Meskheti, also known as the “Georgian Siberia” due to its harsh winters, is a region of low mountain ranges, rocky gorges, and extinct volcanoes. It is also the area with the largest Armenian diaspora.
The Javakheti Armenians make up more than 50% of the population, but they have less political representation than the Ossetians and Pontic Greeks. Armenians in Meskheti are generally passive and closely aligned with the Russian military bases, which may be one reason why the region has remained free of ethnic conflict.
