Georgia is a country of fantastic mountain landscapes, adorned with dense forests, as well as beautiful lakes and rivers. The flora and fauna are striking in their diversity, and the warm climate allows you to admire the local beauties for most of the year. This fabulous land lies between the Greater and Lesser Caucasus, and the Black Sea adjoins it from the north.
The number of thermal and mineral springs exceeds two thousand. In addition, many balneological resorts of world renown are located in areas with therapeutic mud. This article will help you learn more about the nature of Georgia, and you may want to see all its beauty with your own eyes.
Landscape
Mountains cover a little more than half of the country. The eastern part of Georgia (Kakheti, Kartli and Imereti) is covered with fertile lands that give a rich harvest. In the West lies the Colchis lowland.
A third of the territory is covered by boreal and coniferous forests, and most of them are spread along the slopes of the Caucasus Mountains. They are like a curtain hiding the Black Seacoast, and it is there that the flora is striking in its diversity. Here you can find both alpine meadows and tropics, and if you are especially lucky, you can even meet relic pines.
Water resources
In Georgia, rivers cover the landscape like a huge net of 25,000 blue threads thrown over by an unknown giant from a long-forgotten fairy tale. Many thinner branches branch off from the main "bodies", which directly depend on the level of precipitation falling in the mountains, the melting of glaciers and underground springs.
Kura (Mtkvari) stretches for 1364 kilometers and is the longest of the Georgian rivers. Its source is in eastern Turkey, and it flows into the Caspian Sea. In neighboring Azerbaijan, Kura is also the queen of rivers.
Mammals
In Georgia, you can meet such forest inhabitants as a brown bear, a hare, a fox, a wild forest cat, a lynx, a badger, a jackal, a wolf, a roe deer and a Caucasian deer.
In the Greater Caucasus there are also representatives of the highlands: chamois, Dagestan and Kuban tours. Animals characteristic of North America (raccoon raccoon) and the Far East (raccoon dog and teleutk squirrel) have taken root well in Georgia.
Red Book Animals
Among those:
- The leopard has long been considered an extinct species in the Caucasus, but in 2001 zoologists finally tracked it and recorded it as a species close to extinction.
- The number of striped hyenas has been significantly preserved over the past decades.
- Geyrans have almost disappeared, and to meet themis a great success.
- Bezoar goat is also close to extinction.
- Until the 19th century, bison lived in the country.
- Such a unique species as the Turanian tiger disappeared with the advent of the last century.
- In the 20th century it is no longer possible to meet the mysterious Black Sea monk seal.
To preserve species of rare animals, such reserves of Georgia as Kintrishi, Borjomi, Lagodekhi, Ritsinsky and others were created.
Sea life
The nature of Georgia abounds with inhabitants of the water element, therefore, walking along the sea coast, you can see splashing bottlenose dolphins, common dolphins or porpoises. And in the 39th year of the 20th century, a white-bellied seal was seen near Batumi, which had not been observed in these places before.
Georgia's water resources abound with fish. They live there:
- Black Sea salmon;
- blennies;
- sharks;
- beluga;
- stingrays;
- sturgeons;
- hamsa and other tasty varieties.
Feathers
The nature of Georgia is rich in birds, of which there are approximately 330 species throughout the country. Of the heavenly predators here you can meet the eagle, spotted eagle, peregrine falcon, vulture, eagle owl and buzzard. And more peaceful representatives of the feathered fauna are the bustard, quail, mountain turkey, pheasant, francolin, Persian nightingale and pink starling.
Kazbek
Georgia should be visited at least in order to climb the highest point in the country. Thousands visit this place every year.pilgrims to venerate the Gergeti Trinity, sacred to every Orthodox person.
Often on the southern slopes of the mountains you can meet climbers recklessly conquering the five-thousanders of the Caucasian ridge. Moreover, the side facing Georgia seems to be created for beginners in this business, since the rise there is quite smooth.
The cathedral with the bell tower adjoining it like a crown crowns the head of Kazbek, and this view brought a lot of inspiration to great writers and poets. Locals say that the church was built on the site of a destroyed pagan temple, and there are many legends about this.
Miracle
In 1989, during the Christian holiday of the Assumption, believers saw the appearance of the Mother of God herself in the church of the Gergeti Trinity. Every year on July 16, millions of tourists flock to the temple, as this is the day of the celebration of Gergetob.
The 5,033 meter high dormant volcano attracts a lot of adventurers and is more than ideal for beginner climbers. Many legends are connected with Kazbek, and among the ancient Greeks it is the place where the titan Prometheus was chained. According to legend, he was chained by the ancient Gods because he gave fire to people.
Conclusion
The top of the mountain is often hidden behind a light veil of clouds, however, according to legend, a sinless person can simply ignore it and see enough of the amazing view. To check this, you need to see everything with your own eyes at least once in your life.
Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin dedicated this placea few admiring lines. Which is not surprising, because Kazbek is one of the most significant symbols of the country. Having come here once, you will leave your heart here forever, and you will want to return more than once to admire the amazing nature of Georgia.
