Zugdidi ზუგდიდი

In a hotel, with locals. Most of them are Internally Displaced Persons (IDP's) the refugees in their own country. In 1998, during the fighting in Abkhazia, a significant number of people fled to Zugdidi, Georgia, seeking shelter and assistance. Most of these refugees took shelter in schools and other public buildings, while some were housed in collective centers that were opened by the authorities in and around the town. In 1999, Zugdidi was still full of IDP's, with more than forty thousand living there.

Zugdidi, Georgia in 1999 was a town that was home to a significant number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) who fled to the town seeking shelter and assistance during the fighting in Abkhazia in 1998. Most of these refugees took shelter in schools and other public buildings, while some were housed in collective centres that were opened by the authorities in and around Zugdidi. The local community in Georgia shared their homes, food, heating fuel, and other resources to accommodate the refugees. It is estimated that there were between 40,000 and 60,000 internally displaced persons living in Zugdidi at that time. In 1999, Zugdidi was still full of these Internally Displaced Persons, and more than 40,000 were living in the county.

Historically, Zugdidi was a capital of the Principality of Mingrelia (Odishi) until 1867, when the principality was abolished by the Russian Empire. Nowadays it is the capital of the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region, which combines Samegrelo (Mingrelia) and upper part of Svaneti, and the center of the Zugdidi Municipality within. The city is located 318 kilometers west of Tbilisi, 30 km from the Black Sea coast and 30 km from the Egrisi Range. Zugdidi that time has been hosting and still hosts many refugees. The city has played a significant role in providing shelter and support to those who have been displaced from their homes due to conflicts and wars. Between 1991 and 1993, about 80,000 ethnic Georgians were displaced from the Gali district of Abkhazia, and about 52,000 were displaced from Sukhumi.As of 2023, nearly 300,000 persons remained internally displaced in Georgia, with 30-40% of them living in the Samegrelo region adjacent to Abkhazia. Zugdidi is the gateway to Svaneti, one of the most beautiful and mountainous regions of Georgia. The road between Zugdidi and Mestia, is known as the Svaneti Highway and offers a scenic journey through the beautiful mountains of the Greater Caucasus. As travelling on budget, we could reach the Svaneti main city by minibus via an arduous and dangerous 5-6 hour journey.