Ethnic Groups and Religions

Abstract

Over the centuries Georgia has had many ethnic groups who have and continue to have different faiths and beliefs. From ancient times to the Middle Ages, different ethnicities were represented but their percentages were not high. They were mainly Abkhazians, Georgian Jews, and Armenians and Muslims. Till the end of the sixteenth century, the ethnically non-Georgian population did not exceed 10–12 %. In the nineteenth century, the territory called Kvemo (Lower) Kartli, was settled by Germans. Javakheti was settled by Armenians from Turkey and Trialeti was settled by Greeks. The migration of Ossetians from North Caucasus took on a mass character. Many settlements were developed. In the beginning of the twentieth century, the non-Georgian population reached 30 %. During the first years of the Soviet Union, the migration process from Russia and Ukraine was extremely intensive. This changed the ethnic structure. The non-Georgian population had reached 40 % by 1939. From the 1950s the process changed backward and the non-Georgian population emigrated from Georgia. As a result, the percentage of the Georgian population increased and reached 29.9 % by 1989. According to the 2002 census, the non-Georgian population (except Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region) was 710,000 (4.3 %). The majority of Georgians are Christian-Orthodox. In mountainous regions, Christianity is mixed with ancient pagan religious rituals. In the provinces of Georgia, part of the Georgian population adopted the Catholic faith. That is why a number of Mesketians are Catholics. Another part of the Georgian population is Muslim. This chapter briefly discusses different ethnic groups and their religions.