Samegrelo (Mingrelia) is a historic province in the western part of the republic of Georgia, formerly also known as Odishi. Samegrelo is bordered by the rebellious province of Abkhazia to the north-west, Svaneti to the north, Imereti to the east, Guria to the south and the Black Sea to the west. Mingrelians (Mingrels, Megrelians; (Megrelebi in Georgian) are one of the local culture-groups of ethnically subdivided Georgian people, who speak both Megrelian and Georgian, but have only Georgian script. Official languages Abkhaz, Russian Political status De Facto Independent Capital Sukhumi Capitals coordinates 43°01′N 41°02′E President¹ Sergei Bagapsh Prime Minister¹ Alexander Ankvab ¹ De-facto government Chairman of the Supreme Council² Temur Mzhavia Chairman of Cabinet of Ministers² Irakli Alasania ² Pro-Georgian Government in exile Independence... Svaneti (სვანეთი. Also known as Svanetia or Svania in Russian and Western languages) is a historic province in Georgia, in the northwestern part of the country. ... Imereti is a historic province in Western Georgia, situated along the middle and upper reaches of the Rioni river. ... Guria is a region in Georgia (Caucasus), in the western part of the country, bordered by the eastern end of the Black Sea. ... Map of the Black Sea. ... The Georgians (ქართველი ერი (Kartveli Eri) or ქართველები (Kartvelebi) in the Georgian language) are a nation or an ethnic group, originating in the Caucasus. ...

Administratively, the province of Samegrelo is incorporated with the northern part of the neighboring mountainous province of Svaneti into the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region, capital of which is Samegrelo's main city Zugdidi. In ancient times Samegrelo was a major part of the kingdom of Kolkha (Colchis) (9th-6th centuries BC) and kingdom of Egrisi (4th century BC-6th century AD). In 11th-15th centuries Samegrelo was a part of the united Georgian Kingdom. In 16th century-1857 the independent Principality of Samegrelo was under ruling of Georgian dynasty Dadiani and patronage of the Ottoman Empire. In De cember of 1803 the Principality came under the patronage of the Russian Empire by agreement between the Tsar and the Megrelian Prince Grigol Dadiani. In 1857 the Principality was abolished officially by the Tsarist Russian Empire. In 1918-1921 Samegrelo was part of the Democratic Republic of Georgia (DRG). in 1921 Georgia was part of the Soviet Union, in 1921-1990 in the form of the Georgian SSR. In April 9, 1991 independence was restored to Georgia, of which Samegrelo is now part. Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti is a region in western Georgia (country) which includes the historical Georgian provinces of Samegrelo (Mingrelia) and Zemo Svaneti (i. ... Zugdidi is a city in the Western Georgian historical province of Mingrelia (Samegrelo). ... In ancient geography, Colchis (sometimes spelled also as Kolchis) (Greek: Κολχίς, kŏl´kĬs; Georgian: კოლხეთი, Kolkheti) was a nearly triangular district in Caucasus. ... In ancient geography, Colchis (sometimes spelled also as Kolchis) (Greek: Κολχίς, kŏl´kĬs; Georgian: კოლხეთი, Kolkheti) was a nearly triangular district in Caucasus. ... (10th century BC - 9th century BC - 8th century BC - other centuries) (900s BC - 890s BC - 880s BC - 870s BC - 860s BC - 850s BC - 840s BC - 830s BC - 820s BC - 810s BC - 800s BC - other decades) (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium AD) Events Kingdom of Kush (900 BC... (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium) // Overview The 5th and 6th centuries BC were a time of empires, but more importantly, a time of learning and philosophy. ... Egrisi (or Kolkheti) known to the ancient Greeks and Romans as Lazica was a kingdom in the western part of Georgia, which flourished between the 6th century BC and the 7th century AD. It covered the territory of the former kingdom Kolkha (Colchis) and the territory of modern Abkhazia. ... (5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - other centuries) (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium AD) // Events Invasion of the Celts into Ireland Battle of the Allia and subsequent Gaulish sack of Rome 383 BCE Second Buddhist Councel at Vesali. ... This Buddhist stela from China, Northern Wei period, was built in the early 6th century. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 11th century was that century which lasted from 1001 to 1100. ... (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... 1857 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Dadiani coat of arms Dadiani (დადიანი in Georgian) was a Georgian family of nobles, and a ruling dynasty of the western Georgian province of Samegrelo. ... Imperial motto (Ottoman Turkish) دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) The Ottoman Empire at the height of its power (1683) Official language Ottoman Turkish Capital Söğüt (1299-1326), Bursa (1326-1365), Edirne (1365-1453), Ä°stanbul (1453-1922) Imperial anthem Ottoman imperial anthem Sovereigns Padishah of the Osmanl... 1803 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Imperial Russia is the term used to cover the period of Russian history from the expansion of Russia under Peter the Great, through the expansion of the Russian Empire from the Baltic to the Pacific Ocean, to the deposal of Nicholas II of Russia, the last tsar, at the start... Look up Tsar in Wiktionary, the free dictionary For the US community of Czar, see Czar, West Virginia. ... 1857 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Imperial Russia is the term used to cover the period of Russian history from the expansion of Russia under Peter the Great, through the expansion of the Russian Empire from the Baltic to the Pacific Ocean, to the deposal of Nicholas II of Russia, the last tsar, at the start... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... National motto: n/a Language Georgian (official), Russian (unofficial) Capital Tbilisi (aka Tiflis) Chairman of the Government Noe Ramishvili (1918–1919), Noe Zhordania (1919–1921) Area 107,600 km² Population 2. ... 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... This article is about the year. ... State motto: პროლეტარ ყველა ქვეყნისა, შეერთდით! Official language Georgian since 1978 Capital Tbilisi Chairman of the Supreme Council Zviad Gamsakhurdia (at independence) Established In the USSR:  - Since  - Until February 25, 1921 December 30, 1922 April 9, 1991 Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 10th in former Soviet Union 69,700 km² -- Population  - Total (1989)  - Density Ranked... April 9 is the 99th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (100th in leap years). ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The first President of independent Georgia, Dr. Zviad Gamsakhurdia (1939-1993), was a Megrelian. Therefore, after the violent Coup d'etat of December 21, 1991 - January 6, 1992, Samegrelo became centre of civil war, which ended whith the defeat of Gamsakhurdia's supporters. Even so, this region was unmanageable by the central government throughout the presidency of Eduard Shevardnadze (1992-2003). The stability in the region is further deteriorated by the fact that the Georgian refugees from the Abkhazian war zone (who are considered by Georgians as victims of ethnic cleansing) are mostly Megrelians. After the Rose Revolution of November, 2003, In 2004, newly elected Georgian President, Dr. Mikhail Saakashvili, who vowed to resolve the conflict whith breakaway region of Abkhazia solely by peaceful means, had to disarm groups of Megrelians, who tried to fight guerrilla war against Abkhazians by incursions from Samegrelo. Zviad Gamsakhurdia Zviad Konstantines dze Gamsakhurdia (Georgian: ზვიად კონსტანტინეს ძე გამსახურდია) (March 31, 1939 - December 31, 1993) was a dissident, scientist and writer, who... A coup détat, or simply a coup, is the sudden overthrow of a government, usually done by a small group that just replaces the top power figures. ... December 21 is the 355th day of the year (356th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 6 is the 6th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... Eduard Amvrosiyevich Shevardnadze (Georgian: ედუარდ შევარდნაძე, Russian: Эдуа́рд Амвро́сьевич Шевардна́дзе; pronounced ed-oo-ard am-vro-see-ye-vitch she-va-rd-nad-zuh) (born 25 January 1928) is a Georgian politician. ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Mikhail Saakashvili and his supporters marched on the parliament carrying roses as a symbol of nonviolence Rose Revolution refers to a peaceful 2003 revolution in the country of Georgia that displaced president Eduard Shevardnadze. ... Look up November in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... It has been designated the: International Year of Rice (by the United Nations) International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO) 2004 World Health Day topic was Road Safety (by World Health Organization) Year of the Monkey (by the Chinese calendar) See the world in... Mikhail Saakashvili briefing the press at UN headquarters Mikhail Saakashvili (Georgian: მიხეილ სააკაშვილი) (born December 21, 1967, in Tbilisi) is a Georgian jurist and politician and the current President of Georgia of Armenian origin. ...

Notable people of Samegrelo

• Stalin's chief of secret police, Lavrenti Beria
• Zviad Gamsakhurdia, first president of post-Soviet Georgia