Poti

Poti, port, western Georgia, western Asia. Located on the eastern coast of the Black Sea, Poti lies on a plain where the Rioni River empties into the sea. It is 55 km (34 mi) north of Batumi and 265 km (165 mi) north-west of the capital Tbilisi. Poti is in a humid, subtropical region (the ancient Colchis), protected from the cold northern and eastern winds by the Caucasus Mountains, and receiving mild, humid air from the Black Sea. The average annual precipitation is over 1,000 mm (40 in). The surrounding swampy lands are rich and produce a variety of crops, such as citrus fruits, tea, and pomegranates, and commodities, such as tung oil, quinine, and camphor. The port ships manganese from the eastern town of Chiatura and oil from the Caucasus. Poti also has a fishing industry.

Poti was first settled by Greeks in the 6th century bc, who established a trading port, Phasis, at the mouth of the Rioni River. The Turks occupied the region and built a large fort there in 1578, but this fort was destroyed during later campaigns. The Russians captured Poti in 1812, and again in 1829, after which time they held the town. Modern Poti developed after the construction of an artificial harbour in the 1880s. Population (1977 estimate) 54,000.