Tsalka Municipality

Tsalka (Georgian: წალკის მუნიციპალიტეტი, Ćalḱis Municiṕaliťeťi; Greek: Δήμος Τσάλκας; Armenian: Ծալկայի Շրջան, romanized: Tsalkayi Šrǰan) is a municipality in Georgia's southern region of Kvemo Kartli, covering an area of 1,050.6 km² (406 sq mi). As of 2021 it had a population of 19,679 people.^[3] The city of Tsalka is its administrative centre. The area of the municipality corresponds to the historical region of Trialeti.

Tsalka Municipality წალკის მუნიციპალიტეტი
Tsintskaro
Flag Seal
Coordinates: 41°35′N 44°05′E
Country	Georgia
Mkhare	Kvemo Kartli
Administrative centre	Tsalka
Government
• Type	Mayor–Council
• Body	Tsalka Municipal Assembly
• Mayor	Ilia Sabadze (GD)[1]
Area [2]
• Total	1,050.6 km2 (405.6 sq mi)
Population  (2021)[3]
• Total	19,679
• Density	19/km2 (49/sq mi)
Population by ethnicity[4]
• Georgians	46.7  %
• Armenians	38.8 %
• Azerbaijanis	7.0 %
• Greeks	6.9 %
Time zone	UTC+4 (Georgian Time)
Website	www.tsalka.gov.ge

Administrative divisions

Tsalka municipality is administratively divided into 30 communities (თემი, temi) with 40 villages (სოფელი, sopeli), three urban-type settlements (დაბა, daba) and one city (ქალაკი, kalaki).^[2]

• city: Tsalka;
• daba: Bediani, Khramhesi and Trialeti.
• villages: for example Beshtasheni and Sameba.

Population

Church of the Virgin Mary in Ayazma

The population of Tsalka is 19,679 according to the 2021 estimate,^[3] which is a slight increase from the last census of 2014 (18,849). The ethnic composition is 46.7% Georgian, 38.8% Armenian, 7.0% Azerbaijani and 6.9% Greek. The population density is 18.7 people per square kilometer.

Population Tsalka Municipality
	1897	1923	1939	1959	1970	1979	1989	2002[5]	2014	2021
Tsalka Municipality	-	-	40,286	45,600	50,471	48,580	44,187	20,888	18,849	19,679
Tsalka [6]	-	1,650	4,875	7,065	5,819	6,245	8,043	1,741	2,326	3,136
Bediani (daba)	-	-	-	-	2,435	1,584	1,263	344	148	136
Khramhesi (daba)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	118	78	62
Trialeti (daba)	-	-	-	7,591	1,617	1,435	707	434	510	627
Data: Population statistics Georgia 1897 to present.[7][8][9] Note:[5]

Politics

Tsalka Municipal Assembly (Georgian: წალკის საკრებულო) is the representative body in Tsalka Municipality, consisting of 30 members which are elected every four years. The last election was held in October 2021. Ilia Sabadze of Georgian Dream was reelected as mayor.

Party		2017[11]	2021[12]	Current Municipal Assembly
	Georgian Dream	38	20
	United National Movement	2	6
	Progress and Freedom		1
	For Georgia		1
	Strategy Aghmashenebeli	1	1
	Independent	2	1
	European Georgia	1
	Alliance of Patriots	1
Total		45	30

See also

• List of municipalities in Georgia (country)

External links

• Website Municipality

References

1. "Მერი".
2. "Main Results of the 2014 Census (Publication)" (PDF). Census.ge, National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat) (in Georgian). 2016-04-28. pp. 345–349. Retrieved 2022-01-19.
3. "Population and Demography - Population by cities and boroughs (daba), as of 1 January". National Statistics Office of Georgia, Geostat. 2021-01-01. Retrieved 2022-03-06.
4. "Ethnic composition of Georgia 2014". mashke.org. Archived from the original on 2018-11-04.
5. The 2014 census found an inexplicable gap with the data from the national statistical office Geostat. UN-assisted research has found the 2002 census was inflated by about 8-9 percent. See,^[10] "1. Introduction", Page 1.
6. Until 1932 Tsalka town was called Barmaksizi.
7. "Population divisions of Georgia". Population Statistics Eastern Europe and former USSR. Retrieved 2022-03-06.
8. "Population cities & towns of Georgia". Population Statistics Eastern Europe and former USSR. Retrieved 2022-03-06.
9. "Ethnic composition rural Georgia 1923". Population Statistics Eastern Europe and former USSR. Retrieved 2022-03-06.
10. "Population Dynamics in Georgia - An Overview Based on the 2014 General Population Census Data" (PDF). National Statistics Office of Georgia, Geostat. 2017-11-29. Retrieved 2022-03-06.
11. "Protocol elected municipal council members and mayors 2017" (PDF) (in Georgian). CESKO Central Election Commission. pp. 24–26. Retrieved 2022-03-03.
12. "Protocol elected municipal council members and mayors 2021" (PDF) (in Georgian). CESKO Central Election Commission. pp. 31–33. Retrieved 2022-03-03.