BATUM, chief town of the Autonomous Adzhar S.S.R., on the east coast of the Black sea. Lat. 41° 41' N., long. 41° 38' E.; alt. 3of t. ; average rainfall per annum 93.3in., the highest in the Caucasus; average temp., Jan. 43° F., Aug., 73.8° F.; Pop. (1926) 45,45o. Batum is a port with no docks, but has five berths accom modating 20 tank steamers in the petroleum harbour, which needs constant dredging to maintain a depth of 26-28ft., for it tends to silt. Oil comes to Batum by pipe and also by rail from Baku. The Standard Oil company has established an oil refinery at Batum, and a IQin. pipe-line from Baku to Batum is being con structed (1928). The chief exports are naphtha, raw silk, cocoons, oil-cake, walnut and rosewood. Manganese, wool, liquorice and maize are also exported. Its chief imports are machinery, oil boring appliances, copperas and ironware. Batum has a cathedral (1903) and a park. Malaria is a perpetual scourge.
It is the Bathys of antiquity, Vati of the middle ages, and was only known as Bathumi after the beginning of the 17th century, when it belonged to the Turks. It was transferred to Russia, 1878.