Batumi

Batumi, Adjarian city and capital of south-western Georgia, on the Black Sea Gulf, about 15 km north of the Turkish border.

The city takes its name from the site of the first settlement on the left bank of the Batia River. Batumi's history dates back to the 1st millennium BC. In 1878, Turkey ceded Batumi to Russia. It is an important port. There is an oil refinery using oil piped from Baku. Other industries include a shipyard, machine, zinc and furniture factories, as well as various light industries. Although Batumi is industrially developed, it is an attractive city and a popular resort. Many of its gardens and streets are decorated with exotic plants; to the north of the city is the Batumi Botanical Garden, which has a rich collection of subtropical and tropical plants. Batumi is the centre of the tea and citrus growing region, with tea plantations on the outskirts of the city. Population (2016) 154 600.