Georgian people

Georgian people ქართველი ერი
Total population:	6 million (est.)
Significant populations in:	Georgia:    3,933,489 (2005) Turkey:    1,500,000 (est)[1] Russia:    198,000 (2002 census) Azerbaijan:    50,000 (est) Iran:    50,000 (est)[2] Ukraine:    34,200 (2001 census) Western Europe and the USA:    200,000 (est)
Language:	Georgian
Religion:	Georgian Orthodox, Islam.
Related ethnic groups:	Chechens Ingushs Abkhaz

The Georgians (ქართველი ერი (Kartveli Eri) or ქართველები (Kartvelebi) in the Georgian language) are a nation or an ethnic group, originating in the Caucasus. The Georgian ethnic group (as a single entity) is one of the oldest ethnic groups in the world. Georgians are a part of the Ibero-Caucasian peoples (იბერიელ-კავკასიელი ხალხები) and are classified in the South Caucasian family both linguistically and culturally. The Georgian language has a rich literary tradition and the Georgian Alphabet is one of the fourteen unique alphabets which exist in the world today.

Contents 1 Population and geographical spread 2 Ethnographic subdivisions 3 External links 4 See also

Population and geographical spread

The total population of Georgians in the world is estimated to be around 6,000,000.

• Around 4 million Georgians live in Georgia (where they comprise 83% of the population),

• More than 1,5 million in Turkey especially in historical Georgian regions of Tao-Klarjeti, Ardahan (Artaani in Georgian) and Lazistan (Lazeti in Georgian),

• Around 200,000 in Russia.

• 50,000-100,000 (numbers are not totally known) in Iran mainly in (Fereydoon Shahr, Najaf Abad, Rahmat Abad, Orji Mahalle, Sadeh)

• More than 50,000 in Azerbaijan especially in the (Kakhi, Belokani and Zakatala districts, which are parts of the historical Georgian region Saingilo).

• 200,000 in other countries such as (USA, Germany, the Netherlands, France, etc.).

Ethnographic subdivisions

Ethnographic groups of the Georgian people are: Megrels (მეგრელები), Svans (სვანები), Lazs (ლაზები), Imeretians (იმერლები), Guruls (გურულები), Ajarians (აჭარლები), Meskhs (მესხები), Lechkhums (ლეჩხუმელები), Rachvels (რაჭველები), Kartlis (ქართლელები), Kakhetians (კახელები), Khevsurs (ხევსურები), Tushs (თუშები), Pshavs (ფშაველები), Mokhevians (მოხევეები), Ingilos (ინგილოები), Fereydanians (ფერეიდნელები)

External links

• "The Bagrationi Royal Dynasty of Georgia" by Dr. Levan Z. Urushadze.- Issued by the International Academy for the Promotion of Historical Studies (IAPHS), 2005
• "Kartuli Idea - The Georgian Idea"

See also

• Demographics of Georgia
• Demographics of Turkey
• Demographics of Russia
• Republic of Georgia
• History of Georgia
• Culture of Georgia
• Georgian language
• Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church
• List of Georgians
• Chveneburi - Georgians in Turkey

The content of this page is retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgians under GFDL