Vakhushti Bagrationi Institute of Geography

Vakhushti Bagrationi Institute of Geography (Georgian: ვახუშტი ბაგრატიონის გეოგრაფიის ინსტიტუტი) is a scientific research institution, which was founded in 1933 on the basis of the Faculty of Geography of the Tbilisi State University in the city of Tbilisi. Some attempts at establishing geographical institutions in Georgia were undertaken even earlier. The initiator and inspirer of this event was academician Alexander Javakhishvili.^[1] In its first year the institute published 13 works with 50 various thematic maps. The Georgian Academy of Sciences was created in 1941,^[2] while the institute joined it in 1945, and in that same year was renamed after the Georgian scientist Vakhushti Bagrationi. When the institute was founded, it focused primarily on physical-geographical and economic-geographical research on separate administrative Georgian districts, and created relevant maps. Key features of the Georgian climate were studied. The institute returned to TSU in 2010.^[3]

Under the guidance of the institute the following atlases were compiled and published: "Atlas of Georgian SSR" (1964),^[4] "Resorts and Resort Resources of Georgian SSR" (1989),^[5] "Educational-Geographical Atlas of Georgia" (1992), "Atlas of Vakhushti Bagrationi" (1997), as well as the large number of scientific papers, monographs, thematic maps for secondary and high schools, popular scientific literature, etc.^[6] The institute presented in 2018 the first “National Atlas of Georgia” at the Frankfurt Book Fair, where Georgia was the guest of honor.^[7] On November 10, 2023, the Georgian National Academy of Sciences distinguished the National Atlas of Georgia with the National Vakhushti Bagrationi prize (Laureate Diploma).

At different times the Vakhushti Bagrationi Institute of Geography was director by: Alexander Javakhishvili (1945–62), Feofan Davitaia (1962–79), Alexander Aslanikashvili (1980–81), Tamaz Kiknadze (1982–1991), Roman Kverenchkhiladze (1991), Zurab Tatashidze (1993–2005), Ramin Gobejishvili (2005–07), Nana Bolashvili (2007-present).