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Kutais — the provincial capital of Kutaisi Governorate, one of the oldest cities in the Caucasus, located on both banks of the Rioni River, where it emerges from the mountains onto the lowlands, in a picturesque area, at an elevation of about 480 feet above sea level. It is connected to the Transcaucasian Railway by a branch line, which continues to the village of Tkibuli. Population: 26,000: about 16,000 Western Georgians (Imeretians, Gurians, Mingrelians), about 3,000 Armenians, about 2,000 Russians, about 3,000 Jews, the rest — Greeks, Turks, Persians, Poles, French, etc. The majority of residents are Orthodox (Georgians, Russians, Greeks). There is a tradition that Kutaisi already existed during the campaign of the Argonauts. The city of Cotatisium, mentioned by ancient writers, was undoubtedly located on the site of present-day Kutaisi. According to Georgian sources, Kutaisi was founded in 806 by the Abkhazian king Leon, who was probably only the restorer of an older city that existed here. Under the Abkhazian and Kartlian kings, Kutaisi reached significant prosperity; Bagrat III (980-1014) built a magnificent cathedral here, which was destroyed by the Turks in 1692 and now, in the form of ruins, is the best monument of ancient architecture in Georgia. Under George II (1072-1089), Kutaisi was burned by the Seljuk Turks, so that David the Restorer had to move his residence to Tiflis. From 1259, Kutaisi became the capital of the independent king of Imereti. In 1268-69, Kutaisi was ravaged by the Mongols. Under George V (1318-1346), Kutaisi became part of the Kingdom of Kartli; in 1361 it was burned by the Svans, and in 1396 by Tamerlane. From 1462, Kutaisi again became the capital of Imereti. In 1512, the Turks took and plundered Kutaisi and ravaged it several more times. In 1810, Kutaisi was finally occupied by Russian troops. In 1846, Kutaisi was made the provincial capital of Kutaisi Governorate. The oldest part of the city is located on the heights of the right bank of the Rioni, where the fortress of Ukhimerion (Strabo) once stood and where the ruins of fortifications, churches, and buildings still remain. 12 Orthodox churches, 2 Armenian-Gregorian, 2 synagogues, 4 printing houses, 4 bookstores, a lending library. Mutual credit society, Mikhailovsky Nobility Land Bank. Men's gymnasium (in 1892, 469 students) and pro-gymnasium (288 students), Kutaisi Noble School (in 1890, 390 students), teachers' seminary (50 students), municipal school, St. Nina's women's gymnasium (197 students), school of horticulture and winemaking. In some gardens, subtropical flora of both hemispheres and even tropical flora are represented. City revenues in 1890 amounted to 104,962 rubles, expenditures — 115,885 rubles. The factory of Prince K. P. Oldenburg produces champagne wine worth up to 150,000 rubles.

Kutaisi Uyezd occupies the central part of Kutaisi Governorate, bordering Tiflis Governorate. Area: 2,986 square versts (according to Strelbitsky) with a population of up to 193,000 (including the city of Kutaisi): 95% Imeretians, 2% Jews, 1% Armenians, up to 1% Russians; the vast majority are Orthodox. In terms of relief, Kutaisi Uyezd consists of three distinct parts: the northern and southern mountainous regions and the central lowland. The northern part of the uyezd is formed by the advanced heights of the southern slope of the Main Caucasus Range, separating the uyezd from Lechkhumi and reaching heights of up to 7,500 feet in places. The central part is a vast fertile lowland along the middle course of the Rioni and its tributary Kvirila, gently sloping to the west and lying at elevations from 250 (the mouth of the Kvirila at 244 feet) to 480 (Kutaisi) feet. The southern part of the uyezd occupies the northern forested slopes of the Adjaro-Trialeti Mountains and, adjoining them between the peaks of Nepis-tskaro and Tskhal-tsiteli, rises in the far south to 9,340 feet (Nepis-tskaro). The most important and densely populated part of Kutaisi Uyezd is the central lowland, which has very fertile soil, while the least populated is the southern mountainous and largely forested area. There is a lot of water; there are no swamps or lakes; the entire uyezd belongs to the Rioni basin, which cuts through the uyezd from the northeast to the southwest. The climate is humid and warm in the lowland part of the uyezd and somewhat more severe in the southern and northern, more elevated parts of the uyezd. Precipitation is about 1.5 meters (see Kutaisi). During the summer, dry periods occur, as a result of which recently in some places (near the town of Khoni) attempts have been made at artificial irrigation of fields, which, however, have not led to positive results. Vegetation, thanks to the warm climate and abundant rainfall, is diverse and lush (see Kutaisi Governorate). Forests have been preserved only in the mountains in the north and mainly in the south, on the northern slope of the Adjarian Mountains. The forest area covers 159,000 dessiatines, i.e., 5.5% of the total area of Kutaisi Uyezd. Of 311,249 dessiatines in 1893, 43,221 dessiatines were under crops (13.9%), mainly corn (38,366 dessiatines). In some places, cotton is grown in small quantities. Harvests are generally satisfactory, and in the central lowland part of the uyezd, they are very good; corn often yields up to 100-200 poods per dessiatine here. Agriculture yields relatively poor results in mountainous areas, where the thin layer of soil is often washed away by rains; however, tobacco growing is developing in some places here: 83 plantations (1893), on 14.5 dessiatines (245 poods of tobacco collected). Vineyards cover up to 7,250 dessiatines; the best are in the southeast of the uyezd. Wine production reaches up to 1,100,000 buckets. Sericulture is developed in the western part of the uyezd; part of the silk produced is processed into fabrics, mainly in the Khoni district, from which silk products worth more than 30,000 rubles were exported in 1893. Beekeeping is very poorly developed. Gardening is not widespread and does not have an industrial character. Vegetable gardening is practiced mainly in the vicinity of Kutaisi. Buffalo breeding is of significant importance for the uyezd. In 1891, in the uyezd, excluding Kutaisi, there were: 13,348 horses, 419 donkeys and mules, 66,148 cattle (including buffaloes), 24,724 sheep, 3,144 goats, 45,527 pigs. As a supplement to agriculture, seasonal labor (in Batum, Poti, etc.) and carting (near Kutaisi and the town of Khoni) are developed in some places, as well as cottage industry production of silk and woolen fabrics, pottery, wine presses, etc. In the uyezd, there are lead, copper, manganese, and iron ores, coal, and oil; only coal is of significant importance so far, the deposits of which are located near the village of Tkibuli (see Kutaisi Governorate). Factory industry is concentrated exclusively in Kutaisi.

V. Masalsky