Kartvelian languages

Language family indigenous to the South Caucasus KartvelianGeographicdistributionWestern Georgia, Northeast AnatoliaLinguistic classificationOne of the world's primary language familiesProto-languageProto-KartvelianSubdivisions Svan Georgian-Zan (Karto-Zan) Language codesISO 639-5ccsGlottologkart1248Linguasphere42-CDistribution of the Kartvelian languages. Karto-Zan Georgian Mingrelian Laz Svan Svan The Kartvelian languages (/kɑːrtˈvɛliən, -ˈviːl-/ kart-VEL-ee-ən, -⁠VEEL-; Georgian: ქართველური ენები, romanized: kartveluri enebi), also known as South Caucasian or Kartvelic languages, are a language family indigenous to the South Caucasus and spoken primarily in Georgia. There are approximately 5 million Georgian language speakers worldwide. The Kartvelian family is not related to any other language family in the world, making it one of the primary language families. The most widely spoken Kartvelian language, and the only literary language in the family, is the standard Georgian. The earliest written source in any Kartvelian language is an Old Georgian inscription located at the now-defunct Georgian Orthodox monastery near Bethlehem, dated to