economic self-satisfaction. The peasant protest movement, which originated in 1902 and culminated in an open insurrection against the government during the Russian Revolution of 1905, was the most effective and organized peasant movement in the empire. The peasants’ self-government, the so-called Gurian Republic, survived into 1906, when it was crushed and Guria devastated by the Cossack punitive expedition. The region was a native powerbase of the Georgian Social Democratic (Menshevik) Party which dominated the Democratic Republic of Georgia from 1918 to 1921. Guria was a scene of guerrilla resistance to the militarily imposed Soviet rule early in the 1920s. Under the Soviet government, Guria was an agrarian area divided into three administrative districts. In 1995, the Georgian government decreed the creation of the region (mkhare) of Guria, restoring the province's historical name to official usage. The Orthodox churches of Likhauri and Shemokmedi are the main historical buildings in the province. Etymology The linguistic evidence for the above hypothesis is the Megrelian word for “heart” – “guri” (Georgian: “guli”). Economy Subtropic farming and tourism are a mainstay of the region's economy. Water is one of Guria's main assets. The province is famous for the mineral water of Nabeglavi, which is similar to Borjomi in its chemical composition, and the Black Sea health resort of Ureki, which is rich in magnetic sand. Guria is also one of the largest tea growing regions in Georgia. Demographics Ethnic and religious groups According to the 2014 census, Guria has a population of 113.350 inhabitants, which accounts for 3.1% of the total population of Georgia. 98% of the population is ethnic Georgian (mostly native Gurians), 1% is ethnic Armenian and the remaining 1% is composed of Russians and Ukrainians and the majority of the population is Orthodox Christians (87%), followed by Islam (11%). Gurians The Gurians or Gurulebi (Georgian: გურულები) is one of the ethnographical groups of Georgians, inhabiting Guria. Gurians are Orthodox Christian and speak the Gurian dialect of the Georgian language. Politics Administration The administration centre is Ozurgeti. There are 194 populated areas, including : City : 2 : Ozurgeti, Lanchkhuti Daba : 7 : Chokhatauri, Bakhmaro, Gomismta, Ureki, Naruja, Laituri, Kveda Nasakirali Villages : 185 Governors To date, the following politicians have held the office of Governor of Guria: 1995-1997 - Mikheil Chkuaseli 1997-1998 - Oleg Nikoleishvili 1998–2003 - Carlo Gujabidze 2003-2004 - Vakhtang Goliadze 2004-2005 - Bezhan Kalandadze 2005-2006 - Aleko Tsintsadze