Javakheti Information & Javakheti Links at HealthHaven.com

The historic region of Javakheti in Georgia.

Javakheti (Javakhk) (Georgian: ჯავახეთი, Javakheti; Armenian: Ջավախք, Javakhk) is a historical region of Georgia in the southeastern part of the country's Samtskhe-Javakheti province. Armenians form the ethnic majority in the region.^[1]

Armenians are the third largest ethnic minority in Georgia (about 248,929 in all Georgia), and a majority in Javakheti (90,373).^[2] Principal economic activities in this region are subsistence agriculture and livestock.

An expected improvement is the planned construction of the highway (financed by the US Millennium Challenge Account) to more effectively link the region with the rest of Georgia. Also, a railroad is planned to run from Kars,Turkey to Baku, Azerbaijan via the area (see Kars Baku Tbilisi railway line), but the Armenian population of Javakhk are opposed to this rail link because it excludes and isolates Armenia. There is already another railroad linking Armenia, Georgia and Turkey, which is the Kars-Gyumri-Akhalkalaki railroad line. The existing line is in working condition and could be operational within weeks, but due to the Turkish blockade of Armenia since 1993 the railroad is not operational.

Armenians are underrepresented in all spheres of public life, especially government, and a lack of dialogue between them and Tbilisi adds to perceptions of discrimination and alienation.^[3] There have been demonstrations, alleged police brutality and killings in this region.^[3] Many Armenians claim they are treated as second-class citizens. The local Armenian civic organization, United Javakhk Democratic Alliance calls for local autonomy, comparable with the one promised to Abkhazians and Ossetians.