Who are the Adjarians, Megrelians and Svans?
Ethnographic groups of Georgians and their languages.
Short answer
Adjarians, Megrelians and Svans are Georgians from different historical regions: Adjara in the southwest, Samegrelo in the west and Svaneti in the mountains. Adjarians speak Georgian, while Megrelians and Svans have also kept their own Megrelian and Svan languages from the same Kartvelian family. In the census they are all counted as Georgians.
Why
- Megrelian and Svan have no written standard and are spoken at home and in their regions.
- Some Adjarians are Muslim, a legacy of several centuries of Ottoman rule in the region.
- Each region has its own food: Adjarian khachapuri is boat-shaped, while Megrelian is round with cheese on top.
Details
Georgia has other ethnographic groups too, such as Kakhetians, Imeretians, Gurians, Tushetians and Khevsurs, each with their own dialects and traditions. The Laz, who live near the Turkish border, also speak a Kartvelian language.
Tip
Don't call Megrelians or Svans a separate people in conversation; most consider themselves Georgian.
What may differ
Common misconception
Megrelian and Svan are dialects of Georgian.
What actually happens
They're separate Kartvelian languages related to Georgian but not understandable without study.
People also ask
- Are Svans Georgians?
Sources
Information checked on October 3, 2026.
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