Zestafoni

Zestafoni

 

(until 1921, Kvirily), a city (since 1926), the administrative center of Zestafoni Raion, Georgian SSR.

Located in the valley of the Kvirila River (a left tributary of the Rioni), Zestafoni has a railroad station on the Samtredia-Tbilisi line; it is also the terminus of a 48-km branch line from Sachkhere. Population, 22,000 (1970). It developed with the construction of a large ferroalloy plant (in operation since 1933) located at the Chiaturi manganese ore deposits. Zestafoni has a cable plant, a winery, a garment factory, a silkworm farm, and an agricultural technicum.