In 1930, it was formed as a separate district. In 1962-64, it was included in the Chakvi district, with the centre in the Chakvi borough. On April 7, 1964, the Chakvi district was abolished, and the Kobuleti district was re-established with the centre in the city of Kobuleti. This administrative status was maintained until the restoration of Georgia's independence. Since 2006, after the legislative reform of the self-government system, Kobuleti district has been renamed Kobuleti municipality.[1] Contents

History

Kobuleti municipality is a settlement with a centuries-old past. It has been inhabited since ancient times. Stone Age settlements, Early Bronze Age materials, Bronze Age archaeological monuments, ancient ruins, and other materials reflecting the richest historical past are abundantly found here.In the middle of the 17th century, Gurians granted Kobuleti and its surroundings to Tavdgiridzes, who owned it until the 70s of the 18th century. After the Kuchuk-Kainarji truce, the Ottoman Empire occupied Kvemo Guria and Kobuleti. During Ottoman rule, the city was given the Turkish name Çürüksu. Churuk-Su Kaza was created, which was included in the Sanjak of Lazistan.[2]

After the Russo-Ottoman war in 1877-1878, Kobuleti, as well as the entire Adjara, was taken over by the Russian Empire. In the second half of the 19th century, Kobuleti became an elite resort. By decree of the Russian Emperor Alexander II, the coastal part was given to the commanders-in-chief who distinguished themselves during the Russian-Turkish operation. High-ranking officials began developing the coastal Kobuleti coastal area with luxurious country houses. The healthy climate of Kobuleti became known in just a few years.

After the Sovietization of Georgia, the houses of the aristocrats came under the ownership of the red commissars. In 1923, Kobuleti received the status of a resort and in 1944, the status of a city.

During the Soviet period, the Kobuleti district was one of the most important centres of citrus and tea production and processing throughout the Soviet Union, supplemented by other agricultural production such as horticulture, cattle breeding, sericulture, and beekeeping. Kobuleti district has gained popularity as a resort destination due to its beach and warm summer. Eco-tourism in the Kintrish Nature Reserve was also developed.

Administrative divisions and population

Kobuleti Municipality is a self-governing entity with administrative boundaries and an administrative centre - the city of Kobuleti.Self-governing bodies of the municipality are represented by the municipal council and the mayor's office. Kobuleti Municipality includes 21 territorial units. Settlements consist of one city Kobuleti, two boroughs, and 17 other territorial bodies, which include 48 villages. The population is 70,700 people,[3] and the average density is 126.5 people per 1 km².

Settlements

Name of the administrative entity Villages and Settlements Population Area
1Kobuleti townKobuleti town16 546 16 54614,99
2Ochkhamuri boroughOchkhamuri5355535525,25
Tsetskhlauri
Jikhanjuri
3Chakvi boroughChakvi6720857419,66
Buknari village1166
Sakhalvasho village688
4AlambariAlambari village1837214511,1
Zemo Kondidi village308
5AchkhvistaviAchkvistavi village1 05710578,09
6BobokvatiBobokvati village2 2822 8179,05
Qvemo Dagva545
7GvaraGvara Village108914095,23
Kvemo Kondidi village320
8DagvaDagva village203220328,87
9ZenitiZeniti village7647643,76
10KvirikeKvirike village1921411919,19
Zemo Kvirike village490
Kvemo Kvirike village1699
11LeghvaLeghva village2081318215,09
Skura village403
Tskhraphona village698
12MukhaestateMukhaestate village204520458,84
13SachinoSachino village75829318,96
Zemo Achkva village1037
Kvemo Achkkva village1136
14KakutiKakuti village1211162121,25
Achi village253
Gogmachauri village53
Natskhvataevi village104
15KobuletiTsikhisdziri village2 4724 16210,46
Stalinis ubani village956
Shuaghele village734
16ChaisubaniChaisubani village2 8472 84712,32
17TskavrokaTskavroka village
18ChakhatiChakhati village39061026,92
Didvake village-
Varjanuli village-
Kakucha village0
Kachieti village78
Kobalauri village-
Okhtomi village121
Tkemakravi village-
Khino village-
19KhalaKhala village1503286118,73
Gorgadzeebi village1298
Chakvistavi village60
20KhutsubaniKhutsubani Village3483508416,87
Nakaidzeebi village672
Kvemo Sameba village929

Geography and climate

Kobuleti municipality is located 10 m above sea level. Its area is 711.8 sq. km. The average annual temperature is 13–15 °C. The average amount of precipitation is 2500–3000 mm per year. The climate is subtropical.[4]

The municipality is located in the southwestern part of Georgia and in the northern part of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara. It is located between the Black Sea, the Cholok River and the Meskheti Range. The municipality borders Ozurgeti municipality from the north (border length 55 km), Khelvachauri municipality from the southwest (border length 24 km), Keda municipality from the south (border length 33 km), Shuakhevi municipality from the southeast (border length 21 km). The length of the coastal line is 24 km. The municipality occupies an area of 711.8 km². Twenty-one thousand one hundred seventy thousand square meters of land is used for agricultural and residential purposes, which is 29.4% of the entire municipality. Protected areas cover 30,252 hectares which are 42% of the entire municipality.[5]

Politics

Kobuleti Municipal Assembly (Georgian: ქობულეთის საკრებულო, Kobuletis Sakrebulo) is a representative body in Kobuleti Municipality, consisting of 39 members which is elected every four years. The last election was held in October 2021. Levan Zoidze of Georgian Dream was elected mayor.

Party2017[6] 2021[7] Current Municipal Assembly
 2924                       
 United National Movement613             
 1 
 Independent1 
 Alliance of Patriots1
 1
Total 3739

Education

There are 29 preschools and 46 public and three private schools in Kobuleti municipality. As of 2022, 3,300 children are enrolled in preschools, and 12,500 students study in schools.[8] JSC Kobuleti Culture Centre and its library department, as well as a student youth house, are functioning in the municipality. There is a college Akhali Talgha in the municipality.

Culture

In Kobuleti Municipality is functioning Kobuleti Museum, which combines expositions on the history of education, cultural history, history and archaeology of Kobuleti, and ethnography. The works of artist and sculptor Vazha Verulidze are exhibited here.[9]

The following institutions operate on the territory of the municipality:

Every year in February, the public reading day is celebrated in Kobuleti.[11]

Festivals and public holidays

!Event!Date!Description
"The Sun Shines in the Countryside"JulyThe festival aims to popularize rural tourism.Visitors can learn about local culture, see the exhibitions, taste dishes characteristic of local cuisine, and buy products and souvenirs.As part of the festival, sports and culinary competitions and concerts are organized.[12]
Summer FestivalJulyEvery year at the beginning of summer, Kobuleti hosts a summer festival, the main goal of which is to create a summer, relaxing and fun mood. Local and guest bands and DJs create a fun atmosphere for the festival guests throughout the day. Various summer activities are taking place in parallel with the concert. There is a special corner for children, where animators prepare a lot of interesting games for the little guests of the festival. There are seasonal open cafes on the beach, where you can taste different types of Georgian and European, as well as traditional Kobuletian food and sweets. Fire and balloon shows, bonfires on the beach, thousands of colourful helium balloons into the sky, and the beautiful fireworks make the festival more colourful.[13]
International Bird Watching FestivalSeptember - OctoberThe festival brings together ornithologists and bird watchers from different countries, who have the opportunity to observe more than a million birds of prey migrating through the world's third-largest migration corridor. At the same time, lectures and seminars are held by local and invited specialists.[14]
"Chakvistavoba"SeptemberThe public festival Chakvistavoba is celebrated in the village of Chakvistavi every year, where concerts and sports competitions in backgammon and arm wrestling are held, and an exhibition of handicrafts is organized. Local vocal-choreographic ensembles, individual performers, local entrepreneurs and athletes participate in the event.[15]
"Mandarinoba"NovemberEvery year in November, the Mandarinoba festival is organized, which combines the tradition of citrus harvesting and the field of hospitality. At the festival, guests can pick mandarins in the citrus garden, make lemonade, attend Georgian cooking master classes and listen to live music.[16]

Sport

JSC "Kobuleti Sports School" operates in Kobuleti Municipality, which has the following sports infrastructure:

Three republican tournaments are organized by the sports school:

Tourism

There is a tourism information centre in the municipality, which provides foreign and local visitors with the necessary information about attractions, tourist infrastructure, architectural and archaeological monuments, cultural events, festivals, public holidays, protected areas, transport, and other issues. The centre also helps visitors plan their preferred tours.

Types of tourism in the municipality

Economy

The leading sectors of the economy are tourism and agriculture. Employment sectors are both public and private. Tourism in rural areas is in the stage of development. The main areas of agriculture are citrus growing, tea growing, horticulture, and animal husbandry. Small processing and food industry enterprises operate in the municipality. Service and trade are the most advanced in the municipality.

Historical landmarks and sightseeing

Kintrish protected areas, Mtirala National Park and Kobuleti protected areas are located on the territory of the municipality. Important historical monuments on the territory of the municipality are Petra Fortress, Mamuka Fortress, Chekhedana Church, Khinotsminda Monastery, Kvirike Mosque, Tetrosani Monastery, Elia Fortress, Pichvnari Ancient Settlement and others.

Notable people

Photo Name Years Description
Davit Khakhutaishvili 1924-1999 Georgian historian, archaeologist, member-correspondent of the Georgian Academy of Sciences[17]
David Evgenidze1958Georgian composer and musician[18]
Mamia Kharazi1936-1996Famous bibliographer and public figure[19]
Irakli Turmanidze1984Weightlifter. 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games bronze medalist.
Irakli Gogokhia1983Doctor, Doctor, anesthesiologist-reanimatologist
Nino Katamadze1972Georgian jazz singer and songwriter
Alexandre Kutubidze1969Doctor of Medicine, plastic surgeon
Zurab Gorgiladze1937-2006Georgian poet[20]
Nodar Amaghlobeli 1930-2004Georgian physicist, doctor of physics and mathematics, professor
Giorgi Tkhilaishvili1991Rugby player, and forward of the Georgian national rugby team
Revaz Chelebadze1955Georgian and Soviet football player, striker
Guram Tamazashvili1953-2009Georgian singer. Solo singer of the Kartuli Khmebi ensemble
Jano Ananidze1992Football player, and member of the Georgian national team

Twin towns – sister Municipalities

City Country Region Area Population Postal Code Website
KielcePolandŚwiętokrzyskie 109,6 km²199 47525001-25900http://www.um.kielce.pl
YuzhneUkraineOdesa10,42 km²32,74565481—65489http://www.yuzhny.org/
PalangaLithuaniaKlaipėda County79 km²17 632 00100-00103palanga.lt
RivneUkraineRivne Oblast63.00 km2245,28933000city-adm.rv.ua
AlaverdiArmeniaLori Province18 km²13,1861701-1708http://www.alaverdi.am/
NarvaEstoniaIda-Viru county84.54 km2 54,40920001 to 21020https://www.narva.ee
VarnaBulgariaNorthern Bulgaria region238 km2332,6869000www.varna.bg
PriekuleLatviaSouth Kurzeme Municipality 5.42 km2 1851LV-3434http://www.priekule.lv/
TartuEstoniaTartu38.80 km29140750050 to 51111https://tartu.ee/en
TerracinaItalyLatina 136 km2 45,8504019https://comune.terracina.lt.it
Piekary ŚląskiePolandSilesia39.98 km254,226 41–940 to 41–949http://www.piekary.pl/
ObornikiPolandOborniki14.08 km217,85017,850https://www.oborniki.pl
SelçukTurkeyIzmir279.85 km237,68935920www.selcuk.bel.tr
GurjaaniGeorgiaKakheti846.0 კმ²80241500gurjaani.ge
DymytrovUkraineDonetsk Oblast 23 km25580085320-85326http://dimitrov-rada.gov.ua
BabruyskBelarusMogilev83.86 km2209,675213801-213830bobruisk.by
AkhtalaArmeniaLori 4.3 km²2,0921709-1711http://www.akhtala.am/Pages/Home/Default.aspx

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://kobuleti.gov.ge/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/sivrcitimowyoba.pdf ქობულეთის მუნიციპალიტეტის სივრცითი მოწყობის გეგმა, გვ.47
  2. Web site: Kobuleti . Georgian travel guide . 20 November 2022.
  3. Web site: მოსახლეობა - საქართველოს სტატისტიკის ეროვნული სამსახური .
  4. Web site: Climate Kobuleti (Georgia) .
  5. Web site: Anthropogenic relief of the Kobuleti Municipality .
  6. Web site: Protocol elected municipal council members and mayors 2017 . 2021-01-06 . CESKO Central Election Commission . 95–97 . ka.
  7. Web site: Protocol elected municipal council members and mayors 2021 . 2021-01-06 . CESKO Central Election Commission . 117–119 . ka.
  8. [:ka:ფაილი:ქობულეთის მუნიციპალიტეტის წერილი - 114-1142225178.pdf|ქობულეთის მუნიციპალიტეტის მერია, წერილი N114-1142225178 /დანართი/, 08/09/2022]
  9. http://www.kobmuzeu.ge/?option=index ქობულეთის მუზეუმი
  10. http://kobuleti.gov.ge/?p=8492 ფოლკლორი და ქორეოგრაფია
  11. http://kobuleti.gov.ge/?p=2068 წიგნის საჯაროდ კითხვის დღე
  12. https://www.adjaratv.ge/article/46171 „მზე სოფელში ანათებს“-ქობულეთის მუნიციპალიტეტი საზაფხულო ფესტივალს მასპინძლობს
  13. https://visitajara.com/ka/our-events/ქობულეთის_ფესტივალი ქობულეთის ფესტივალი
  14. http://www.adjara.gov.ge/branches/description.aspx?gtid=679619&gid=7#.Y3j7pX1BzIV ფრინველებზე დაკვირვების საერთაშორისო ფესტივალი დასრულდა
  15. https://ajaratv.ge/article/4921 “ჩაქვისთავობა”-სახალხო ზეიმი
  16. https://batumievents.com/Event/641/ ფესტივალი "მანდარინობა 2022"
  17. Web site: დავით ხახუტაშვილი .
  18. Web site: დავით ევგენიძე .
  19. Web site: ხარაზი მამია .
  20. Web site: ზურაბ გორგილაძე .