Geotourism Potential of Georgia, the Caucasus (eBook)

Georgia's territory represents a real 'natural geological laboratory,' exposing magmatic, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks, ranging from the Neoproterozoic to the Quaternary. After a brief presentation of Georgia's history and culture, the authors present the stratigraphy, rock types   of individual tectonic zones of Georgia, their tectonic structure and  paleotectonic reconstructions of the Caucasus.

This book describes the three main geotourism routes of Georgia meticulously: 1. Tbilisi-Pasanauri-Kazbegi (along the Georgian Military Road), 2. Tbilisi-Zugdidi-Mestia-Ushguli and 3. Tbilisi-Khashuri-Vardzia, which cross different parts of Fold Systems of the Greater and Lesser Caucasus and Transcaucasian Intermountain area.

The following potential geoparks are described in this book:  1. Sataplia dinosaur footprints together with Sataplia and Prometheus caves; 2. Tskaltubo resort-town  and mineral water deposit; 3. Borjomi resort-town and mineral water deposit; 4. Kazbegi Quaternary volcanoes and Keli volcanic highland;5. Dariali Paleozoic granitoid massif; 6. Dmanisi hominids site and the Mashavera gorge basaltic flow; 7. Dashbashi canyon; 8.Uplistsikhe rock-cut town and Kvakhvreli cave complex; 9.Udabno - Upper Miocene marine and continental deposits and David Gareja monastery complex;10. Dedoplistskaro - Vashlovani protected areas and mud volcanoes.

Irakli Gamkrelidze is Doctor of Geological Sciences, Academician of Georgian National Academy of Sciences, Head of Earth Sciences Department of Georgian National Academy of sciences and Head of Department of Tectonics and Regional Geology of A. Janelidze Institute of Geology of Tbilisi State University. The field of his research is structural geology and geotectonics, geodynamic evolution of the Alpine-Himalayan orogenic belt and geodynamic conditions of magmatic and metamorphic processes. He is a member of several international organizations. He is the author of more than 200 scientific papers, 10 monographs and 3 textbooks.  He is a Laureate of the Georgian National Prize.

Avtandil Okrostsvaridze is Doctor of Geological Sciences and Professor of the Ilia State University, Tbilisi. Sphere of his scientific interests is granitoid magmatism and continental crust evolution, ore mineralization processes, natural hazard estimation, geological environment influence on human health and protection of geological monuments. He is the author of more than 190 scientific papers and 6 books. He is a Laureate of the A. Janelidze Prize of Georgian National Academy of Sciences.

Kakhaber Koiava is Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) of Georgian National Academy of Sciences in the field of Paleontology and Stratigraphy. He is highly qualified and has a longstanding experience in stratigraphy and micropaleontology of Miocene deposits of Eastern Paratethys. Besides, his main sphere of interest includes oil and gas geology, mud volcanoes, structural geology, sedimentology and sequence stratigraphy. He is the author and co-author of about 50 scientific papers, English-Georgian Terminological Dictionary of Geology (38 300 terms) and 1 monograph.

Ferando Maisadze is Doctor of Geological Sciences, a corresponding member of Georgian National Academy of sciences, and Chief Researcher at the A. Janelidze Institute of Geology of Tbilisi State University. The field of his research is regional geology, paleogeography, tectonics and sedimentology. He is the author of more than 100 papers and 4 monographs. He is a Laureate of the A. Janelidze Prize of Georgian National Academy of Sciences.