Sochi << SOH chee >> (pop. 466,078) is a Russian resort city on the Black Sea in Krasnodar krai (region). It stands at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains, near Russia’s border with Georgia.
Sochi’s economy is based on tourism. The city is known for its spas, natural springs, beaches, and public parks. The weather along the coast is warmer and milder than it is in other parts of Russia. Sochi has been called the “Russian Riviera” because of its similarities to the Riviera region of France, Monaco, and Italy. Such popular winter sport destinations as Krasnaya Polyana lie a short distance inland, on the slopes of the Caucasus Mountains.
Sochi became a major resort in the early 1900’s. The Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin had a summer home built in Sochi in 1937. The building is now a hotel. In 2007, the International Olympic Committee chose Sochi to host the 2014 Winter Olympic Games.
