Islam in Georgia (country)

Demographics and communities

The Muslim population in Georgia includes several distinct groups. Ethnic Azerbaijanis, concentrated in the southeastern region of Kvemo Kartli, are the largest Muslim minority and are predominantly Shia. Ethnic Georgians in the Autonomous Republic of Adjara are mostly Sunni, a legacy of centuries of Ottoman influence. Smaller Sunni communities include Kists (people of Chechen origin) in the Pankisi Gorge and other groups in urban neighborhoods of Tbilisi and Batumi.

• Azerbaijani Muslims — mainly Shia, concentrated in Kvemo Kartli.
• Adjarians — ethnic Georgians, largely Sunni, based in Adjara.
• Kists and other North Caucasus-origin groups — Sunni communities in the northeast.

History

Islam arrived in what is now Georgia with early medieval Arab incursions and subsequently spread during periods of Ottoman and Persian rule in different parts of the country. Ottoman influence left a lasting Sunni presence in southwestern Georgia (Adjara and parts of the Black Sea coast), while Persian Safavid and Qajar rule in eastern regions contributed to the growth of Shia communities among Turkic-speaking peoples. Under the Russian Empire and later the Soviet Union, religious observance was often restricted; since Georgia regained independence in 1991, there has been a visible religious revival and reconstruction of mosque life.

Mosques, Islamic cultural centers and community organizations operate in cities and towns across the country. Historic and modern mosques can be found in Tbilisi and Batumi, and Islamic religious education and charitable activity take place alongside broader civic life.

Role and contemporary issues

Muslims in Georgia participate in public life, work in all major economic sectors, and maintain cultural traditions tied to both Islam and local Georgian identities. The state is constitutionally secular and recognizes freedom of religion, and relations between Muslim communities and other faiths are generally cooperative, though occasional disputes over land, religious education or minority rights have arisen. Interfaith dialogue and legal protections aim to preserve peaceful coexistence.

For further demographic and country context see the religious profile and the wider country overview.