This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2024)
History
The Caucasian Riviera has been populated since ancient times. The region was known as Colchis in Classical antiquity.
Russia took over much of the Caucasus region after the Russo-Turkish War, and Russians began displacing or killing much of the local Circassian population. Russian developers in the early 20th century conceived of the area as a "Caucasian Riviera" and began building hotels and spas. The industry remained underdeveloped until the 1930s, when Sochi became the main Russian tourist destination.[1]
After the break up of the Soviet Union the Caucasian Riviera has lost its popularity because of the War in Abkhazia and the general economic instability in the region. Today the Eastern coast of the Black Sea witnesses its revival. Large significance may be given to Batumi's renovations and 2014 Winter Olympics held in Sochi.
Climate
From Novorossiysk to Tuapse, the average temperature in January is 3°C (37°F), and during July it's 23°C (73°F). To the south of Tuapse the climate is humid subtropical because of the mountains rising more than 1000 meters above sea level. The mountains don't let the humidity of the Black Sea move east which creates a micro climate with an average temperature of 5°C (41°F) in January, and 28°C (82°F) in July. North of Tuapse, the average rainfall is 500mm (20in) a year. South of Tuapse down to Adjara it is 2,800mm (110in), most of which falls during winter. Average sunshine is between 2200 and 2400 hours and only an average of 12 days during summer are rainy.
Economy
The economy of the area is based on tourism, agriculture and transportation. Tourist season lasts from the middle of May to the middle of October. The major touristic centers are located in Adjara, Abkhazia and Sochi. There are three ski areas near the coast.
Agriculture is a significant part of the economy with a variety of vegetables, cereals and fruits grown in the area. Tea growing is common in the region, and the Caucasus Mountains are one of the northernmost areas of the world where tea is grown.
The Black Sea is also called the "dead sea" because there is no life below 200 meters. However, several species of fish can still be caught in the sea, so fishing forms a part of the region's economy.
Some of the area's important ports are Batumi, Poti, Sukhumi, Sochi, Tuapse and Novorossiysk.
Gallery
Workers harvesting tea, near Batumi, ca. 1909—1915
This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Caucasian_Riviera, and is written by contributors.
Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.