ADZHARSK, an autonomous socialist soviet republic, a zone under the protection of the Georgian S.S.R. Its boundaries are, on the west, the Black sea, on the south, Turkey, on the north and east, the Georgian S.S.R. Area 1,328sq.km.; pop. (1926) 128,553: urban 47,241 and rural 81,312. It consists mainly of the former military Government of Batum with Ardvin, i.e., the slopes and a portion of the Armenian highlands, drained by the Chorokh river and its tributary the Adzharis-Tsakhali, forming deep, picturesque ravines. It is divided for administrative pur poses into the following provinces: Adzhar-Tskalsk, pop. 5,524, entirely rural; Kedsk, pop. 10,307, entirely rural; Kobyletsk, pop. 16,996: urban, 1,791, rural, 15,205; Khylosk, pop. 27,172, entirely rural; Chorokh, pop. 59,199: urban, 45,450, rural, The climate is "west coast Mediterranean" in type, with southerly and south-easterly rain-bearing winter winds from the low pressure systems over the Black sea. The Caucasus shelters it from north and north-east winds. Rainfall averages 6oin. per annum or more—at Batum 93.3in. (maximum in November) ; average tem perature January, 43.0° F.; August, 73.8° F. Malaria is prevalent and insect pests, e.g., mosquitoes and locusts, abound. Along the coastal plains from Batum northwards are cultivated vine, peach, pomegranate, fig, olive (up to i,5ooft. above sea-level), chestnut, apricot, citrus fruits, apple, pear, plum, cherry, melon and tea, maize (the staple food), wheat (up to 5,000ft.), potatoes, peas, currants, cotton, rice, colza, tobacco, sunflower seeds and barley. The eucalyptus, mulberry (with silk cultivation), bamboo and ramie are also produced. Much of the republic is forested ; the mountain slopes bearing dense forests with a great variety of timber, interspersed with climbing and twining plants and along the plains and lower slopes flowering shrubs bloom, e.g., magnolia, azalea, camellia japonica, begonia. Petroleum exists north of Ba tum, but is not worked much. Batum (q.v.) is the chief city and port and is linked by rail with Baku (on Caspian) and with Kutais and Poti. Pipes also convey petroleum from Baku to Batum.