For other uses see Georgia (disambiguation). Sakartvelo Georgia1 Flag Coat of arms Motto: Dzala ertobashia ( ) (English: "Strength is in Unity") Anthem: Tavisupleba () (English: "Freedom") Capital (and largest city) Tbilisi 4143N 4447E / 41.717N 44.783E / 41.717; 44.783 Official language(s) Georgian2 84% Georgian 6.5% Azeri 5.7% Armenian 1.5% Russian 2.3% others. 3 Demonym Georgian Government Unitary semi-presidential republic  -  President Mikheil Saakashvili  -  Prime Minister Nikoloz Gilauri Modern Statehood  -  Independence from Russian Empire May 26 1918   -  Independence from the Soviet Union Declared Finalized April 9 1991 December 25 1991  Area  -  69700 km2 (120th) 26911 sq mi  Population  -  2010 estimate 46364004 (121st)  -  Density 68.1/km2 (144th) 164.2/sq mi GDP (PPP) 2010 estimate  -  Total $22.443 billion5   -  Per capita $51145  GDP (nominal) 2010 estimate  -  Total $11.665 billion5   -  Per capita $26585  HDI (2010) 0.6986 (high) (74th) Currency Lari () (GEL) Time zone UTC (UTC+4)  -  Summer (DST) not observed (UTC+4) Drives on the right Internet TLD .ge Calling code 995

Georgia (i /drd/; Georgian: sakartvelo IPA: skrtvl ( listen)) is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe7 it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea to the north by Russia to the southwest by Turkey to the south by Armenia and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. Georgia covers a territory of 69700 km and its population is almost 4.7 million. Georgia's constitution is that of a representative democracy organized as a unitary semi-presidential republic. It is currently a member of the United Nations the Council of Europe the World Trade Organization the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe the Community of Democratic Choice the GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development and the Asian Development Bank. The country aspires to join the North-Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union.

The history of Georgia can be traced back to the ancient kingdoms of Colchis and Iberia. It was one of the first countries to adopt Christianity in the early 4th century. Georgia reached the peak of its political and economic strength during the reign of King David IV and Queen Tamar in the 11th 12th centuries. At the beginning of the 19th century Georgia was annexed by the Russian Empire.8 After a brief period of independence following the Russian Revolution of 1917 Georgia was annexed by Soviet Russia in 1921 and from 1922 to 1991 the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR) was one of the fifteen federal republics of the Soviet Union. Like many post-communist countries Georgia suffered from civil unrest and economic crisis for most of the 1990s through the Rose Revolution of 2003 after which the new government introduced democratic and economic reforms.9

Georgia contains two de facto independent regions Abkhazia and South Ossetia which gained limited international recognition after the 2008 war between Georgia and Russia. Georgia still considers the regions to be of their sovereign territory. Contents 1 Etymology and people 2 History 2.1 Prehistory 2.2 Antiquity 2.3 Middle Ages 2.4 Georgia in the Russian Empire 2.5 Declaration of independence 2.6 Georgia in the Soviet Union 2.7 Georgia after restoration of independence 2.8 2008 military conflict with Russia 3 Geography and climate 3.1 Topography 3.2 Fauna 3.3 Climate 4 Regions 4.1 Autonomous republics 5 Government and politics 5.1 Human rights 6 Foreign relations 7 Military 8 Economy 9 Demographics 9.1 Education 10 Culture 10.1 Architecture and arts 10.2 Cuisine 10.3 Religion 10.4 Sports 11 See also 12 Notes 13 References 14 Further reading 15 External links Etymology and people Main article: Name of Georgia Georgia is sometimes thought to be named after St. George. 15th c. cloisonn enamel on gold.

Ethnic Georgians call themselves Kartvelebi () their land Sakartvelo ( meaning "a place for Kartvelians") and their language Kartuli (). According to the ancient Georgian Chronicles the ancestor of the Kartvelian people was Kartlos the great grandson of the Biblical Japheth. The name Sakartvelo () consists of two parts. Its root kartvel-i (-) specifies an inhabitant of the core central-eastern Georgian region of Kartli or Iberia as it is known in sources of Eastern Roman Empire.10 Ancient Greeks (Strabo Herodotus Plutarch Homer etc.) and Romans (Titus Livius Cornelius Tacitus etc.) referred to early eastern Georgians as Iberians (Iberoi in some Greek sources) and western Georgians as Colchians.11

Like most native Caucasian peoples the Georgians do not fit into any of the main ethnic categories of Europe or Asia. The Georgian language the most pervasive of the South Caucasian languages is neither Indo-European Turkic nor Semitic. The present day Georgian or Kartvelian nation is thought to have resulted from the fusion of aboriginal autochthonous-inhabitants with immigrants who infiltrated into South Caucasus from the direction of Anatolia in remote antiquity.12 The ancient Jewish chronicle by Josephus mentions Georgians as Iberes who were also called Thobel Tubal.13

The terms Georgia and Georgians appeared in Western Europe in numerous early medieval annals. The French chronicler Jacques de Vitry and the English traveler Sir John Mandeville wrote that Georgians are called Georgian because they especially revere Saint George. Notably in January 2004 the country restored the five-cross flag featuring the Saint George's Cross; the flag was used in Georgia from the 5th century throughout the Middle Ages.1415 History Main article: History of Georgia (country) 2nd century BC sculpture from Georgia displayed at the Georgian National Museum Prehistory Main article: Prehistoric Georgia

The territory of modern-day Georgia has been inhabited by Homo erectus since the Paleolithic. The proto-Georgian tribes first appear in written history in the 12th century BC.16 Archaeological finds and references in ancient sources reveal elements of early political and state formations characterized by advanced metallurgy and goldsmith techniques that date back to the 7th century BC and beyond.16 Antiquity

The classic period saw the rise of the early Georgian states Diaokhi (XIII BC) of Colchis (VIII BC) of Sper (VII BC) and of Iberia (VI BC). In the 4th century BC a unified kingdom of Georgiaan early example of advanced state organization under one king and an aristocratic hierarchywas established.17

The two early Georgian kingdoms of late antiquity known to Greco-Roman historiography as Iberia (Georgian: ) (in the east of the country) and Colchis (Georgian: ) (in the west) were among the first nations in the region to adopt Christianity (in AD 337 or in AD 319 as recent research suggests). In Greek Mythology Colchis was the location of the Golden Fleece sought by Jason and the Argonauts in Apollonius Rhodius' epic tale Argonautica. The incorporation of the Golden Fleece into the myth may have derived from the local practice of using fleeces to sift gold dust from rivers.18 Known to its natives as Egrisi or Lazica Colchis was also the battlefield of the Lazic War fought between Byzantine Empire and Persia. "Pompey's Bridge" built by the Roman legionaries of Pompey during their conquests of Georgia in c.65 BC After the Roman Empire completed its conquest of the Caucasus region in 66 BC the Georgian kingdoms were Roman client states and allies for nearly 400 years.18 In 337 AD King Mirian III declared Christianity as the state religion giving a great stimulus to the development of literature arts and ultimately playing a key role in the formation of the unified Georgian nation.19 King Mirian III's acceptance of Christianity effectively tied the kingdom to the neighboring Eastern Roman Empire which exerted a strong influence on Georgia for nearly a millennium determining much of its present cultural identity.18 Middle Ages The early kingdoms disintegrated into various feudal regions by the early Middle Ages. This made it easy for Arabs to conquer parts of southeastern Georgia in the 7th century. The rebellious regions were liberated and united into a unified Georgian Kingdom at the beginning of the 11th century. Starting in the 12th century the rule of Georgia extended over a significant part of the Southern Caucasus including the northeastern parts and almost the entire northern coast of present-day Turkey. Although Arabs captured the capital city of Tbilisi in AD 645 Kartli-Iberia retained considerable independence under local Arab rulers.18 In AD 813 the prince Ashot I also known as Ashot Kurapalat became the first of the Bagrationi family to rule the kingdom. Ashot's reign began a period of nearly 1000 years during which the Bagrationi as the house was known ruled at least part of what is now the republic. King David the Builder Shio-Mgvime monastery Bagrat III (r. 102772) united western and eastern Georgia. In the next century David IV (called the Builder r. 10891125) initiated the Georgian golden age by driving the Seljuk Turks from the country and expanding Georgian cultural and political influence southward into Armenia and eastward to the Caspian Sea.18 The Georgian Kingdom reached its zenith in the 12th to early 13th centuries. This period has been widely termed as Georgia's Golden Age or Georgian Renaissance during the reigns of David the Builder and Queen Tamar.20 This early Georgian renaissance which preceded its West European analogue was characterized by the flourishing of romantic-chivalric tradition breakthroughs in philosophy and an array of political innovations in society and state organization including religious and ethnic tolerance.21 The Golden age of Georgia left a legacy of great cathedrals romantic poetry and literature and the epic poem "The Knight in the Panther's Skin".22 David the Builder is popularly considered to be the greatest and most successful Georgian ruler in history. He succeeded in driving the Seljuks out of the country winning the major Battle of Didgori in 1121. His reforms of the army and administration enabled him to reunite the country and bring most lands of the Caucasus under Georgia's control. King George V the Brilliant restored Georgia as a vibrant Christian culture after the expulsion of Mongols David the Builder's granddaughter Tamar succeeded in neutralizing opposition and embarked on an energetic foreign policy aided by the downfall of the rival powers of the Seljuks and Byzantium. Supported by a powerful military lite Tamar was able to build on the successes of her predecessors to consolidate an empire which dominated the Caucasus until its collapse under the Mongol attacks within two decades after Tamar's death. The revival of the Georgian Kingdom was set back after Tblisi was captured and destoyed by the Khwarezmian leader Mingburnu in 1236.23 The Mongols were expelled by George V of Georgia son of Demetrius II of Georgia who was named "Brilliant" for his role in restoring the country's previous strength and Christian culture. George V was the last great king of the unified Georgian state. After his death different local rulers fought for their independence from central Georgian rule until the total disintegration of the Kingdom in the 15th century. Georgia was further weakened by several disastrous invasions by Tamerlane. Neighbouring kingdoms exploited the internal division of the weakened country and beginning in the 16th century the Persian Empire and the Ottoman Empire subjugated the eastern and western regions of Georgia respectively. The rulers of regions which remained partly autonomous organized rebellions on various occasions. However subsequent Persian and Ottoman invasions further weakened local kingdoms and regions. As a result of wars the population of Georgia dwindled to 250000 inhabitants at one point. Eastern Georgia composed of the regions of Kartli and Kakheti had been under Persian suzerainty since 1555. With the death of Nader Shahin 1747 both kingdoms broke free of Persian control and were reunified through a personal union under the energetic king Heraclius II in 1762. Georgia in the Russian Empire Main article: Georgia under the Russian Empire In 1783 Russia and the eastern Georgian Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti signed the Treaty of Georgievsk which recognized the bond of Orthodox Christianity between Russian and Georgian people and promised eastern Georgia protection.24 However despite this commitment to defend Georgia Russia rendered no assistance when the Turks and Persians invaded in 1785 and in 1795 completely devastating Tbilisi and massacring its inhabitants. This period culminated in the 1801 Russian violation of the Treaty of Georgievsk and annexation of eastern Georgia followed by the abolishment of the royal Bagrationi dynasty as well as the autocephaly of the Georgian Orthodox Church. Pyotr Bagration one of the descendants of the abolished house of Bagrationi would later join the Russian army and rise to be a general by the Napoleonic wars. On December 22 1800 Tsar Paul I of Russia at the alleged request of the Georgian King George XII signed the proclamation on the incorporation of Georgia (Kartli-Kakheti) within the Russian Empire which was finalized by a decree on January 8 18012526 and confirmed by Tsar Alexander I on September 12 1801.2728 The Georgian envoy in Saint Petersburg reacted with a note of protest that was presented to the Russian vice-chancellor Prince Kurakin.29 In May 1801 under the oversight of General Carl Heinrich Knorring Imperial Russia transferred power in eastern Georgia to the government headed by General Ivan Petrovich Lasarev.30 The Georgian nobility did not accept the decree until April 1802 when General Knorring compassed the nobility in Tbilisi's Sioni Cathedral and forced them to take an oath on the Imperial Crown of Russia. Those who disagreed were temporarily arrested.31 In the summer of 1805 Russian troops on the Askerani River near Zagam defeated the Persian army and saved Tbilisi from conquest now that it was officially part of the Imperial territories. Following the annexation of eastern Georgia the western Georgian kingdom of Imereti was annexed by Tsar Alexander I of Russia. The last Imeretian king and the last Georgian Bagrationi ruler Solomon II died in exile in 1815. From 1803 to 1878 as a result of numerous Russian wars against the Ottoman Empire several of Georgia's previously lost territories such as Adjara were recovered. The principality of Guria was abolished and incorporated into the Empire in 1828 and that of Megrelia in 1857. The region of Svaneti was gradually annexed in 185759. Declaration of independence Declaration of independence by the Georgian parliament 1918 Main article: Democratic Republic of Georgia After the Russian Revolution of 1917 Georgia declared independence on May 26 1918 in the midst of the Russian Civil War. The parliamentary election was won by the Georgian Social-Democratic Party considered to be pro-Mensheviks and its leader Noe Zhordania became prime minister. In 1918 a GeorgianArmenian war erupted over parts of Georgian provinces populated mostly by Armenians which ended because of British intervention. In 191819 Georgian general Giorgi Mazniashvili led a Georgian attack against the White Army led by Moiseev and Denikin in order to claim the Black Sea coastline from Tuapse to Sochi and Adler for independent Georgia. The country's independence did not last long. Georgia was under British protection from 19181920. Georgia in the Soviet Union Main article: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic In February 1921 Georgia was attacked by the Red Army. The Georgian army was defeated and the Social-Democrat government fled the country. On February 25 1921 the Red Army entered the capital Tbilisi and installed a Moscow directed communist government led by Georgian Bolshevik Filipp Makharadze. The 11th Red Army of the Russian SFSR holds military parade in Tbilisi 25 February 1921. Nevertheless the Soviet rule was firmly established only after a 1924 revolt was brutally suppressed.32 Georgia was incorporated into the Transcaucasian SFSR uniting Georgia Armenia and Azerbaijan. The TSFSR was disaggregated into its component elements in 1936 and Georgia became the Georgian SSR. Joseph Stalin (an ethnic Georgian whose real name was Ioseb Jughashvili) was prominent among the Bolsheviks who came to power in the Russian Empire after the October Revolution in 1917. Stalin was to rise to the highest position of the Soviet state. From 1941 to 1945 during World War II almost 700000 Georgians fought in the Red Army against Nazi Germany. (A number also fought on the German side.) About 350000 Georgians died in the battlefields of the Eastern Front.33 The Dissidential movement for restoration of Georgian statehood started to gain popularity in the 1960s.34 Among the Georgian dissidents two of the most prominent activists were Merab Kostava and Zviad Gamsakhurdia. Dissidents were heavily persecuted by Soviet government and their activities were harshly suppressed. On April 9 1989 a peaceful demonstration in the Georgian capital Tbilisi ended up with several people being killed by Soviet troops. Before the October 1990 elections to the national assembly the Umaghlesi Sabcho (Supreme Council) the first polls in the USSR held on a formal multi-party basis the political landscape was reshaped again. While the more radical groups boycotted the elections and convened an alternative forum with alleged support of Moscow.citation needed (National Congress) another part of the anticommunist opposition united into the Round TableFree Georgia (RT-FG) around the former dissidents like Merab Kostava and Zviad Gamsakhurdia. The latter won the elections by a clear margin with 155 out of 250 parliamentary seats whereas the ruling Communist Party (CP) received only 64 seats. All other parties failed to get over the 5%-threshold and were thus allotted only some single-member constituency seats. Georgia after restoration of independence People laying flowers at the memorial of April 9 tragedy where over 10 women and 6 men were killed by the Soviet Army 35 On April 9 1991 shortly before the collapse of the Soviet Union Georgia declared independence. On May 26 1991 Zviad Gamsakhurdia was elected as a first President of independent Georgia. Gamsakhurdia stoked Georgian nationalism and vowed to assert Tbilisi's authority over regions such as Abkhazia and South Ossetia that had been classified as autonomous oblasts under the Soviet Union. He was soon deposed in a bloody coup d'tat from December 22 1991 to January 6 1992. The coup was instigated by part of the National Guards and a paramilitary organization called "Mkhedrioni" or "horsemen". The country became embroiled in a bitter civil war which lasted almost until 1995. Eduard Shevardnadze returned to Georgia in 1992 and joined the leaders of the coup Kitovani and Ioseliani to head a triumvirate called the "State Council". In 1995 Shevardnadze was officially elected as president of Georgia. At the same time simmering disputes within two regions of Georgia Abkhazia and South Ossetia between local separatists and the majority Georgian populations erupted into widespread inter-ethnic violence and wars. Supported by Russia Abkhazia and South Ossetia with the exception of some "pockets" of territory achieved de facto independence from Georgia. Roughly 230000 to 250000 Georgians36 were expelled from Abkhazia by Abkhaz separatists and North Caucasians volunteers (including Chechens) in 19921993. Around 23000 Georgians37 fled South Ossetia as well and many Ossetian families were forced to abandon their homes in the Borjomi region and moved to Russia. In 2003 Shevardnadze (who won reelection in 2000) was deposed by the Rose Revolution after Georgian opposition and international monitors asserted that the November 2 parliamentary elections were marred by fraud.38 The revolution was led by Mikheil Saakashvili Zurab Zhvania and Nino Burjanadze former members and leaders of Shevardnadze's ruling party. Mikheil Saakashvili was elected as President of Georgia in 2004. Following the Rose Revolution a series of reforms were launched to strengthen the country's military and economic capabilities. The new government's efforts to reassert Georgian authority in the southwestern autonomous republic of Ajaria led to a major crisis early in 2004. Success in Ajaria encouraged Saakashvili to intensify his efforts but without success in the breakaway South Ossetia. These events along with accusations of Georgian involvement in the Second Chechen War39 resulted in a severe deterioration of relations with Russia fuelled also by Russia's open assistance and support to the two secessionists areas. Despite these increasingly difficult relations in May 2005 Georgia and Russia reached a bilateral agreement 40 by which Russian military bases (dating back to the Soviet era) in Batumi and Akhalkalaki were withdrawn. Russia withdrew all personnel and equipment from these sites by December 2007 41 while failing to withdraw from the Gudauta base in Abkhazia which it was required to vacate after the adoption of Adapted Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty during the 1999 Istanbul Summit.42 2008 military conflict with Russia Main article: 2008 South Ossetia war See also: International recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia Georgian girl holding a poster and candles during the Russo-Georgian war in August of 2008. 2008 saw a military conflict between Georgia on one side with Russia and the separatist republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia on the other. In response to the shelling of Georgian towns around South Ossetia supposedly by South Ossetian militias well equipped with Russian military supplies Georgia massed military forces near the region. Russia also massed larger military forces near the border with South Ossetia. On 7 August Georgian forces began a massive artillery attack on the South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali which started after months-long clashes between Georgian police and peacekeepers and Ossetian militia and Russian peacekeepers. On early August 8 Georgian Army infantry and tanks supported by Interior Ministry commandos began pushing into South Ossetia supported by artillery and multiple rocket launcher fire and Su-25 strike aircraft.43 After several hours of fierce fighting Georgia had captured numerous villages throughout South Ossetia and had captured almost all of Tskhinvali from Ossetian militia and Russian peacekeepers. A Russian peacekeepers' base stationed in South Ossetia was shelled and personnel were killed.4445 Units of the Russian 58th Army supported by irregular forces subsequently entered South Ossetia through the Russian-controlled Roki tunnel and a three-day battle left the city of Tskhinvali heavily devastated.464748 Georgian forces were driven out of South Ossetia and Georgian villages were burned by Ossetian militia to prevent refugees from returning. The Russian Air Force launched a series of coordinated airstrikes against Georgian forces in South Ossetia and multiple targets inside Georgia proper49 but met heavy resistance from Georgian air defenses. The Georgian Air Force also managed to carry out air attacks on Russian troops throughout most of the battle. At the same time the separatist Republic of Abkhazia launched an offensive against Georgian troops in the Kodori Valley with the support of Russian paratroopers marines and naval forces. Georgian troops offered minimal resistance and withdrew5051 Russian paratroopers launched raids against military bases in Senaki Georgia from Abkhazia. The Russian Navy stationed a task force of sixteen ships off the coast of Abkhazia and in a brief naval skirmish with Georgian missile boats and gunboats sank a Georgian Coast Guard cutter. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice holding a joint press conference with Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili during the South Ossetian war Following their defeat in South Ossetia Georgian forces regrouped at Gori with heavy artillery. Russian forces crossed into Georgia proper and all Georgian forces retreated to Tbilisi leaving some military equipment behind. Russian forces entered the city and occupied numerous villages completely unopposed. Irregulars such as Ossetians Chechens and Cossacks followed and were reported looting killing and burning.5253 Russian troops removed military equipment abandoned by retreating Georgian troops in Gori and also occupied the port city of Poti where they sank several naval and coast guard vessesls moored in the harbor and removed captured military equipment including four Humvees. Georgia lost a total of 150 pieces of military equipment (including 65 tanks) 1728 small arms and 4 naval vessels during the war.54 On August 12 President Medvedev announced an intent to halt further Russian military operations in Georgia.55 Russian troops withdrew from Gori and Poti but remained in South Ossetia and Abkhazia5657 which it recognized as independent countries.58 Georgia on the contrary considers those territories to be under Russian occupation.5960 Russia also created temporary checkpoints in several locations inside Georgia but gradually withdrew from them. Because of the intensive fighting in South Ossetia there were many disputed reports about the number of casualties on both sides which targets had fallen under aerial attacks the status of troop movements and the most current location of the front line between the Georgian and Russian-Ossetian combat units.61 South Ossetian and Russian officials claimed47 the Georgian Army was responsible for killing 2000 and later 1400 South Ossetian civilians. These allegations have not been substantiated and Human Rights Watch and European Union investigators in South Ossetia accused Russia of exaggerating the scale of such casualties.62 The actual death toll according to the Russian Prosecutor's Office is 162.63 Another 150 South Ossetian militiamen were also killed.64 Russian casualties totalled 67 dead or missing and 323 wounded.65 Abkhaz forces lost 1 dead and 2 wounded. Georgian military casualties totaled 170 dead or missing66 1964 wounded and 42 taken prisoner. Georgian civilian casualties stand at 228 with a total of 12 police officers killed or missing. A Dutch journalist Stan Storimans was also killed. Geography and climate Main article: Geography of Georgia (country) See also: Borders of the continents Svaneti region North-Western Georgia. Georgia is situated in the Caucasus6768 between latitudes 41 and 44 N and longitudes 40 and 47 E with an area of 67900 km2 (26216 sq mi). It is a very mountainous country. The Likhi Range divides the country into eastern and western halves.69 Historically the western portion of Georgia was known as Colchis while the eastern plateau was called Iberia. Because of a complex geographic setting mountains also isolate the northern region of Svaneti from the rest of Georgia. The Greater Caucasus Mountain Range forms the northern border of Georgia.69 The main roads through the mountain range into Russian territory lead through the Roki Tunnel between South and North Ossetia and the Darial Gorge (in the Georgian region of Khevi). The Roki Tunnel was vital for the Russian military in the 2008 South Ossetia War because it is the only direct route through the Caucasus Mountains. The southern portion of the country is bounded by the Lesser Caucasus Mountains.69 The Greater Caucasus Mountain Range is much higher in elevation than the Lesser Caucasus Mountains with the highest peaks rising more than 5000 meters (16404 ft) above sea level. The highest mountain in Georgia is Mount Shkhara at 5068 meters (16627 ft) and the second highest is Mount Janga (Jangi-Tau) at 5059 m (16598 ft) above sea level. Other prominent peaks include Kazbegi (Kazbek) at 5047 m (16558 ft) Shota Rustaveli (4860 m (15945 ft)) Tetnuldi (4858 m (15938 ft)) Mt. Ushba (4700 m (15420 ft)) and Ailama (4547 m (14918 ft)).69 Out of the abovementioned peaks only Kazbegi is of volcanic origin. The region between Kazbegi and Shkhara (a distance of about 200 km (124 mi) along the Main Caucasus Range) is dominated by numerous glaciers. Out of the 2100 glaciers that exist in the Caucasus today approximately 30% are located within Georgia. Mountainous valleys of Northern Georgia The term Lesser Caucasus Mountains is often used to describe the mountainous (highland) areas of southern Georgia that are connected to the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range by the Likhi Range.69 The area can be split into two separate sub-regions; the Lesser Caucasus Mountains which run parallel to the Greater Caucasus Range and the Southern Georgia Volcanic Highland which lies immediately to the south of the Lesser Caucasus Mountains. The overall region can be characterized as being made up of various interconnected mountain ranges (largely of volcanic origin) and plateaus that do not exceed 3400 meters (11155 ft) in elevation. Prominent features of the area include the Javakheti Volcanic Plateau lakes including Tabatskuri and Paravani as well as mineral water and hot springs. Two major rivers in Georgia are the Rioni and the Mtkvari. The Southern Georgia Volcanic Highland is a young and unstable geologic region with high seismic activity and has experienced some of the most significant earthquakes that have been recorded in Georgia. The Voronya Cave (aka Krubera-Voronia Cave) is the deepest known cave in the world. It is located in the Arabika Massif of the Gagra Range in Abkhazia. In 2001 a RussianUkrainian team had set the world depth record for a cave at 1710 meters (5610 ft). In 2004 the penetrated depth was increased on each of three expeditions when a Ukrainian team crossed the 2000-meter (6562 ft) mark for the first time in the history of speleology. In October 2005 an unexplored part was found by the CAVEX team further increasing the known depth of the cave. This expedition confirmed the known depth of the cave at 2140 meters (7021 ft) (9 m/29.5 ft). Topography The landscape within the nation's boundaries is quite varied. Western Georgia's landscape ranges from low-land marsh-forests swamps and temperate rain forests to eternal snows and glaciers while the eastern part of the country even contains a small segment of semi-arid plains. Forests cover around 40% of Georgia's territory while the alpine/subalpine zone accounts for roughly around 10% of the land. Much of the natural habitat in the low-lying areas of Western Georgia has disappeared over the last 100 years because of the agricultural development of the land and urbanization. The large majority of the forests that covered the Colchis plain are now virtually non-existent with the exception of the regions that are included in the national parks and reserves (e.g. Lake Paliastomi area). At present the forest cover generally remains outside of the low-lying areas and is mainly located along the foothills and the mountains. Western Georgia's forests consist mainly of deciduous trees below 600 meters (1969 ft) above sea level and comprise of species such as oak hornbeam beech elm ash and chestnut. Evergreen species such as box may also be found in many areas. Ca. 1000 of all 4000 higher plants of Georgia are endemic in this country.70 The west-central slopes of the Meskheti Range in Ajaria as well as several locations in Samegrelo and Abkhazia are covered by temperate rain forests. Between 6001000 metres (19693281 ft) above sea level the deciduous forest becomes mixed with both broad-leaf and coniferous species making up the plant life. The zone is made up mainly of beech spruce and fir forests. From 15001800 metres (49215906 ft) the forest becomes largely coniferous. The tree line generally ends at around 1800 metres (5906 ft) and the alpine zone takes over which in most areas extends up to an elevation of 3000 metres (9843 ft) above sea level. The eternal snow and glacier zone lies above the 3000 metre line. Eastern Georgia's landscape (referring to the territory east of the Likhi Range) is considerably different from that of the west although much like the Colchis plain in the west nearly all of the low-lying areas of eastern Georgia including the Mtkvari and Alazani River plains have been deforested for agricultural purposes. In addition because of the region's relatively drier climate some of the low-lying plains (especially in Kartli and south-eastern Kakheti) were never covered by forests in the first place. The general landscape of eastern Georgia comprises numerous valleys and gorges that are separated by mountains. In contrast with western Georgia nearly 85% of the forests of the region are deciduous. Coniferous forests only dominate in the Borjomi Gorge and in the extreme western areas. Out of the deciduous species of trees beech oak and hornbeam dominate. Other deciduous species include several varieties of maple aspen ash and hazelnut. The Upper Alazani River Valley contains yew forests. At higher elevations above 1000 metres (3281 ft) above sea level (particularly in the Tusheti Khevsureti and Khevi regions) pine and birch forests dominate. In general the forests in eastern Georgia occur between 5002000 metres (16406562 ft) above sea level with the alpine zone extending from 20002300 metres/65627546 feet to 30003500 meters/984311483 feet. The only remaining large low-land forests remain in the Alazani Valley of Kakheti. The eternal snow and glacier zone lies above the 3500-metre (11483 ft) line in most areas of eastern Georgia. Fauna See also: List of non-marine molluscs of Georgia Golden Eagles are a yearlong presence in mountainous regions of Georgia Because of its high landscape diversity and low latitude Georgia is home to about 1000 species of vertebrates (330 birds 160 fish 48 reptiles and 11 amphibians). A number of large carnivores live in the forests namely Brown bears wolves and lynxes. The species number of invertebrates is considered to be very high but data is distributed across a high number of publications. The spider checklist of Georgia for example includes 501 species.71 Climate Main article: Climate of Georgia (country) The climate of Georgia is extremely diverse considering the nation's small size. There are two main climatic zones roughly separating Eastern and Western parts of the country. The Greater Caucasus Mountain Range plays an important role in moderating Georgia's climate and protects the nation from the penetration of colder air masses from the north. The Lesser Caucasus Mountains partially protect the region from the influence of dry and hot air masses from the south as well. Much of western Georgia lies within the northern periphery of the humid subtropical zone with annual precipitation ranging from 10004000 mm (39.4157.5 in). The precipitation tends to be uniformly distributed throughout the year although the rainfall can be particularly heavy during the Autumn months. The climate of the region varies significantly with elevation and while much of the lowland areas of western Georgia are relatively warm throughout the year the foothills and mountainous areas (including both the Greater and Lesser Caucasus Mountains) experience cool wet summers and snowy winters (snow cover often exceeds 2 meters in many regions). Ajaria is the wettest region of the Caucasus where the Mt. Mtirala rainforest east of Kobuleti receives around 4500 mm (177.2 in) of precipitation per year. Eastern Georgia has a transitional climate from humid subtropical to continental. The region's weather patterns are influenced both by dry Caspian air masses from the east and humid Black Sea air masses from the west. The penetration of humid air masses from the Black Sea is often blocked by several mountain ranges (Likhi and Meskheti) that separate the eastern and western parts of the nation. Annual precipitation is considerably less than that of western Georgia and ranges from 4001600 mm (15.763.0 in). The Black Sea coast of Batumi Western Georgia. The wettest periods generally occur during Spring and Autumn while Winter and the Summer months tend to be the driest. Much of eastern Georgia experiences hot summers (especially in the low-lying areas) and relatively cold winters. As in the western parts of the nation elevation plays an important role in eastern Georgia where climatic conditions above 1500 metres (4921 ft) are considerably colder than in the low-lying areas. The regions that lie above 2000 metres (6562 ft) frequently experience frost even during the summer months. Because of its high landscape diversity and low latitude Georgia is home to a large number of animal species e.g. about 1000 species of vertebrates (330 birds 160 fish 48 reptiles 11 amphibians). A number of large carnivores live in the forests e.g. Persian leopard Brown bear wolf and lynx. The species number of invertebrates is considered to be very high but data is distributed across a high number of publications. The spider checklist of Georgia for example includes 501 species.71 Non-marine molluscs of Georgia also include high diversity. Regions Main article: Administrative divisions of Georgia (country) Georgia is divided into 9 regions 1 city and 2 autonomous republics.3 These in turn are subdivided into 69 districts. Regions of Georgia in colour with districts shown within regions Guria Imereti Kakheti Kvemo Kartli Mtskheta-Mtianeti Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Samtskhe-Javakheti Shida Kartli Autonomous republics Main articles: Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia and Autonomous Republic of Adjara Map of Georgia highlighting the disputed territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia both of which are de facto independent from the central government of Georgia Georgia contains two official autonomous regions of which one has declared independence. In addition another territory not officially autonomous has also declared independence. Officially autonomous within Georgia72 the de facto independent region of Abkhazia declared independence in 1999.73 The de facto independent South Ossetia is officially known within Georgia as the Tskinvali region to separate it from the Russian North Ossetia.74 It was autonomous under the Soviet Union and when it was renamed to Tskinvali in 1995 its autonomy was removed.75 De facto separate since Georgian independence offers were made to give South Ossetia autonomy again but in 2006 an unrecognised referendum in the area resulted in a vote for independence.74 In both territories large numbers of people had been given Russian passports some through a process of forced passportization by Russian authorities.76 This was used as a justification for Russian invasion of Georgia during the 2008 South Ossetia war after which Russia recognised the regions independence.77 Independence is denied by Georgia which considers the regions as occupied by Russia.7879 Both republics have received minimal international recognition. Adjara gained autonomy unilaterally under local strongman Aslan Abashidze who maintained close ties with Russia and allowed a Russian military base to be built in Batumi. Upon the election of Mikheil Saakashvili in 2004 tensions rose between Adjara and the Georgian government leading to demonstrations in Adjara and the resignation and fleeing of Absahidze. The region retains autonomy.80 Government and politics Main article: Politics of Georgia (country) The official residence and workplace of the Georgian President shown here with the Holy Trinity Cathedral in the background. Georgia is a democratic semi-presidential republic with the President as the head of state and Prime Minister as the head of government. The executive branch of power is made up of the President and the Cabinet of Georgia. The Cabinet is composed of ministers headed by the Prime Minister and appointed by the President. Notably the ministers of defense and interior are not members of the Cabinet and are subordinated directly to the President of Georgia. Mikheil Saakashvili is the current President of Georgia after winning 53.47% of the vote in the 2008 election. Since February 6 2009 Nikoloz Gilauri has been the prime minister of Georgia. Legislative authority is vested in the Parliament of Georgia. It is unicameral and has 150 members known as deputies from which 75 members are proportional representatives and 75 are elected through single-member district plurality system representing their constituencies. Members of parliament are elected for 4 four-year term. Five parties and electoral blocs had representatives elected to the parliament in the 2008 elections: the United National Movement (governing party) The Joint Opposition the Christian-Democrats the Labour Party and Republican Party. Although considerable progress was made since the Rose revolution Saakashvili states that Georgia is still not a "full-fledged very well-formed crystalized society."81 The political system remains in the process of transition with frequent adjustments to the balance of power between the President and Parliament and opposition proposals ranging from transforming the country into parliamentary republic to re-establishing the monarchy.8283 Observers note the deficit of trust in relations between the Government and the opposition.84 Different opinions exist regarding the degree of political freedom in Georgia. President Saakashvili believes that the country is "on the road to becoming a European democracy."81 Freedom House puts Georgia in the group of partly free countries along with countries like Turkey Venezuela and Bosnia and Herzegovina.85 Human rights Main article: Human rights in Georgia Human rights in Georgia are guaranteed by the country's constitution. There is an independent human rights public defender elected by the Parliament of Georgia to ensure such rights are enforced.86 Georgia has ratified the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities in 2005. NGO "Tolerance" in its alternative report about its implementation speaks of rapid decreasing of the amount of Azerbaijani schools and cases of appointing headmasters to Azerbaijani schools who don't speak the Azerbaijani language.87 The government came under criticism for its alleged use of excessive force on May 26 2011 when it dispersed protesters organized Nino Burjanadze with tear gas and rubber bullets after they refused to clear the Rustaveli avenue for an independence day parade despite the expiration of their demonstration permit and despite being offered to choose an alternative venue.888990 While human rights activists maintained that the protests were peaceful the government pointed out that many protesters were masked and armed with heavy sticks and molotov cocktails.91Georgian opposition leader Nino Burjanadze said the accusations of planning a coup were baseless and that the protesters' actions were legitimate.929394 Foreign relations Main articles: Georgia and the European Union Georgian-Ukrainian relations Georgia-Russia relations and Georgia and NATO pro-NATO poster in Tbilisi Georgia maintains good relations with its direct neighbours Armenia Azerbaijan Turkey and participates actively in regional organizations such as the Black Sea Economic Council and the GUAM.citation needed Georgia also maintains political economic and military relations with Japan Uruguay95 South Korea96 Israel97 Sri Lanka98 Ukraine and many other countries. The growing U.S. and European Union influence in Georgia notably through proposed EU and NATO membership the U.S. Train and Equip military assistance program and the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline have frequently strained Tbilisi's relations with Moscow. Georgia's decision to boost its presence in the coalition forces in Iraq was an important initiative.99 Georgia is currently working to become a full member of NATO. In August 2004 the Individual Partnership Action Plan of Georgia was submitted officially to NATO. On October 29 2004 the North Atlantic Council of NATO approved the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) of Georgia and Georgia moved on to the second stage of Euro-Atlantic Integration. In 2005 by the decision of the President of Georgia a state commission was set up to implement the Individual Partnership Action Plan which presents an interdepartmental group headed by the Prime Minister. The Commission was tasked with coordinating and controlling the implementation of the Individual Partnership Action Plan. On February 14 2005 the agreement on the appointment of Partnership for Peace (PfP) liaison officer between Georgia and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization came into force whereby a liaison officer for the South Caucasus was assigned to Georgia. On March 2 2005 the agreement was signed on the provision of the host nation support to and transit of NATO forces and NATO personnel. On March 69 2006 the IPAP implementation interim assessment team arrived in Tbilisi. On April 13 2006 the discussion of the assessment report on implementation of the Individual Partnership Action Plan was held at NATO Headquarters within 26+1 format.100 In 2006 the Georgian parliament voted unanimously for the bill which calls for integration of Georgia into NATO. The majority of Georgians and politicians in Georgia support the push for NATO membership. From the European commission website: President Saakashvili views membership of the EU and NATO as a long term priority. As he does not want Georgia to become an arena of Russia-U.S. confrontation he seeks to maintain close relations with the United States and European Union at the same time underlining his ambitions to advance co-operation with Russia.citation needed George W. Bush became the first sitting U.S. president to visit the country.101 The street leading to Tbilisi International Airport has since been dubbed George W. Bush Avenue.102 On October 2 2006 Georgian and the European Union signed a joint statement on the agreed text of the Georgia-European Union Action Plan within the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP). The Action Plan was formally approved at the EU-Georgia Cooperation Council session on November 14 2006 in Brussels.103 Military Main article: Military of Georgia Georgian troops in Iraq 2006. Georgia's military is organized into land and air forces. They are collectively known as the Georgian Armed Forces (GAF).104 The mission and functions of the GAF are based on the Constitution of Georgia Georgias Law on Defense and National Military Strategy and international agreements to which Georgia is signatory. They are performed under the guidance and authority of the Ministry of Defense. Since coming to power in 2004 Saakashvili has boosted spending on the country's armed forces and increased its overall size to around 45000.citation needed Of that figure 12000 have been trained in advanced techniques by U.S. military instructors under the Georgia Train and Equip Program. Some of these troops have been stationed in Iraq as part of the international coalition in the region serving in Baqubah and the Green Zone of Baghdad. In May 2005 the 13th "Shavnabada" Light Infantry Battalion became the first full battalion to serve outside of Georgia. This unit was responsible for two checkpoints to the Green Zone and provided security for the Iraqi Parliament. In October 2005 the unit was replaced by the 21st Infantry Battalion. Soldiers of the 13th "Shavnabada" Light Infantry Battalion wear the "combat patches" of the American unit they served under the Third Infantry Division. Since 2009 Georgia contributes nearly 1000 soldiers to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan making it the highest per-capita troop contributor to the mission.105 As of March 2011 Georgian forces have suffered a total of 7 deaths and 39 injuries.106 Economy Main articles: Economy of Georgia (country) and Agriculture in Georgia (country) Georgian twenty lari note. Archaeological research demonstrates that Georgia has been involved in commerce with many lands and empires since the ancient times largely due its location on the Black Sea and later on the historical Silk Road. Gold silver copper and iron have been mined in the Caucasus Mountains. Wine making is a very old tradition. The country has sizable hydropower resources.107 Throughout Georgia's modern history agriculture and tourism have been principal economic sectors because of the country's climate and topography.108 For much of the 20th century Georgia's economy was within the Soviet model of command economy. Since the fall of the USSR in 1991 Georgia embarked on a major structural reform designed to transition to a free market economy. As with all other post-Soviet states Georgia faced a severe economic collapse. The civil war and military conflicts in South Ossetia and Abkhazia aggravated the crisis. The agriculture and industry output diminished. By 1994 the gross domestic product had shrunk to a quarter of that of 1989.109 The first financial help from the West came in 1995 when the World Bank and International Monetary Fund granted Georgia a credit of USD 206 million and Germany granted DM 50 million. Rkinis Rigi (iron row) in Old Tbilisi Since early 21st century visible positive developments have been observed in the economy of Georgia. In 2007 Georgia's real GDP growth rate reached 12% making Georgia one of the fastest growing economies in Eastern Europe.108 The World Bank dubbed Georgia "the number one economic reformer in the world" because it has in one year improved from rank 112th to 18th in terms of ease of doing business.110 The country has a high unemployment rate of 12.6% and has fairly low median income compared to European countries. The 2006 ban on imports of Georgian wine to Russia one of Georgia's biggest trading partners and break of financial links was described by the IMF Mission as an "external shock"111 In addition Russia increased the price of gas for Georgia. This was followed by the spike in the Georgian lari's rate of inflation.citation needed The National Bank of Georgia stated that the inflation was mainly triggered by external reasons including Russias economic embargo.112 The Georgian authorities expected that the current account deficit due to the embargo in 2007 would be financed by "higher foreign exchange proceeds generated by the large inflow of foreign direct investment" and an increase in tourist revenues.113 The country has also maintained a solid credit in international market securities.114 Georgia is becoming more integrated into the global trading network: its 2006 imports and exports account for 10% and 18% of GDP respectively.108 Georgia's main imports are natural gas oil products machinery and parts and transport equipment. Map of the BTC oil pipeline and South Caucasus gas pipeline. Since coming to power Saakashvili administration accomplished a series of reforms aimed at improving tax collection. Among other things a flat income tax was introduced in 2004115 As a result budget revenues have increased fourfold and a once large budget deficit has turned into surplus.116117118 Georgia is developing into an international transport corridor through Batumi and Poti ports an oil pipeline from Baku through Tbilisi to Ceyhan the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline (BTC) and a parallel gas pipeline the South Caucasus Pipeline. Tourism is an increasingly significant part of the Georgian economy. About a million tourists brought US$313 million to the country in 2006.119 According to the government there are 103 resorts in different climatic zones in Georgia. Tourist attractions include more than 2000 mineral springs over 12000 historical and cultural monuments four of which are recognised as UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Bagrati Cathedral in Kutaisi and Gelati Monastery historical monuments of Mtskheta and Upper Svaneti).120 As of 2001 54% of the population lived below the national poverty line but by 2006 poverty decreased to 34%. In 2005 average monthly income of a household was GEL 347 (about 200 USD).121 IMF 2007 estimates place Georgia's nominal GDP at US$10.3 billion. Georgia's economy is becoming more devoted to services (now representing 65% of GDP) moving away from agricultural sector ( 10.9%).122 Demographics Main article: Demographics of Georgia Ethnic Georgians form about 84% of Georgia's current population of 4661473 (July 2006 est.).123 Other ethnic groups include Abkhazians Armenians Azeris Belorussians Bulgarians Estonians Germans Greeks Jews Moldovans Ossetians Poles Russians Turks and Ukrainians. Notably Georgia's Jewish community is one of the oldest Jewish communities in the world. Georgia also exhibits significant linguistic diversity. Within the Kartvelian family Georgian Laz Megrelian and Svan are spoken.124 The official languages of Georgia are Georgian and also Abkhaz within the autonomous region of Abkhazia. Georgian the country's official language is a primary language of approximately 71% of the population with 9% speaking Russian 7% Armenian 6% Azeri and 7% other languages.108 In the early 1990s following the dissolution of the Soviet Union violent separatist conflicts broke out in the autonomous regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Many Ossetians living in Georgia left the country mainly to Russia's North Ossetia.125 On the other hand more than 150000 Georgians left Abkhazia after the breakout of hostilities in 1993.126 Of the Meskhetian Turks who were forcibly relocated in 1944 only a tiny fraction returned to Georgia as of 2008.127 The 1989 census recorded 341000 ethnic Russians or 6.3% of the population128 52000 Ukrainians and 100000 Greeks in Georgia.129 Since 1990 1.5 million Georgian nationals have left.129 At least one million immigrants from Georgia legally or illegally reside in Russia.130 Georgia's net migration rate is 4.54 excluding Georgian nationals who live abroad. Georgia has nonetheless been inhabited by immigrants from all over the world throughout its independence. According to 2006 statistics Georgia gets most of its immigrants from Turkey and People's Republic of China. Today most of the population practices Eastern Orthodox Christianity with 83.9% of the population adhering to the national Georgian Orthodox Church. Religious minorities include Muslims (9.9%); Armenian Apostolic (3.9%); Roman Catholic (0.8%). 0.8% of those recorded in the 2002 census declared themselves to be adherents of other religions and 0.7% declared no religion at all.108131 view talk view talk Largest cities of Georgia (country) Source Tbilisi Kutaisi Rank City Name Administrative division Pop. Batumi Rustavi 1 Tbilisi Tbilisi 1240508 2 Kutaisi Imereti 202443 3 Batumi Adjara 135018 4 Rustavi Kvemo Kartli 140152 5 Zugdidi Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti 95131 6 Poti Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti 52000 7 Gori Shida Kartli 48929 8 Sukhumi Abkhazia 40128 9 Senaki Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti 32284 10 Samtredia Imereti 31452 Education The education system of Georgia has undergone sweeping modernizing although controversial reforms since 2004.132133 Education in Georgia is mandatory for all children aged 614.134 The school system is divided into elementary (6 years; age level 612) basic (3 years; age level 1215) and secondary (3 years; age level 1518) or alternatively vocational studies (2 years). Students with a secondary school certificate have access to higher education. Only the students who have passed the Unified National Examinations may enroll in a state-accredited higher education institution based on ranking of scores he/she received at the exams. Most of these institutions offer three level studies: a Bachelor's Programme (34 years); a Master's Programme (2 years) and a Doctoral Programme (3 years). There is also a Certified Specialist's Programme that represents a single-level higher education programme lasting for 36 years.134135 As of 2008 20 higher education institutions are accredited by the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia.136 Gross primary enrollment ratio was 94% for the period of 20012006.137 Culture Main article: Culture of Georgia (country) Medieval Georgian Processional cross 12th century Georgian culture evolved over thousands of years with its foundations in Iberian and Colchian civilizations138 continuing into the rise of the unified Georgian Kingdom under the single monarchy of the Bagrationi. Georgian culture enjoyed a golden age and renaissance of classical literature arts philosophy architecture and science in the 11th century.139 The Georgian language and the Classical Georgian literature of the poet Shota Rustaveli were revived in the 19th century after a long period of turmoil laying the foundations of the romantics and novelists of the modern era such as Grigol Orbeliani Nikoloz Baratashvili Ilia Chavchavadze Akaki Tsereteli Vazha Pshavela and many others.140 Georgian culture was influenced by Classical Greece the Roman Empire the Byzantine Empire and later by the Russian Empire. Georgia is well known for its rich folklore unique traditional music theatre cinema and art. Georgians are renowned for their love of music dance theatre and cinema. In the 20th century there have been notable Georgian painters such as Niko Pirosmani Lado Gudiashvili Elene Akhvlediani; ballet choreographers such as George Balanchine Vakhtang Chabukiani and Nino Ananiashvili; poets such as Galaktion Tabidze Lado Asatiani and Mukhran Machavariani; and theatre and film directors such as Robert Sturua Tengiz Abuladze Giorgi Danelia and Otar Ioseliani.140 Architecture and arts Senaki State Theater in Senaki is an example of neoclassical style with elements of baroque in Georgia. Architect Vakhtang Gogoladze. Georgian architecture has been influenced by many civilizations. There are several different architectural styles for castles towers fortifications and churches. The Upper Svaneti fortifications and the castle town of Shatili in Khevsureti are some of the finest examples of medieval Georgian castle architecture. Other architectural aspects of Georgia include Rustaveli avenue in Tbilisi in the Hausmann style and the Old Town District. Georgian ecclesiastic art is one of the most fascinating aspects of Georgian Christian architecture which combines classical dome style with original basilica style forming what is known as the Georgian cross-dome style. Cross-dome architecture developed in Georgia during the 9th century; before that most Georgian churches were basilicas. Other examples of Georgian ecclesiastic architecture can be found outside Georgia: Bachkovo Monastery in Bulgaria (built in 1083 by the Georgian military commander Grigorii Bakuriani) Iviron monastery in Greece (built by Georgians in the 10th century) and the Monastery of the Cross in Jerusalem (built by Georgians in the 9th century). The art of Georgia spans the prehistoric the ancient Greek Roman medieval ecclesiastic iconic and modern visual arts. One of the most famous late 19th/early 20th century Georgian artists is the primitivist painter Niko Pirosmani. Cuisine Main article: Georgian cuisine Georgian poets Ilia Chavchavadze and Akaki Tsereteli. Georgian cuisine and wine have evolved through the centuries adapting traditions in each era. One of the most unusual traditions of dining is Supra or Georgian table which is also a way of socialising with friends and family. The head of Supra is known as Tamada. He also conducts the highly philosophical toasts and makes sure that everyone is enjoying themselves. Various historical regions of Georgia are known for their particular dishes: for example Khinkali (meat dumplings) from eastern mountainous Georgia and Khachapuri mainly from Imereti Samegrelo and Adjara. In addition to traditional Georgian dishes the foods of other countries have been brought to Georgia by immigrants from Russia Greece and recently China. Religion Main article: Religion in Georgia (country) The Georgian Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church is one of the world's most ancient Christian Churches founded in the 1st century by the Apostle Andrew the First Called. In the first half of the 4th century Christianity was adopted as the state religion. This has provided a strong sense of national identity that has helped to preserve a national Georgian identity despite repeated periods of foreign occupation and attempted assimilation. One of the oldest churches in Christendom the Jvari church in Mtskheta Georgias ancient capital.141 According to the Constitution of Georgia religious institutions are separate from government and every citizen has the right of religion. Most of the population of Georgia (83.9%) practices Orthodox Christianity and the Georgian Orthodox Church is an influential institution in the country.131 The Gospel was preached in Georgia by the Apostles Andrew Simon the Canaanite and Matthias. Iberia was officially converted to Christianity in 326142 by Saint Nino of Cappadocia who is considered to be the Enlightener of Georgia and the Equal to Apostles by the Orthodox Church. The Georgian Orthodox Church once being under the See of Antioch gained an autocephalous status in the 4th century during the reign of King Vakhtang Gorgasali.142 Religious minorities of Georgia include Russian Orthodox (2%) Armenian Christians (3.9%) Muslims (9.9%) Roman Catholics (0.8%) as well as sizeable Jewish communities and various Protestant minorities.108 Despite the long history of religious harmony in Georgia143 there have been several instances of religious discrimination in the past decade such as acts of violence against Jehovah's Witnesses and threats against adherents of other "nontraditional faiths" by followers of the defrocked Orthodox priest Vasil Mkalavishvili.144 Sports Main article: Sport in Georgia Georgia vs. Ireland in the 2007 Rugby World Cup. Among the most popular sports in Georgia are football basketball rugby union wrestling and weightlifting. Historically Georgia has been famous for its physical education; it is known that the Romans were fascinated with Georgians' physical qualities after seeing the training techniques of ancient Iberia.145 Wrestling remains a historically important sport of Georgia and some historians think that the Greco-Roman style of wrestling incorporates many Georgian elements.146 Within Georgia one of the most popularized styles of wrestling is the Kakhetian style. There were a number of other styles in the past that are not as widely used today. For example the Khevsureti region of Georgia has three different styles of wrestling. Other popular sports in 19th century Georgia were polo and Lelo a traditional Georgian game later replaced by rugby union. See also Georgia (country) portal Main article: Outline of Georgia (country) Index of Georgia-related articles Georgian media Healthcare in Georgia Human rights in Georgia International rankings of Georgia List of countries by received FDI Orders decorations and medals of Georgia Public holidays in Georgia Telecommunications in Georgia Transport in Georgia v d e Georgia topics Symbols Flag   Saint George's Cross   Coat of arms   Saint George   Kartlis Deda People David IV of Georgia   Queen Tamar   Merab Kostava   Zviad Gamsakhurdia   Mikheil Saakashvili   Ilia Chavchavadze   Akaki Tsereteli History Prehistory   Battle of Didgori   Mongol invasions of Georgia   Georgia under the Russian Empire   Democratic Republic of Georgia   Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic   April 9 tragedy   Rose Revolution   2008 South Ossetia War Politics Constitution   President   GeorgianOssetian conflict   GeorgianAbkhazian conflict   OssetianIngush conflict   Human rights Geography Tbilisi   Glaciers of Georgia   Lesser Caucasus   Greater Caucasus   Voronya Cave   Climate   Black Sea Economy International rankings   Georgian lari   Agriculture   Telecommunications   Tourism (visa policy)   Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline Military Georgian Army   Georgian Air Force   Georgia Train and Equip Program   13th "Shavnabada" Light Infantry Battalion Culture Language   Cuisine   Wine   Bagrati Cathedral   Gelati Monastery   Sports   Public holidays Religion Georgian Orthodox Church   Saint Andrew Foreign relations MoFA   Embassies in Tbilisi   Georgian embassies abroad   Macedonia name dispute   Ukraine   Russia   United States   NATO   EU   Turkey   Iran Transportation Tbilisi International Airport   Batumi International Airport   Tbilisi Metro (stations) Portal   Outline Notes According to Article 1.3 of the Constitution of Georgia. According to Article 8 of the Constitution of Georgia. In Abkhazia also Abkhazian. a b CIA Factbook Georgia "Statistics Georgia". Geostat.ge. http://www.geostat.ge/actionpage&pid472&langgeo. Retrieved 2010-11-02.  a b c d "Georgia". International Monetary Fund. http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2011/01/weodata/weorept.aspxsy2008&ey2011&scsm1&ssd1&sortcountry&ds.&br1&c915&sNGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CLP&grp0&a&pr.x30&pr.y16. Retrieved 2011-04-26.  "Human Development Report 2010". United Nations. 2010. http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR2010ENTable1.pdf. Retrieved 5 November 2010.  Georgia may be considered to be in Asia and/or Europe. The UN classification of world regions places Georgia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook 1 National Geographic and Encyclopdia Britannica also place Georgia in Asia. Conversely numerous sources place Georgia in Europe such as the European Union 2 the Council of Europe 3 U.S. Department of State 4 5 British Foreign and Commonwealth Office 6 World Health Organization 7 BBC 8 Oxford Reference Online Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary 9 www.worldatlas.com USEUCOM 10 and The European Library 11. David M.Lang A Modern History of Georgia p. 109 Parsons Robert (2008-01-11) "Mikheil Saakashvilis bitter victory" openDemocracy.net. Retrieved on 2008-05-21. Constantine Porphyrogenitus: De Administrando Imperio ed. G. Moravcsik and R.J.H. Jenkins Dumbarton Oaks 1967 Braund David. : A History of Colchis and Transcaucasian Iberia 550 BC-AD 562 pp. 1718 History of Modern Georgia David Marshal Lang p 18 The Complete Works Jewish Antiquities Josephus Book 1 p 57 David Marshall Lang The Georgians (New York: Frederick A. Praeger Inc. 1966) 1718. "St. Nino And The Conversion Of Georgia". Georgianweb.com. http://www.georgianweb.com/religion/stnino.html. Retrieved 2009-05-05.  a b Phoenix: The Peoples of the Hills: Ancient Ararat and Caucasus by Charles Burney David Marshall Lang Phoenix Press; New Ed edition (December 31 2001) Lives and Legends of the Georgian Saints St Vladimirs Seminary Pr; N.e.of 2r.e. edition (March 1997) by David Marshall Lang a b c d e "Christianity and the Georgian Empire" (early history) Library of Congress March 1994 webpage:LCweb2-ge0015. Sketches of Georgian Church History by Theodore Edward Dowling History of Modern Georgia by David Marshal Lang p 29 The Georgian Feast by Darra Goldstein p 35 Georgian Literature and Culture by Howard Aronson and Dodona Kiziria p 119 Grousset Rene The Empire of the Steppes (Rutgers University Press 1991) 260 The Treaty of Georgievsk (Full Text Russian) Gvosdev (2000) p. 85 Avalov (1906) p. 186 Gvosdev (2000) p. 86 Lang (1957) p. 249 Lang (1957) p. 251 Lang (1957) p. 247 Lang (1957) p. 252 Knight Amy. Beria: Stalin's First Lieutenant Princeton University Press Princeton New Jersey p. 237 ISBN 978-0-691-01093-9. "Georgia blows up Soviet memorial two people killeddead link". The Washington Post. December 19 2009. Socialism in Georgian Colors: The European Road to Social Democracy 18831917 by Stephen F. Jones 12 "Gorbachev Sends Aide to Calm Soviet Georgia". Los Angeles Times. April 9 1989 13 Georgia/Abchasia: Violations of the laws of war and Russia's role in the conflict March 1995 Human Rights Watch/Helsinki 14 Russia. The Ingush-Ossetian conflict in the Prigorodnyi region May 1996. "EurasiaNet Eurasia Insight Georgias Rose Revolution: Momentum and Consolidation". Eurasianet.org. http://eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/eav112204a.shtml. Retrieved 2009-05-05.  Gorshkov Nikolai (September 19 2002). "Duma prepares for Georgia strike". BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/europe/2269057.stm. Retrieved 2009-07-24.  "Russia Georgia strike deal on bases". Civil Georgia Tbilisi. May 30 2005. http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.phpid10007.  "Russia Hands Over Batumi Military Base to Georgia". Civil Georgia Tbilisi. November 13 2007. http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.phpid16321. Retrieved 2009-07-24.  Russia's retention of Gudauta base An unfulfilled CFE treaty commitment Socor Vladirmir. The Jamestown Foundation. May 22 2006 15 Heavy fighting in South Ossetia (Georgian MLRS launched rockets on Tskhinvali video) BBC News August 8 2008 C. J. Chivers and Ellen Barry (6 November 2008). "Georgia Claims on Russia War Called Into Question". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/07/world/europe/07georgia.html. Retrieved 2008-11-12.  The West Begins to doubt Georgian leader Der Spiegel 15 September 2008 Stockholm International Peace Research Institute Yearbook 2009: Armaments Disarmament and International Security Oxford University Press 2009 ISBN 0-19-956606-2 9780199566068. a b "Ground zero in the Georgia-Russia war:South Ossetia city's residents are certain Russia is in the right. By Peter Finn". Washington Post. August 18 2008. http://articles.sfgate.com/2008-08-18/news/171231371georgian-forces-south-ossetian-tskhinvali.  "How To Screw Up A War Story: The New York Times At Work By Mark Ames". Exiledonline.com. http://exiledonline.com/how-to-screw-up-a-war-story-the-new-york-times-at-work/2/. Retrieved 2010-11-02.  16 Georgia Claims on Russia War Called Into Question NY Times Pronina Lyubov (2008-08-10). "Georgia Pulls Out of Ossetia as Second Front Opens (Update1)". Bloomberg. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/newspid20601100&sida6z1.HFQFr4E. Retrieved 2010-11-02.  "Russian military pushes into Georgia". CNN. 2008-08-11. Archived from the original on 2008-08-22. http://web.archive.org/web/20080822004410/http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/08/11/georgia.russia/index.html. Retrieved 2008-10-06.  Harding Luke (2008-08-13). "Georgian villages burned and looted as Russian tanks advance". London: Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/13/georgia.russia6. Retrieved 2008-01-09.  Harding Luke (2008-08-13). "Russia's cruel intention". London: Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/sep/01/russia.georgia. Retrieved 2008-10-07.  LESSONS AND LOSSES OF GEORGIA'S FIVE-DAY WAR WITH RUSSIA "Russian President Orders Halt To Military Operations In Georgia". GlobalSecurity.org. 2008-08-12. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2008/08/mil-080812-rferl01.htm. Retrieved 2008-10-06.  "Russia hands over control of Georgian buffer zones to EU". RIA Novosti. 9 October 2008. http://en.rian.ru/world/20081009/117637460.html. Retrieved 2008-10-10.  00:52. "RIA Novosti  Russia  Russia fully staffs bases in Abkhazia S.Ossetia". En.rian.ru. http://en.rian.ru/russia/20081119/118400373.html. Retrieved 2009-05-10.  Russia recognised the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia from Georgia Azerbaijan Business Centre 2008-08-26. Retrieved 2008-08-26. Resolution of the Parliament of Georgia declaring Abkhazia and South Ossetia occupied territories 28 August 2008. Abkhazia S.Ossetia Formally Declared Occupied Territory. Civil Georgia. 2008-08-28 "Russia sends forces into Georgian rebel conflict". Reuters. August 8 2008. http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL768040420080808. Retrieved 2009-07-24.  Parfitt Tom (2008-08-13). "Russia exaggerating South Ossetian death toll to provoke revenge against Georgians says human rights group World news guardian.co.uk". London: Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/13/georgia. Retrieved 2009-05-05.  Conclusion of the Investigating Committee of the Russian Prosecutor's Office 3 July 2009 http://www.webcitation.org/5fm4fGQ5j http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/russia-admits-fewer-civilians-killed/story-e6frg6to-1111117264050 http://www.mod.gov.ge/2008/list/sia-E.html 'Caucasus (region and mountains Eurasia)'. Encyclopdia Britannica 2010: "Occupying roughly 170000 sq mi (440000 sq km) it is divided among Russia Georgia Azerbaijan and Armenia and forms part of the traditional dividing line between Europe and Asia. It is bisected by the Caucasus Mountains; the area north of the Greater Caucasus range is called Ciscaucasia and the region to the south Transcaucasia. Inhabited from ancient times it was under nominal Persian and Turkish suzerainty until conquered by Russia in the 18th19th centuries." ""CESWW" Definition of Central Eurasia". Cesww.fas.harvard.edu. http://cesww.fas.harvard.edu/cesdefinition.html. Retrieved 2010-08-06.  a b c d e http://www.cac-biodiversity.org/geo/geogeography.htm January 7th 2009 (2009-01-07). "Endemic Species of the Caucasus". Endemic-species-caucasus.info. http://www.endemic-species-caucasus.info/. Retrieved 2009-05-05.  a b "Caucasian Spiders " CHECKLISTS & MAPS". Caucasus-spiders.info. http://caucasus-spiders.info/introduction/checklists/. Retrieved 2009-05-05.  http://www.government.gov.ge/index.phplangidENG&secid221 "Regions and territories: Abkhazia". BBC News. 2011-02-08. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3261059.stm.  a b "Regions and territories: South Ossetia". BBC News. 2011-02-08. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/countryprofiles/3797729.stm.  http://www.statoids.com/yge.html http://www.osce.org/home/73289 The New York Times "Russian Passportization" 17 Resolution of the Parliament of Georgia declaring Abkhazia and South Ossetia occupied territories August 28 2008. Abkhazia S.Ossetia Formally Declared Occupied Territory. Civil Georgia. 2008-08-28. "Regions and territories: Ajaria". BBC News. 2011-02-08. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/countryprofiles/3520322.stm.  a b Berry Lynn (2008-01-07). "Georgia Leader: Country on Right Track". Fox News. http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Jan07/04670GeorgiaPresidentialElection00.html. Retrieved 2008-10-17.  Zaza Jgharkava (October 18 2007). Will a Constitutional Monarchy Be Restored in Georgia. Georgia Today Issue #379. Giorgi Lomsadze (December 18 2007). Time for a King for Georgia. EurasiaNet Civil Society. "Western observers offer varied judgments on the conduct of the Georgian presidential election and its consequences". Armenian Reporter. 2008-08-01. http://yandunts.blogspot.com/2008/08/western-observers-offer-varied.html. Retrieved 2008-10-17.  "Freedom in the World 2008". Freedom House. http://www.freedomhouse.org/uploads/fiw08launch/FIW08Tables.pdf. Retrieved 2008-10-17.  Georgia's public defender Alternative report on the implementation by Georgia of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities in the region of Kvemo Kartli Tbilisi 2008 p. 58-59 http://www.news.az/articles/Georgia/37341 http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2011/05/26/georgia-police-used-excessive-force-peaceful-protests Tbilisi Mayor's Offers Protesters Alternative Venues for Rally http://civil.ge/eng/article.phpid23518 Audio Video Recordings Implicate Protest Leaders to 'Plotting Violence' http://civil.ge/eng/article.phpid23537 http://rt.com/news/saakashvili-dictatorship-opposition-people-missing/ http://rt.com/news/opposition-rally-crackdown-disappearances/ http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/09/georgia-protests-mikheil-saakashvili "Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Oriental Republic of Uruguay". Mfa.gov.ge. http://www.mfa.gov.ge/index.phpsecid371&langidENG. Retrieved 2009-05-05.  "Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Visa Information for Foreign Citizens". Mfa.gov.ge. 2009-04-30. http://www.mfa.gov.ge/index.phpsecid386&langidENG. Retrieved 2009-05-05.  (South Korea is on the list of the countries whose citizens do not need a visa to enter and stay on the territory of Georgia for 360 days) "Ministry of Foreignn Affairs of Georgia Relations between Georgia and the State of Israel". mfa.gov.ge. http://www.mfa.gov.ge/index.phpsecid309&langidENG. Retrieved 2010-03-28.  "Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka". Mfa.gov.ge. http://www.mfa.gov.ge/index.phpsecid379&langidENG. Retrieved 2009-05-05.  "U.S. Announces New Military Assistance Program for Georgia". Civil.Ge. 2001-07-01. http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.phpid8271. Retrieved 2009-05-05.  "Georgia's way to NATO". Mfa.gov.ge. 2010-05-27. http://www.mfa.gov.ge/index.phpsecid89&langidENG. Retrieved 2010-11-02.  "Europe Bush praises Georgian democracy". BBC News. 2005-05-10. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4531273.stm. Retrieved 2009-05-05.  Bush Heads to Europe for G 8 Summit The New York Times EU Georgia Sign ENP Action Plan Civil Georgia October 2 2006. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gg.html Saakashvili Mikheil. "Why Georgia sends troops to Afghanistan"The Telegraph Robson Seth.U.S. training a dual mission for Georgians U.S. Energy Informationa Administration "World Hydroelectricity Installed Capacity" 18 a b c d e f Georgia from CIA World Factbook The EBDR country factsheet 19dead link. World Bank Economy Rankings. IMF Mission Press Statement at the Conclusion of a Staff Visit to Georgia. June 1 2007. Central Bank Chief Reports on Inflation. Civil Georgia Tbilisi. 2007-05-10. Statement by IMF Staff Mission to Georgia Press Release No. 06/276. December 15 2006. "Sweet Georgia. The Financial Times". Search.ft.com. Archived from the original on 2008-03-09. http://web.archive.org/web/20080309012855/http://search.ft.com/ftArticlequeryTextSweet+Georgia&y0&ajetrue&x0&id070202001027. Retrieved 2010-11-02.  The Financial Times Flat taxes could be a flash in the pan IMF research saysdead link World Bank World Development Indicators 2008 CIA The World Factbook Georgia Frequently Asked Questions: I.Macroeconomic Environmentdead link investingeorgia.org UNTWO (June 2007). "UNTWO World Tourism Barometer Vol.5 No.2" (PDF). http://unwto.org/facts/eng/pdf/barometer/unwtobarom072en.pdf. Retrieved 2008-03-26.  Invest in Georgia: Tourismdead link The World Bank's Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Program progress report 20. World Development Indicators 2008 The World Bank. Data on composition of GDP is available at worldbank.org This figure includes the territories currently out of the Georgian government's control Abkhazia and South Ossetia whose total population as of 2005 is estimated by the State Department of Statistics of Georgia at 227200 (178000 in Abkhazia plus 49200 in South Ossetia). Statistical Yearbook of Georgia 2005: Population Table 2.1 p. 33 Department for Statistics Tbilisi (2005) "Ethnographic map of the Caucasus". Hunmagyar.org. http://www.hunmagyar.org/turan/caucasus/index.html. Retrieved 2010-11-02.  Human Rights Watch/Helsinki Russia: The Ingush-Ossetian Conflict in the Prigorodnyi Region May 1996. Statistical Yearbook of Georgia 2005: Population Table 2.1 p. 33 Department for Statistics Tbilisi (2005) World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples Uzbekistan : Meskhetian Turks. Minority Rights Group International. Georgia: Ethnic Russians Say "Theres No Place Like Home". EurasiaNet.org. April 30 2009. a b Ethnic minorities in Georgia (PDF). Federation Internationale des Ligues des Droits de l'Homme. Georgians deported as row deepens. BBC News. October 6 2006. a b "Georgian Religion statistics". NationMaster. http://www.nationmaster.com/country/gg-georgia/rel-religion. Retrieved 2010-11-02.  Georgia purges education system. The BBC News. July 29 2005. Molly Corso (2005-05-13) Education reform rocks Georgia. Eurasianet. United Nations Development Programme. Retrieved on 2008-09-02. a b Education system in Georgiadead link. National Tempus Office Georgia. Retrieved on 2008-09-02. Education institutions. Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia. Retrieved on 2008-09-02. High education institutionsdead link. National Tempus Office Georgia. Retrieved on 2008-09-02. Georgia at a glance. World Bank. 2007-07-28. Georgia : in the mountains of poetry 3rd rev. ed. Nasmyth Peter Studies in medieval Georgian historiography: early texts and European contexts Rapp Stephen a b Lang David Georgians The Early Church Henry Chadwick p. 34 a b Riassophore Adrian monk. "A brief history of Orthodox Christian Georgia." Orthodox Word 2006: p. 11. Spilling Michael. Georgia (Cultures of the world). 1997 "Memorandum to the U.S. Government on Religious Violence in the Republic of Georgia (Human Rights Watch August 2001)". Hrw.org. http://www.hrw.org/backgrounder/eca/georgia/georgiamemofull.htm. Retrieved 2009-05-05.  Romans erected the statue of the Iberian King Pharsman after he demonstrated Georgian training methods during his visit to Rome; Cassius Dio Roman History LXIX 15.3 Williams Douglas. Georgia in my Heart 1999. References Anchabadze George: History of Georgia: A Short Sketch Tbilisi 2005 ISBN 99928-71-59-8 Avalov Zurab: Prisoedinenie Gruzii k Rossii Montvid S.-Peterburg 1906 Gvosdev Nikolas K.: Imperial policies and perspectives towards Georgia: 17601819 Macmillan Basingstoke 2000 ISBN 0-312-22990-9 Lang David M.: The last years of the Georgian Monarchy: 16581832 Columbia University Press New York 1957 Rapp Stephen H. (2003) Studies In Medieval Georgian Historiography: Early Texts And Eurasian Contexts. Peeters Publishers ISBN 90-429-1318-5 Suny Ronald Grigor: The Making of the Georgian Nation (2nd Edition) Bloomington and Indianapolis 1994 ISBN 0-253-35579-6 Further reading Braund David (1994) Georgia in Antiquity: a History of Colchis and Transcaucasian Iberia 550 BC AD 562 Clarendon Press Oxford ISBN 0-19-814473-3 Brook Stephen Claws of the Crab: Georgia and Armenia in Crisis Burford Tim Bradt Guide: Georgia Goldstein Darra The Georgian Feast: the Vibrant Culture and Savory Food of the Republic of Georgia Karumidze Zurab & Wertshtor James V. Enough!: The Rose Revolution in the Republic of Georgia 2003 Kurtsikidze Shorena & Chikovani Vakhtang Ethnography and Folklore of the Georgia-Chechnya Border: Images Customs Myths & Folk Tales of the Peripheries Munich: Lincom Europa 2008 Lonely Planet World Guide: Georgia Armenia and Azerbaijan Nasmyth Peter Georgia: In the Mountains of Poetry Rosen Roger Georgia: A Sovereign Country in the Caucasus Russell Mary Please Don't Call It Soviet Georgia: a Journey Through a Troubled Paradise Shelley Louise; Scott Erik & Latta Anthony eds. Organized Crime and Corruption in Georgia Routledge Oxford. Steavenson Wendell Stories I Stole External links Find more about Georgia (country) on Wikipedia's sister projects: Definitions from Wiktionary Images and media from Commons Learning resources from Wikiversity News stories from Wikinews Quotations from Wikiquote Source texts from Wikisource Textbooks from Wikibooks Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Georgia Government President of Georgia Government of Georgia Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Department of Tourism and Resorts American Chamber of Commerce in Georgia Chief of State and Cabinet Members General information Georgia entry at The World Factbook Georgia at UCB Libraries GovPubs Georgia (country) at the Open Directory Project Wikimedia Atlas of Georgia Topographic Maps from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Association of Modern Scientific Investigation (AMSI) Publishing and National Bibliography in Georgia from the University of Illinois Slavic and East European Library News media Caucaz.com South Caucasus online magazine Civil Georgia daily news about Georgia Crisis profile Georgia Abkhazia S. Ossetia From Reuters Alertnet Georgian Daily all the latest news from Georgia and related to Georgia NewsGeorgia Google Translation in to English from the NewsGeorgia (Russian Language) site GeorgiaCaucasus.com GeorgiaCaucasus.com online info Magazine dedicated to Georgia and Caucasus Other Georgia (country) travel guide from Wikitravel  Articles Related to Georgia  Internal v d e Administrative divisions of Georgia Autonomous Republics Abkhazia  Adjara Regions Guria  Imereti  Kakheti  Kvemo Kartli  Mtskheta-Mtianeti  Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti  Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti  Samtskhe-Javakheti  Shida Kartli City with special status Tbilisi (capital) v d eHistorical regions of Georgia Abkhazia  Adjara  Ertso-Tianeti  Guria  Hereti  Imereti  Javakheti  Kartli  Kakheti  Khevi  Khevsureti  Lechkhumi  Mtiuleti  Meskheti  Pshavi  Racha  Samachablo  Samegrelo  Svaneti  Tao-Klarjeti  Tori  Trialeti  Tusheti   Geographic locale v d eSovereign states and dependent territories of Europe Sovereign states Albania  Andorra  Armenia  Austria  Azerbaijan  Belarus  Belgium  Bosnia and Herzegovina  Bulgaria  Croatia  Cyprus  Czech Republic  Denmark  Estonia  Finland  France  Georgia  Germany  Greece   Hungary  Iceland  Ireland  Italy  Kazakhstan  Latvia  Liechtenstein  Lithuania  Luxembourg  Macedonia  Malta  Moldova  Monaco  Montenegro  Netherlands  Norway  Poland  Portugal  Romania  Russia  San Marino  Serbia  Slovakia  Slovenia  Spain  Sweden  Switzerland  Turkey  Ukraine  United Kingdom  Vatican City States with limited recognition Abkhazia  Kosovo  Nagorno-Karabakh  Northern Cyprus  South Ossetia  Transnistria Dependencies and other territories Denmark Faroe Islands Finland land Islands Norway Svalbard United Kingdom Akrotiri and Dhekelia  Gibraltar  Guernsey  Isle of Man  Jersey v d eCountries bordering the Black Sea  Abkhazia1   Bulgaria   Georgia   Romania   Russia   Turkey   Ukraine 1 Disputed statehood - partial international recognition but considered by most countries to be Georgian territory.  International membership and relationships v d eCouncil of Europe Institutions Secretary General  Committee of Ministers  Parliamentary Assembly  Congress  Court of Human Rights  Commissioner for Human Rights  Commission for the Efficiency of Justice  Commission against Racism and Intolerance Members Full Albania  Andorra  Armenia  Austria  Azerbaijan  Belgium  Bosnia and Herzegovina  Bulgaria  Croatia  Cyprus  Czech Republic  Denmark  Estonia  Finland  France  Georgia  Germany  Greece  Hungary  Iceland  Ireland  Italy  Latvia  Liechtenstein  Lithuania  Luxembourg  Macedonia1  Malta  Moldova  Monaco  Montenegro  Netherlands  Norway  Poland  Portugal  Romania  Russia  San Marino  Serbia  Slovakia  Slovenia  Spain  Sweden  Switzerland  Turkey  Ukraine  United Kingdom Observer Canada  Israel  Japan  Mexico  United States  Vatican City Former Czechoslovakia (19911992)  Saar (assoc. 19501956) 1 Provisionally referred to by the Council of Europe as "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia"; see Macedonia naming dispute. v d eMember states and observers of the Francophonie Members Albania  Andorra  Armenia  Belgium (French Community)  Benin  Bulgaria  Burkina Faso  Burundi  Cambodia  Cameroon  Canada (New Brunswick  Quebec)  Cape Verde  Central African Republic  Chad  Comoros  Cyprus1  Democratic Republic of the Congo  Republic of the Congo  Cte d'Ivoire  Djibouti  Dominica  Egypt  Equatorial Guinea  France (French Guiana  Guadeloupe  Martinique  St. Pierre and Miquelon)  Gabon  Ghana1  Greece  Guinea  Guinea-Bissau  Haiti  Laos  Luxembourg  Lebanon  Macedonia2  Madagascar  Mali  Mauritania  Mauritius  Moldova  Monaco  Morocco  Niger  Romania  Rwanda  St. Lucia  So Tom and Prncipe  Senegal  Seychelles  Switzerland  Togo  Tunisia  Vanuatu  Vietnam Observers Austria  Croatia  Czech Republic  Dominican Republic  Georgia  Hungary  Latvia  Lithuania  Mozambique  Poland  Serbia  Slovakia  Slovenia  Thailand  Ukraine 1 Associate member. 2 Provisionally referred to by the Francophonie as the "former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia"; see Macedonia naming dispute. v d eOrganization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC)      Albania  Armenia  Azerbaijan  Bulgaria  Georgia  Greece  Moldova  Romania  Russia  Serbia  Turkey  Ukraine v d e Black Sea Naval Co-operation Task Group (BLACKSEAFOR) Bulgaria  Georgia  Romania  Russia  Turkey  Ukraine v d eGUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development Current members  Azerbaijan     Georgia     Moldova     Ukraine Former member  Uzbekistan Observers  Latvia     Turkey v d eInternational ties of Georgia Geographical and geopolitical Europe Eurasia (Caucasus) Asia (Western Asia) International organisations BSEC CACO CDC CE CSTO (observer) EAPC EBRD ECE ESCAP FAO GUAM IAEA IBRD ICAO ICFTU ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF Interpol IOC IOM ISO ITU LF (observer) NACC OPCW OSCE PACE PFP UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU UNWTO WHO WIPO WMO WTO