The
Rioni or
Rion River (
Rioni,
Phasis) is the main river of western
Georgia. It originates in the
Caucasus Mountains, in the region of
Racha and flows west to the
Black Sea, entering it north of the city of
Poti (near ancient
Phasis). The city of
Kutaisi, once the ancient city of
Colchis, lies on its banks. It drains the western Transcaucasus into the Black Sea while its sister, the
Kura River, drains the eastern Transcaucasus into the Caspian Sea.