Chiatura
Chiatura
(chēəto͞o`rə), city (1989 pop. 29,228), S central Georgia, on the Kvirila River. One of the world's largest manganese producers, Chiatura alone accounted for half of the world's manganese trade before World War I. The ore is shipped to the Black Sea port of Poti for export to Ukraine and abroad.Chiatura
a city (since 1921) under republic jurisdiction in the Georgian SSR. Population, 26,000 (1974). The city is situated in the gorge of the Kvirila River, a tributary of the Rioni, and on the adjacent plateau; all the outlying districts of the city are connected with its center by passenger aerial tramways. Chiatura is a railroad station on the Zestafoni-Sachkhere branch of the Samtredia-Khashuri line. Industry includes the extraction and concentration of manganese ore and quartzose sand and the quarrying of marble. The city contains a plant that makes silica bricks, a tea factory, and a garment factory. Chiatura has a museum of local lore and a drama theater.