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The Mingrelians (Megrelians, Mingrels, Megrels; Megrelebi or მეგრელები in Georgian) are an ethnographic subgroup of Georgians that mostly live in Samegrelo (Mingrelia) region of Georgia. They also live in considerable numbers in Abkhazia and Tbilisi. Approximately 180,000-200,000 people of Mingrelian provenance have been expelled from Abkhazia as a result of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict in the early 1990s and the ensuing ethnic cleansing of Georgians in this separatist region.

Most Mingrelians speak both the Mingrelian and Georgian language, but have only a Georgian script.

History

Until the 1930s Mingrelians were a separate group in the Soviet census, but were classified under the broader category of Georgian thereafter.

The first President of an independent Georgia, Zviad Gamsakhurdia (1939-1993), was a Mingrelian. Therefore, after the violent Coup d'etat of December 21, 1991 - January 6, 1992, Samegrelo became the centre of a civil war, which ended with the defeat of Gamsakhurdia's supporters.

Notable Mingrelians

• Konstantine Gamsakhurdia, one of the most influential Georgian writers of the 20th century
• Zviad Gamsakhurdia, first president of post-Soviet Georgia
• Lavrenti Beria, Stalin's chief of secret police
• Merab Kostava (National Hero of Georgia)

See also

• Mingrelian Affair
• Laz people

References

• Stephen F. Jones. Mingrelians. World Culture Encyclopedia. Accessed on September 1, 2007.

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