HISTORICAL PROVINCE OF WESTERN GEORGIA, IMERETI, IS USUALLY DIVIDED IN TWO PARTS – ZEMO (UPPER) AND KVEMO (LOWER) IMERETI. ITS AREA IS 66000 SQ.M. PROVINCE INCLUDES MUNICIPALITIES OF CHIATURA, TKIBULI, TSQALTUBO, BAGHDADI, VANI, ZESTAFONI, TERJOLA, SAMTREDIA, SACHKHERE, KHARAGAULI AND KHONI. GEOGRAPHICALLY, THE REGION OCCUPIES CENTRAL PART OF THE NATION. FROM THE NORTH IT IS BORDERED BY RACHA-LECHKHUMI AND KVEMO SVANETI, FROM THE EAST – BY SHIDA KARTLI, FROM THE WEST – BY GURIA, SAMEGRELO AND ZEMO (UPPER) SVANETI. ITS SOBRIQUET IS CONNECTED WITH THE LOCATION OF THE PROVINCE – IMERETI, OR A TERRITORY BEYOND THE LIKHI RANGE. ITS ADMINISTRATIVE CENTER IS THE CITY OF KUTAISI WHICH IS 221 KILOMETERS AWAY FROM TBILISI. IN THE PAST, DURING CENTURIES, IMERETI WAS PART OF THE OLDEST TRANSIT TRADE ROUTE – GREAT SILK ROAD, CONDUCTING THE FUNCTION OF A TRANSIT LINK BETWEEN EUROPE AND ASIA. ONE CAN HARDLY FIND A GORGE OR A HAMLET IN IMERETI WITHOUT ANY FOOTSTEP OF THE PAST PRESERVED UP TO THE PRESENT. MONUMENTS OF THE TERRITORY’S CULTURAL HERITAGE, SUCH AS FORTRESS-TOWN IN KUTAISI, BAGRATI CATHEDRAL, GELATI MONASTERY COMPLEX, FORTRESS-HALL OF GEGUTI, MOTSAMETA, FORTRESS CITADEL OF ANCIENT PERIOD IN SHORAPANI, ANCIENT SETTLEMENT OF VANI AND OTHERS EVERY YEAR ATTRACT MORE AND MORE VISITORS. THERE ARE A LOT OF NATURAL SIGHTS AS WELL – KARST CAVES AND UNIQUE NATURAL SIGHTS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF WHICH IMERETI CAVE PROTECTION TERRITORY WAS FOUNDED. IMPORTANT TOURIST RESOURCE OF THE PROVINCE REPRESENT RESORTS AND RECREATIONAL AREAS AMONG WHICH STAND OUT SPA RESORTS OF TSQALTUBO AND SAIRME.