MTSKHETA-MTIANETI

Findings of the population census

The minerals found in the region are mostly used for the construction – such as marble stones, limestone, inert materials, diabase, shale stones and andesites. A unique type of industrial clay for pottery is found as well. The region is rich in mineral water such as “ Vazha’s Tskharo”, “Khada”, “Natakhtristskhali”, “Vedza” as well as “Bagini”, “Lomisa” and “Alnaguda” from Stephantsminda, Kobi and Truso.

The Devdorak copper deposit is located in the vicinity of the village of Gveleti, Kazbegi district (close to Devdorak Glacier). The percentage of copper varies from 0. 49% - to 23.7%

Kobi deposit

a) Naukao District – A rich source of paving stones are found in the vicinity of Naukao village: Blocks - 25.2% , tiles - 7.2 m² out of 1 m³.

b) Mna District – about 3-4km north-east from the village of Naukao there is a deposit of paving stones estimated at some 2047 thousand m³. 1 m³ of blocks makes 7.43 m² of tiles.

Veshtatskaro diabasis deposit is located in Kazbegi District within 8km north-east from Juta village. Contents - 2.4 million m³, blocks - 37%, while 1 m³ makes - 9.6 m².

Mosaic crushed stones - 87%. The deposit is licensed.

Gveleti breccia diabasis deposit is located at the confluence of the Devdorak and Tergi rivers. Paving blocks -68%, tiles - 9.1% from 1 m³ of blocks. Approximate contents – 180 thousand m³

Chaukhi breccia deposit – located within 2 – 2.5 km from Juta village. 68% of the diabasis rocks found here can be used for paving. Blocks - 14.4% , tiles - 9.8m² from 1 m³ of blocks .Total amount - 150 m³

Tsdo diabasis deposit - located in Kazbegi District in the vicinity of the village of Tsdo. Mostly diabase stones are found. The deposit has not been studied thoroughly. The amount of blocks - 36.6%, while 1 m³ of blocks makes 8.7 m² of paving tiles. No exact estimate of the contents has been defined yet.

Dariali granite rock deposit – located within 10km north from Stepantsminda, on the right side of the river Kistinki. The amount of paving stones varies from 47.5 to 51.0%.. Paving blocks - 38.2%, while 1 m³ makes 9m² of tiles. The amount of paving materials - 243.5 thousand m³ while the amount of materials used as crushed stone is 315.7 thousand m³.

Molioni andesite rock deposit – located within 25km south from Stepantsminda (within 2km south from the confluence of the Narvanistskali and Miliona rivers. The amount of blocks - 37%, crushed stone - 48%, tiles – 9.5 m² out of 1m³ of blocks. Approximate contents - 263 thousand m³ .

Pansheti andesite breccia deposit – located within 6km south west from Stepantsminda. This type of the volcanic rock saws easily, therefore it can be used for paving the walls . The amount of andesite breccia is 57% while the rest can be used to make ”350” mark light concrete. Approximate contents - 834 thousand m³.

Kobi sand and gravel deposit – located in the vicinity of Kanobi, Kobi and Okrokana, in the Tergi valley. They could be used to make”100”and 350” mark concrete. Approximate contents - 5.9 million m³.

Tskre andesite- basalt deposit – located in Dusheti District, 9km south from the village of Kvesheti. (1.5 km away from Tskere village) . Andesite basalt stones have cracks, therefore they can be used for concrete and as mosaic crushed stones. Approximate contents - 1135 thousand m³.

Abudelauri volcanic breccia deposit – located in Piraketa Khevsureti, 4km west from the village of Roshki. It consists of Moraine rocks. The deposit occupies 47 hectares. The amount of blocks is low comprising 7.3% while 1 m³ of blocks makes 4.12 m² of tiles. Approximate contents - 200 thousand m³.

Korshi sandstone deposit – located 60km away from Dusheti. The sandstones are hard and strong though broken . Therefore they can be used for ”100” – ”300” mark concrete. Approximate contents - 3451 thousand m³.

Pasanauri sand and gravel deposit – located in the vicinity of Pasanauri. It can be used for "200" mark concrete. Approximate contents - 9367 thousand m³

Khomisdziri sand and gravel deposit – located in Dusheti District, near Katsalkhevi, Gudarekhi and Khomi, in the valley of the rivers Pshavi and Aragvi. They could be used for ”250” and ”300” mark concrete. The number of supplies is 2.4 million m³.

The region has rich and diverse flora and fauna. There are Saguramo and Kazbegi state reserves in the region. The front of the mountains is mostly the mixture of prickly bushes and trees. The hornbeams and oak trees are mostly found in the lower part of the forest while the beeches prevail on the higher elevations. Different types of coniferous trees along with pines can be found in the region. Sub alpine and alpine fields span widely above the forested area of the mountain. Rhododendron caucasicum is mostly found on the northern slopes while junipers grow on the southern ones. In some areas birch trees and trembling poplars are found in small numbers as well as yellow bunting and other types of grain such as galamagrostis arundinacea, koeleria, bromus, calamagrostis, nardus, agrostis etc.

In the forests, there are different types of alpine “carpets” such as bluebell, yellowcup, alchemilla, gentiana etc.

Sea buckthorn bushes mostly prevail in the Tergi grove. The East - Caucasian auroch, chamois and capra aegagrus are found mostly in Khevsureti. In the lower part of the forest zone one can still find deer as well as predators such as bears, wolves, foxes, martens, badgers, weasels and lynx (rare cases). Jackals, hares and squirrels are mostly found in the forest at the front side of the mountain while there is a big number of vole-mice in the steppes.

There are the following types of fishes in the region : trout, chubs, Mtkvari nases, barbells, mursa and others species of carp and minnow family.

Types of birds found in the region : mountain eagles, hawks, Jackdaws, bearded vulture (gypaetus barbatus), Caucasian snowcocks (Tetraogallus caucasicus), choughs, jackdaws, black grouses, rock partridges, blackbirds, hoopoes and jays.

Administrative – territorial entities (regions ) according to the towns and districts	The years of the population	Census Number
		Total	Including
		Total	Towns	Districts
Mtskheta District	1979	58712	10971	47741
	1989	62631	14273	48358
	2002	64829	13049	51780
Dusheti District	1979	36783	11320	25463
	1989	37546	14477	23069
	2002	33636	10827	22809
Tianeti District	1979	16541	4495	12046
	1989	15238	4686	10552
	2002	14014	4036	9978
Kazbegi District	1979	6769	1911	4858
Kazbegi District	1989	6376	1924	4452