Klarjeti in the context of Artvin Province

The Kingdom of the Iberians (Georgian: ქართველთა სამეფო, romanized: kartvelta samepo) was a medieval Georgian monarchy under the Bagrationi dynasty which emerged circa 888 AD, succeeding the Principality of Iberia, in historical region of Tao-Klarjeti, or upper Iberia in north-eastern Turkey as well parts of modern southwestern Georgia, that stretched from the Iberian gates in the south and to the Lesser Caucasus in the north.

Historically, the area comprised the following historical districts: West of the Arsiani Mountains were Tao, Klarjeti, Nigali, and Shavsheti, to the east lay Meskheti, Erusheti, Javakheti, Artaani, Abotsi, Kola and Basiani. The landscape is characterised by mountains and the river-systems of the Çoruh and the Kura. The region played a crucial role in the unification of all Georgian lands and principalities into the Kingdom of Georgia in 1008.

Tao-Klarjeti (Georgian: ტაო-კლარჯეთი, romanized: t'ao-k'larjeti [tʼäo̞kʼɫäɾd͡ʒe̞t̪ʰi]) is a Georgian historical and cultural region in north-eastern Turkey. The region is based around two river basins - Chorokhi and Kura (Mtkvari), and also partially includes the upper source of the Aras river. In modern usage it most often denotes the territory that was administered or claimed by Georgian Democratic Republic but is nowadays part of Turkey due to the Soviet-Turkish deal in 1921.

The term "Tao-Klarjeti" is based on the names of two most important provinces of the region — Tao and Klarjeti. The term is equivalent to “Zemo Kartli” (i.e., Upper Kartli or Upper Iberia) and is also a synonym for historical Meskheti.

Zemo Kartli (Georgian: ზემო ქართლი; lit. Upper Kartli or Upper Iberia) is a historical region in south-western Georgia, comprising the lands in the upper basin of the Kura River (from origins of Kura River to Tashiskari) and Chorokhi River basin, making it subregion of greater Kartli. Until 16th century, Zemo Kartli included: Samtskhe, Javakheti, Erusheti, Artaani, Kola, Klarjeti, Shavsheti, Tao and Speri.