Institute of Hydrometeorology

Georgia's Large Glaciers

Distribution of Large Glaciers of Georgia by Area and Number

The table clearly shows how both the area and the number of large glaciers are decreasing starting from the catalogue (initial period) and the three selected main dates of the SRS, namely 2010 (conditionally, SRS 1), 2015 (conditionally, SRS 2) and 2020 (conditionally, SRS 3).

According to the catalogue, in Western Georgia, there are 3 large glaciers in the r. Kodori Glacial Basin, 24 - in the r. Enguri Glacial Basin, and 10 in the r. Rioni Glacial Basin, a total of 37, while according to SRS 3, there are 1 in the r. Kodorib Glacial Basin; 19 - in the r. Enguri Glacial Basin and in the r. Rioni Glacial Basin − 8, a total of 28.

In eastern Georgia, large glaciers are only in the Tergi basin: according to the catalogue − 8, according to SRS 3 − 4.

In total, there were 45 large glaciers in Georgia according to the catalogue, and in 2020 SRS 32 remained according to SRS 3.

This means that the number of large glaciers in Western Georgia has decreased by 24.3%, in Eastern Georgia by 50%, and in Georgia as a whole by 28.9%, or by a third.

As for the changes in the areas occupied by large glaciers, according to the catalogue, large glaciers in Western Georgia covered 257.4 kmІ, while according to SRS-3 they covered 159 kmІ, which is 38.2% less. In Eastern Georgia, large glaciers covered 40.2 kmІ according to the catalogue, and 24.5 kmІ according to SRS-3, which is 39.1% less. Overall, the total area decreased by 39.1%.

Therefore, both the number and occupied areas of large glaciers decreased in Eastern Georgia more significantly by 2020 compared to the same data of Western Georgia.