Armenians in Samtskhe-Javakheti

Armenians in Samtskhe-Javakheti are ethnic Armenians of Georgian nationality living in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region of the Republic of Georgia. The southern part of the region (Javakheti) borders the Republic of Armenia to the south. Here, ethnic Armenians form the great majority of the population with minorities of Georgians, Russians and Caucasus Greeks. Among Armenians of Samtskhe-Javakheti, Armenian is the common language spoken.

Many of the Armenians in the region immigrated from the province of Erzerum in the Ottoman Empire after the area became part of Russia in 1829 while most of the Muslims (Meskhetian Turks and Adjarians) in the region emigrated to the Ottoman Empire. More Armenians came to region later on as a result of Turkish massacres and the Armenian genocide. Russian Empire driven policy aimed to settle the Christian Armenians at the border of the Ottoman Empire, since they were enjoying the status of a reliable ally in contrast to the Muslim population.

Ethnic Armenians are chiefly concentrated in Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda districts. At the beginning of 1918 in Akhalkalaki region had 120,000 population, from which Armenians were 89,000 (74%), Meskhetian Turks were 8,000 (7%), representatives of other nationalities 23,000 (19%) During this period in Ahalkalak district there were 111 villages from which 66 were Armenian, 24 Turkish, 9 Russian, 10 Georgian (including former Armenian villages Vargav and Hzabavra, the population of which had assimilated with Georgians), and one village with the Armenian-Georgian mixed population.

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