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The Laz people
The Laz people, also known as Lazi, are an ethnic group native to the South Caucasus, primarily residing along the Black Sea coastal regions of Turkey and Georgia. They belong to the Kartvelian language family, which includes languages like Georgian and Mingrelian. The Laz language, though traditionally spoken by the people, is now classified as endangered. In Turkey, only around 20,000 of the 103,900 ethnic Laz speak the language, while in Georgia, the language is experiencing a gradual shift towards Georgian and Turkish. Historically, the Laz people were part of the ancient kingdom of Colchis, mentioned in classical texts by authors such as Pliny the Elder and Procopius. The name…
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The Mingrelians
The Mingrelians are an ethnic subgroup of Georgians who predominantly live in the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region in western Georgia. This region, often referred to simply as Samegrelo, is known for its rich cultural and historical heritage. The Mingrelians are part of the larger Kartvelian-speaking group, and their native language, Mingrelian, belongs to the Kartvelian language family, closely related to Georgian. Although Mingrelian is the primary language for many, most Mingrelians are bilingual, speaking both Mingrelian and Georgian, which is the official language of Georgia. The population of Mingrelians is estimated to be around 400,000, with communities found not only in Georgia but also in neighboring regions such as Abkhazia and…
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Georgians
Georgians, or Kartvelians, are an ethnic group native to the Caucasus region, primarily the country of Georgia. They are distinguished by their unique language, Georgian, which belongs to the Kartvelian language family, and by their deep cultural and historical roots in the region. The history of the Georgian people dates back to ancient times, with two significant civilizations, Colchis and Iberia, forming the foundation of modern Georgian identity. Colchis was known for its connections to the Greek world, while Iberia had influence from the Persian Achaemenid Empire before being conquered by Alexander the Great. In the 4th century, Georgians became one of the first nations to embrace Christianity, which played…
