The administrative center of Shida Kartli is located at the confluence of the Mtkvari and Didi Liakhvi, at an altitude of 588 meters, from Tbilisi (the capital)- 76 km. The climate in Gori changes from moderate steppe warm to moderate humid one, summer is hot here. The average annual temperature is 10,9 ° C, in January -1,2 ° C, in August- 22,5 ° C. Precipitation is 585 mm per year. At the moment the population is equal to 49,5 thousand people(2002). Gori represents an important rail hub.
