Kharistvala

Kharistvala () is a so called daba (urban-type settlement) in Georgia’s northern Ambrolauri Municipality (Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti region), at an elevation of above sea level on the western shore of Shaori Reservoir. It is located about south of the municipal center Ambrolauri, and north of the high Nakerala Pass. Remarkably, the settlement has no permanent population (2021), while still registered as a daba. Kharistvala is administratively part of the Nikortsminda community (თემი, temi) which also consists of villages Kachaeti and Nikortsminda, known for the Nikortsminda Cathedral. It acquired the daba status in 1956.

== Geology == thumb|upright=1.5|Nakerala limestone cliffs and pass The settlement is located in a karst plateau that is part of the Racha Range. It contains the Shaori Reservoir at an altitude of about , which is the largest lake in Racha. The reservoir was created by the placement of an earthen dam in the northwestern corner of the local depression in the plateau and is mainly fed by groundwater. The depression originally contained a few smaller lakes: Kharistvala and Dzrokhistvala. The Shaori reservoir has an area of over 9 km² with a maximum depth of 14 meters and is the upper part of the Shaori-Tkibuli hydroelectric power chain.