The majority of the population of Tbilisi is concentrated in the suburbs of the city. A suburb is a relatively peripheral part of a large city-type settlement, which is connected to the administrative center by a transport network. In the Western world, the widespread spread of suburbs can be observed in the post-industrial period, in the XIX-XX centuries. The development of transportation made commuting easier, which made urban centers bigger.

The old suburbs of Tbilisi - Nadzaladevi and Didube were formed at the same time as the construction of the railway (1870s). To solve the housing problem for the population, new housing estates and micro-districts were massively built in the suburbs in the 1950s-1980s. If in the USA, the so-called One of the main ideals of the American dream was a quiet life in the suburbs, in Georgia in the past the suburbs were not very popular and they were referred to as "sleepy areas".

New Sea Suburb Park (in the area of ​​Temka)

Modernity has changed this attitude towards the suburbs. Each district is developing at a fast pace: it is easier to get to the city center with transport lines, all suburbs are provided with shopping or entertainment spaces, which gives an opportunity to create a comfortable everyday life without leaving the residential area.

Recently, Didi Dighomi, Gldani and Varketili occupy the leading places among the most demanded areas. Along with the increase in demand for real estate, the prices also increase. Suburbs are accessible and comfortable for students, labor migrants from the regions and other broad social circles. Due to overloading of the city center, a certain part of citizens are looking for an apartment in a quieter and more ecological environment in the suburbs. In the Georgian reality, the suburbs are usually more ecologically clean and strategically located.

Gldani under construction, 1981.

The rapid population growth of the suburbs contributes to the development of on-site services and infrastructure. The larger the population, the more profitable the business. For example, 35,000 people lived in Didi Dighomi a few years ago, but today it is about 60,000. 1 sq.m. The price of the apartment increased from 450-550 dollars to 1000-1200 dollars. New objects were created. Suburbs change their appearance and status over time, as mentioned above, 100-150 years ago, Didube was a suburb of the city, but now it is part of the wider center. In the 1970s, Gldani was the so-called It used to be a sleepy district, but today it is a city-in-a-city urban settlement with a well-developed infrastructure.

Tbilisi continues to expand longitudinally along Mtkvari, and new full-fledged suburbs continue to form in the form of Avchala from the north and Ponichala from the south. The latter may later become popular suburbs. The growth of Tbilisi will not stop here either and probably in the coming decades it will connect with its companion Rustavi and create the largest metropolis.