Kharistvala

Kharistvala (ხარისთვალა) is a so called daba (urban-type settlement) in Georgia’s northern Ambrolauri Municipality (Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti region), at an elevation of 1150 m above sea level on the western shore of Shaori Reservoir. It is located about 20 km south of the municipal center Ambrolauri, and 5 km north of the 1217 m high Nakerala Pass. Remarkably, the settlement has no permanent population (2021 ), while still registered as a daba. Kharistvala is administratively part of the Nikortsminda community (თემი, temi) which also consists of villages Kachaeti and Nikortsminda, known for the Nikortsminda Cathedral. It acquired the daba status in 1956.

Geology
The settlement is located in a karst plateau that is part of the Racha Range. It contains the Shaori Reservoir at an altitude of about 1150 m, which is the largest lake in Racha. The reservoir was created by the placement of an earthen dam in the northwestern corner of the local depression in the plateau and is mainly fed by groundwater. The depression originally contained a few smaller lakes: Kharistvala and Dzrokhistvala. The Shaori reservoir has an area of over 9 km² with a maximum depth of 14 meters and is the upper part of the Shaori-Tkibuli hydroelectric power chain.

South from the reservoir is the Nakerala Range, a limestone range that is part of the Racha Range with sharp cliffs. The southern face of the Nakerala Range has a cliff height of 300 to 600 m. At Kharistvala, the national route Sh17 (Ambrolauri - Tkibuli - Kutaisi) passes through the 1217 m high Nakerala Pass.

History
The settlement hosted workers and geologists in the 1950s that were involved in the construction of the Shaori-Tkibuli hydroelectric power chain. The Tkibuli reservoir is located 13 kilometers to the southwest and 600 m lower in the Imereti region. The hydroelectric power station opened in 1955. During this period, the Soviet government recognized the health nature of the Shaori area and designated it as a resort destination and giving Kharistvala the status of daba. With the project finished, and in lack of deploying resort activities, the settlement has depopulated. Big development plans have frequently been announced after the 2003 Rose Revolution, but as of 2022 nothing came of that except for the construction of one hotel.

Demographics
Kharistvala has no permanent population according to the 2021 statistics.