Adjarians

While the Russian authorities supported the [[Russian Orthodox Church]]'s missionary efforts, they also tried to win the loyalty of Adjarians by building mosques and madrassas and supporting the local Muslim clergy.{{sfn|Sanikidze|2018|p=250}} As a result, some Adjarians emigrants, called [[Muhacir]], came back to Adjara.{{sfn|Sanikidze|2018|p=250}}

While the Russian authorities supported the [[Russian Orthodox Church]]'s missionary efforts, they also tried to win the loyalty of Adjarians by building mosques and madrassas and supporting the local Muslim clergy.{{sfn|Sanikidze|2018|p=250}} As a result, some Adjarians emigrants, called [[Muhacir]], came back to Adjara.{{sfn|Sanikidze|2018|p=250}}

The [[Dissolution of the Soviet Union|collapse of the Soviet Union]] and [[1991 Georgian independence referendum|Georgian independence]] led to renewed interest in religion, including Islam. {{sfn|George|2009|p=121}} There was a new push for Christianization of the Muslim Adjarians, especially among the youth, during the government of Zviad Gamsakhurdia.{{sfn|Sanikidze|2018|p=255}}<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Köksal |first1=Pınar |last2=Aydıngün |first2=Ayşegül |last3=Gürsoy |first3=Hazar Ege |title=Religious Revival and Deprivatization in Post-Soviet Georgia: Reculturation of Orthodox Christianity and Deculturation of Islam |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/politics-and-religion/article/abs/religious-revival-and-deprivatization-in-postsoviet-georgia-reculturation-of-orthodox-christianity-and-deculturation-of-islam/3733FD242B3627BF8509F501F522E0B3 |journal=Politics and Religion |year=2019 |language=en |volume=12 |issue=2 |pages=317–345 |doi=10.1017/S1755048318000585 |s2cid=150339133 |issn=1755-0483|url-access=subscription |hdl=11511/41757 |hdl-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Kahraman |first=Alter |date=2021 |title=Azeris and Muslim Ajarians in Georgia: The Swing between Tolerance and Alienation |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0090599220000070/type/journal_article |journal=Nationalities Papers |language=en |volume=49 |issue=2 |pages=308–325 |doi=10.1017/nps.2020.7 |s2cid=225548999 |issn=0090-5992|url-access=subscription |hdl=11492/4926 |hdl-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Refugees |first=United Nations High Commissioner for |title=Refworld {{!}} World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Georgia : Ajarians |url=https://www.refworld.org/docid/49749d1ec.html |access-date=2023-10-25 |website=Refworld |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-06-19 |title=Ajarians |url=https://minorityrights.org/minorities/ajarians/ |access-date=2023-10-25 |website=Minority Rights Group |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>George Sanikidze and Edward W. Walker (2004), ''Islam and Islamic Practices in Georgia.'' Berkeley Program in Soviet and Post-Soviet Studies. [[University of California]], Berkeley Institute of Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies.</ref>

The [[Dissolution of the Soviet Union|collapse of the Soviet Union]] and [[1991 Georgian independence referendum|Georgian independence]] led to renewed interest in religion, including Islam.{{sfn|George|2009|p=121}} There was a new push for Christianization of the Muslim Adjarians, especially among the youth, during the government of Zviad Gamsakhurdia.{{sfn|Sanikidze|2018|p=255}}<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Köksal |first1=Pınar |last2=Aydıngün |first2=Ayşegül |last3=Gürsoy |first3=Hazar Ege |title=Religious Revival and Deprivatization in Post-Soviet Georgia: Reculturation of Orthodox Christianity and Deculturation of Islam |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/politics-and-religion/article/abs/religious-revival-and-deprivatization-in-postsoviet-georgia-reculturation-of-orthodox-christianity-and-deculturation-of-islam/3733FD242B3627BF8509F501F522E0B3 |journal=Politics and Religion |year=2019 |language=en |volume=12 |issue=2 |pages=317–345 |doi=10.1017/S1755048318000585 |s2cid=150339133 |issn=1755-0483|url-access=subscription |hdl=11511/41757 |hdl-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Kahraman |first=Alter |date=2021 |title=Azeris and Muslim Ajarians in Georgia: The Swing between Tolerance and Alienation |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0090599220000070/type/journal_article |journal=Nationalities Papers |language=en |volume=49 |issue=2 |pages=308–325 |doi=10.1017/nps.2020.7 |s2cid=225548999 |issn=0090-5992|url-access=subscription |hdl=11492/4926 |hdl-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Refugees |first=United Nations High Commissioner for |title=Refworld {{!}} World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Georgia : Ajarians |url=https://www.refworld.org/docid/49749d1ec.html |access-date=2023-10-25 |website=Refworld |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-06-19 |title=Ajarians |url=https://minorityrights.org/minorities/ajarians/ |access-date=2023-10-25 |website=Minority Rights Group |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>George Sanikidze and Edward W. Walker (2004), ''Islam and Islamic Practices in Georgia.'' Berkeley Program in Soviet and Post-Soviet Studies. [[University of California]], Berkeley Institute of Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies.</ref>

According to the 2014 census, 54.5% of Adjarians are [[Orthodox Christian]].<ref name="pop">[http://pop-stat.mashke.org/georgia-religion2014b.htm georgia-religion 2014]</ref><ref name="geostat.ge">National Statistics Office of Georgia. [http://www.geostat.ge/cms/site_images/_files/english/census/2014/22_Population%20by%20regions%20and%20religion.xls Population Census 2014: Population by Regions and Religion] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160914035909/http://www.geostat.ge/cms/site_images/_files/english/census/2014/22_Population%20by%20regions%20and%20religion.xls |date=14 September 2016 }}, Retrieved: 6 May 2016</ref> In select municipalities, Muslims make up the majority, with 94.6% of the population in [[Khulo Municipality]], 74.4% in [[Shuakhevi Municipality]], 62.1% in [[Keda Municipality]] and 56.3% in [[Khelvachauri Municipality]]. In [[Batumi]] and [[Kobuleti Municipality]] Muslims make up a minority with 25.4% and 28.8%.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Religious composition of Georgia 2014 |url=http://pop-stat.mashke.org/georgia-religion2014b.htm |access-date=2024-03-29 |website=pop-stat.mashke.org}}</ref>

According to the 2014 census, 54.5% of Adjarians are [[Orthodox Christian]].<ref name="pop">[http://pop-stat.mashke.org/georgia-religion2014b.htm georgia-religion 2014]</ref><ref name="geostat.ge">National Statistics Office of Georgia. [http://www.geostat.ge/cms/site_images/_files/english/census/2014/22_Population%20by%20regions%20and%20religion.xls Population Census 2014: Population by Regions and Religion] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160914035909/http://www.geostat.ge/cms/site_images/_files/english/census/2014/22_Population%20by%20regions%20and%20religion.xls |date=14 September 2016 }}, Retrieved: 6 May 2016</ref> In select municipalities, Muslims make up the majority, with 94.6% of the population in [[Khulo Municipality]], 74.4% in [[Shuakhevi Municipality]], 62.1% in [[Keda Municipality]] and 56.3% in [[Khelvachauri Municipality]]. In [[Batumi]] and [[Kobuleti Municipality]] Muslims make up a minority with 25.4% and 28.8%.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Religious composition of Georgia 2014 |url=http://pop-stat.mashke.org/georgia-religion2014b.htm |access-date=2024-03-29 |website=pop-stat.mashke.org}}</ref>