საქართველოს გერბი Georgia Georgian : საქართველო romanized :sakartvelo , IPA: [sakʰartʰʷelo] ⓘ transcontinental country in Eastern Europe and West Asia . It is part of the Caucasus region, bounded by the Black Sea to the west, Russia to the north and northeast, Turkey to the southwest, Armenia to the south, and Azerbaijan to the southeast. Georgia covers an area of 69,700 square kilometres (26,900 sq mi). It has a population of 3.7 million, of which over a third live in the capital and largest city , Tbilisi . Georgians , who are indigenous to the region, constitute a majority and a titular nation in Georgia.
Georgia has been inhabited since prehistoric times, hosting the world's earliest known sites of winemaking , gold mining, and textiles. The classical era saw the emergence of several kingdoms, such as Colchis and Iberia , that formed the nucleus of the modern Georgian state. In the early fourth century, Georgians officially adopted Christianity , which contributed to their gradual unification and ethnogenesis . In the High Middle Ages , the Kingdom of Georgia reached its Golden Age during the reign of King David IV and Queen Tamar . The kingdom subsequently declined and disintegrated under the hegemony of various regional powers, including the Mongols , the Ottoman Empire , and Persia , before being gradually annexed into the Russian Empire starting in 1801.
After the Russian Revolution in 1917, Georgia briefly emerged as an independent republic under German protectorate , but was invaded and annexed by the Soviet Union in 1922, becoming one of its constituent republics . In the 1980s, an independence movement grew quickly, leading to Georgia's secession from the Soviet Union in April 1991. For much of the subsequent decade , the country endured economic crises, political instability , and secessionist wars in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Following the peaceful Rose Revolution in 2003, Georgia strongly pursued a pro-Western foreign policy, introducing a series of democratic and economic reforms aimed at integration into the European Union and NATO . The country's Western orientation soon led to worsening relations with Russia , which culminated in the Russo-Georgian War of 2008 and continued Russian occupation of parts of Georgia .
Georgia is a representative democracy governed as a unitary parliamentary republic . It is a developing country with a very high Human Development Index . Economic reforms since independence have led to higher levels of economic freedom , as well as reductions in corruption indicators , poverty , and unemployment . Georgia is only the second country in the world to legalize cannabis , and the only former socialist state to do so. The country is a member of international organizations, including the Council of Europe , Eurocontrol , BSEC , GUAM , Energy Community . As part of the Association Trio , Georgia is a candidate for EU membership . (Full article...
Leaders of Georgian independence movement in late 1980s, Zviad Gamsakhurdia (left) and Merab Kostava (right) (from History of Georgia (country))
Kingdom of Lazica. (from History of Georgia (country))
King David the Builder, one of Georgia's greatest kings. (from History of Georgia (country))
Frescoes from the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, an example of Georgian medieval art depicting ships and monsters at sea. (from Culture of Georgia (country))
Location of Georgia (including Abkhazia and South Ossetia) and the Russian part of North Caucasus. (from History of Georgia (country))
Ajapsandali (from Georgian cuisine)
Spinach pkhali (from Georgian cuisine)
George III as depicted on a medieval fresco from Vardzia (from History of Georgia (country))
The Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline project (from History of Georgia (country))
Red Army in Tbilisi (from History of Georgia (country))
Kharcho (from Georgian cuisine)
Niko Pirosmani on a Georgian lari banknote of the 2002 series. (from Niko Pirosmani)
A plate of khinkali (from Georgian cuisine)
Mother and Son by Niko Pirosmani (from Culture of Georgia (country))
A Tatar Fruiterer, 1910, Georgian National Museum (from Niko Pirosmani)
Prince Ilia Chavchavadze, leader of the Georgian national revival in the 1860s. (from History of Georgia (country))
Lobio (from Georgian cuisine)
Kingdom of Diauehi. (from History of Georgia (country))
Ceremonial crown of the Georgian high nobility (from History of Georgia (country))
Nino Ananiashvili (from Culture of Georgia (country))
Paolo Iashvili, a Georgian poet persecuted by the Soviet authorities (from Culture of Georgia (country))
Mikheil Saakashvili with George W. Bush. (from History of Georgia (country))
President Zourabichvili (from History of Georgia (country))
Muraba made from walnut (from Georgian cuisine)
King Erekle II (from History of Georgia (country))
Chashushuli with bread and salad (from Georgian cuisine)
Georgian SSR in 1957–1991, including Abkhazian Autonomous SSR, Adjara ASSR, and South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast. (from History of Georgia (country))
Dambalkhacho cheese. (from Georgian cuisine)
British troops marching in Batumi, Georgia in 1920. Following World War I, Britain replaced German troops in Georgia (from History of Georgia (country))
Monastery of Iviron, one of several monastic centers founded abroad by Georgians of the Early Middle Ages. (from History of Georgia (country))
King Solomon I (from History of Georgia (country))
19th century Georgian noble family: General Solomon Makashvili and family around 1900 (from History of Georgia (country))
The construction of Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was initiated in the 1020s by George I. (from History of Georgia (country))
Bedia Cup of King Bagrat III of Georgia, 999 AD (from History of Georgia (country))
Eduard Shevardnadze, second President of Georgia (1995–2003) (from History of Georgia (country))
Churchkhela (from Georgian cuisine)
Coronation of Demetrius I, a fresco from Matskhvarishi, 1140 (from History of Georgia (country))
Prince Akaki Tsereteli, prominent Georgian poet and national liberation movement figure. (from History of Georgia (country))
A page from a 12th-century Gelati Gospel, an example of Georgian illuminated manuscripts from the Middle Ages (from Culture of Georgia (country))
Members of the National Council of Georgia, after declaring independence of Georgia, Tbilisi May 26, 1918 (from History of Georgia (country))
Details from Pirosmani's paintings Threshing and Fisherman in a Red Shirt on the 5 lari banknote of the 2017 series. (from Niko Pirosmani)
Adjarian khachapuri. (from Georgian cuisine)
Wall Painting in Georgia's ancient monastery, Shio-Mghvime (from Culture of Georgia (country))
A medieval illustration of the Georgian king George IV Lasha waging war against the Mongols in 1220. King George is shown in blue garment on a white horse holding a whip. A depiction from La Flor des estoires de la terre d'Orient by Hayton of Corycus. (from History of Georgia (country))
Princess Ekaterine resisted Turkish encroachment in Western Georgia. (from History of Georgia (country))
Queen Tamar and her father King George III, fresco from Vardzia. (from History of Georgia (country))
Photos of the April 9, 1989 Massacre victims (mostly young women) on billboard in Tbilisi (from History of Georgia (country))
2nd century BC bronze torso from Western Georgia, displayed at the Georgian National Museum (from Culture of Georgia (country))
Patera depicting Marcus Aurelius uncovered in central Georgia, 2nd century AD (from History of Georgia (country))
King Mirian III established Christianity in Georgia as the official state religion in 324. (from History of Georgia (country))
Chakapuli (from Georgian cuisine)
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