Batum oblast

ბათუმის ობლასტი Батумская область Batum Oblast
Oblast of Russian Empire
1878–1918
Coat of arms
File:Gubernias del Caucaso - Oblast de Batumi - Imperio Ruso.png
Capital	Batum
Area
• 1897	61,092 km2 (23,588 sq mi)
Population
• 1897	144,584
History
• Treaty of San Stefano	20 September 1878
• Kutais Governorate	12 June
• Kutais Governorate	17 March
• Proclamation of PNGSC	1918
Preceded by Succeeded by Trebizond Vilayet Provisional National Government of the Southwestern Caucasus

The Batum Oblast was an oblast (province) of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire, with the maritime city of Batum as its center. It roughly corresponded to most of present-day southwestern Georgia. It was created out of the territories of the former Ottoman Sanjak of Batum (occupied by the Ottomans since the late 16th century).

Demographics

As of 1897, the total population of the Batum and Artvin Okrugs, which would later form the Batum Oblast, was 144,584. Kartvelians, including primarily the Adjarians, then-mostly Muslim Georgian group, constituted 43.5% of the population. Turks constituted the second largest group at 30.8% and were mostly concentrated in the Artvin area (today the Artvin Province of Turkey due to the Treaty of Kars). Significant minorities included Armenians, Russians, and Caucasus Greeks.

Ethnic groups in 1897

TOTAL	144,584	100%
Kartvelians	63,012	43,5%
Turks	44,667	30,8%
Armenians	14,939	10,3%
Russians	7,532	5,2%
Greeks	4,717	3,2%