Its main town and administrative center is Akhalkalaki and it has an area of 1,235 km2 (477 sq mi).

93% of the inhabitants in Akhalkalaki are of Armenian descent, the second highest amount in a Georgian municipality after Ninotsminda.

Melqon Makarian of Georgian Dream was elected mayor.

[3] By the start of 2021 the population was determined at 41,026 people,[1] a decrease of 9% compared to the 2014 census.

The population density of the municipality is 33.2 inhabitants per square kilometre (86/sq mi).