Georgia (country)

This article is about the European country. For the U.S. state, see Georgia (U.S. state). For other meanings of "Georgia", see Georgia.

Georgia საქართველო  (Georgian) Sakartvelo
Flag Coat of arms
Motto:  ძალა ერთობაშია Dzala ertobashia "Strength is in Unity"
Anthem:  თავისუფლება Tavisupleba "Freedom"
Georgian territory under central control in dark green; uncontrolled territory in light green
Capital and largest city	Tbilisi 41°43′N 44°47′E
Official languages	Georgian (nationwide) Abkhaz (Abkhazian AR)
Ethnic groups (2014)	86.8% Georgians 6.2% Azerbaijanis 4.5% Armenians 0.7% Russians 2.1% Others
Religion (2014)	88.1% Christianity —83.4% Georgian Orthodoxy —5.7% Other Christian 10.7% Islam 1.2% Others / None
Demonym(s)	Georgian
Government	Unitary parliamentary republic
• President	Salome Zourabichvili
• Prime Minister	Irakli Kobakhidze
• Chairperson of the Parliament	Shalva Papuashvili
Legislature	Parliament
Establishment history
• Colchis and Iberia	13th c. BC – 580 AD
• Kingdom of Abkhazia and Kingdom of the Iberians	786–1008
• Unification of the Georgian realm	1008
• The Tripartite division	1463–1810
• Russian annexation	12 September 1801
• Independence from the Russian Empire	26 May 1918
• Red Army invasion	25 February 1921
• Independence from the Soviet Union  • Declared  • Finalized	9 April 1991 25 December 1991
• Current constitution	24 August 1995
Area
• Total	69,700 km2 (26,900 sq mi) (119th)
Population
• 2022 estimate	3,688,647 4,012,104 (128th)
• 2014 census	3,713,804
• Density	57.6/km2 (149.2/sq mi) (137th)
GDP (PPP)	2021 estimate
• Total	$61.58 billion (110th)
• Per capita	$16,590 (83rd)
GDP (nominal)	2021 estimate
• Total	$17.85 billion (124th)
• Per capita	$4,808 (125th)
Gini (2020)	34.5 medium
HDI (2019)	0.812 very high · 61st
Currency	Georgian lari (₾) (GEL)
Time zone	UTC+4 (Georgia Time GET)
Date format	dd.mm.yyyy
Driving side	right
Calling code	+995
ISO 3166 code	GE
Internet TLD	.ge, .გე
Website www.gov.ge
^ Data not including occupied territories. ^ Data including occupied territories.

Georgia is a country in the Caucasus region of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is situated on the coast of the Black Sea and borders Russia to the north, Turkey and Armenia to the south, and Azerbaijan to the southeast. It is largely encircled by the Greater and Lesser Caucasus mountain ranges. During 1918–1921, and 1991–1995 its full name was the Republic of Georgia. Since 1995 it is Georgia, as written in the Constitution. It was part of the Russian Empire and later Soviet Union between 1921 and 1991, but now it is an independent republic. The capital city is Tbilisi. Almost 4 million people live there.

History

The Georgians are an ancient people. Their capital Tbilisi was founded around AD 400, by the king Vakhtang I of Iberia. Western Georgia was part of the Roman Empire before then. The Arabs captured it in 635 AD. The culture continued and flourished through trade.

In the 900s Arab influence diminished in Caucasus. In 1008 Kingdom of Georgia was formed. It was the major country in the region until the Mongol Empire invaded it in 1223. Georgia was part of the Mongol Empire for a century on and off until 1334, when King Giorgi V took over. In the 1400s Georgia dissolved into several principalities. In the 1500s the Persians invaded Eastern Georgia four times from 1541 to 1544. In 1555 the Kings of Kartli ruled through the will of the Persian Shahs.

In 1783 The treaty of Georgievsk was signed between Catherine the Great of Russia and King Heraclius II, giving Russia the power to protect Georgia. Then, in 1798 the Persians burned Tbilisi to the ground.

From 1811 to 1918 Georgia was under the Tsar of Russia. Their culture survived intact. From 1918 to 1921 Georgia was independent, and then was part of the Soviet Union.

In 1991 most people from Georgia voted to be a free nation again, and Georgia declared their independence from the Soviet Union. Newly established Republic of Georgia saw bloody Civil War resulting in downfall of first-ever president of Georgia Zviad Gamsakhurdia. Georgia was also involved in War in Abkhazia. There was a rough patch between 1994 and 1995 when the economy was poor, although Georgia saw significant improvements in last few years. Now Georgia is applying to NATO and European Union.

In 2008 Georgia was involved in the 2008 South Ossetia war.

Geography

A map of Georgia

Georgia is next to the countries of Russia, Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan. It also has a coast on the Black Sea. It is at the edge of Europe and Asia.

Georgia has many mountains. Its highest point is 5,193 m above sea level. The mountains running through Georgia are called the Caucasus Mountains.

The highest mountain in Georgia is Mount Shkhara at 5,193 m. The coastline of Georgia is 310 km long. Georgia has about 25,000 rivers. The largest river is the Mtkvari.

Divisions

Map of Georgia showing the occupied territories of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region (South Ossetia)

Georgia is divided into 9 regions, 1 city, and 2 autonomous republics. These in turn are divided into 67 districts and 12 self-governing cities.

The region of Abkhazia declared independence in 1999. South Ossetia is officially known by Georgia as the Tskinvali region. Georgia considers both regions as occupied by Russia.

Region	Centre	Area (km2)	Population	Density
Abkhazia	Sokhumi	8,660	242,862est	28.04
Adjara	Batumi	2,880	333,953	115.95
Guria	Ozurgeti	2,033	113,350	55.75
Imereti	Kutaisi	6,475	533,906	82.45
Kakheti	Telavi	11,311	318,583	28.16
Kvemo Kartli	Rustavi	6,072	423,986	69.82
Mtskheta-Mtianeti	Mtskheta	6,786	94,573	13.93
Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti	Ambrolauri	4,990	32,089	6.43
Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti	Zugdidi	7,440	330,761	44.45
Samtskhe-Javakheti	Akhaltsikhe	6,413	160,504	25.02
Shida Kartli	Gori	5,729	300,382est	52.43
Tbilisi	Tbilisi	720	1,108,717	1,539.88

Culture

About 4 million people live in Georgia. About 1.2 million live in Tbilisi. People from Georgia are called Georgians. Most of them speak Georgian as their first language, though some people also speak Azerbaijani, Armenian, Russian or other languages.

Georgians use three alphabets/scripts, Asomtavruli, Nuskhuri and Mkhedruli, with Asomtavruli being the very first Georgian Script, which was said to be invented by King Pharnavaz I of Iberia

The most famous person to have come from Georgia is Josef Stalin.

Most Georgians are Christians, but there are some Muslims and Jews as well.

The currency of Georgia is called the lari.

World War II urban legend rumor of unconfirmed and supposed invasion and occupation

It has been rumored on some online wensites that during the Nazi German invasion of the Caucausus in 1942, obviously during World War II, the German military army troops had reached as far and invaded and occupied some of the northern parts of Georgian SFSR. This simply is a urban legend story, and this is currently unknown if if is true or not. This unconfirmed rumor of unconfirmed invasion and occupation, has not really been studied or searched by historians, scholars, or other peoples. According to some English Wikipedia article and page on World War II, it states that even though German army briefly reached, invaded, and occupied the Caucausus areas of Russia, reaching towns and cities such as Yessentuki, Pyatigorsk, Nalchik, and Alagir, the German army never reached Georgian SFSR. It is unknown how accurate this statement on Wikipedia about Georgian SFSR is. Alagir, the Russian city, is known to be the southernmost known or proven point of Nazi German occupation, in the Caucausus area, whose brief occupation (from November to December 1942) is known. However, still, it is unknown for sure if the Germans plausibly went with their occupation in areas farther more southern and thus beyond Alagir. Besides, the Russian city of Vladikavkaz, just slightly farther in the south than Alagir, by several miles, is known to be never captured by the Nazi German army, despite their uncessful attempts, because they were fortunately and quickly repelled back north by the Soviet Bolshevik Red Army, and were driven back north from the city by several miles. The Germans never succesfully captured Vladikavkaz. It is plausible that the Germans did capture at least some parts in the Caucausus areas of Russia beyond Alagir, and/or even went to some northern parts in Georgian SFSR, however it is unknown for sure how accurate this plausibly can be, and if the supposed occupation beyond Alagir and even in some northern parts of Georgian SFSR, can ever be plausibly confirmed with certainty. Currently, it is unknown if this plausibly will ever be confirmed or not, for now it is unknown and remains unknown.

Related pages

• Georgia at the Olympics
• Georgia national football team
• List of rivers of Georgia (country)

Other websites

• Full information about (country) Georgia (English, German, Russian, Georgian)
• Friends of Georgia Archived 21 March 2004 at the Wayback Machine (Friends of Georgia International Foundation Website, including information on History, Culture, Gastronomy, News, etc.)