The country covers an area of 69,700 square kilometres (26,900sqmi), and has a population of 3.7 million people. In general, the forests in eastern Georgia occur between 5002,000 metres (1,6406,562ft) above sea level, with the alpine zone extending from 2,0002,300 to 3,0003,500 metres (6,5627,546 to 9,84311,483ft). At present, the forest cover generally remains outside of the low-lying areas and is mainly located along the foothills and the mountains. On 9 April 1991, shortly before the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Supreme Council of Georgia declared independence after a referendum held on 31 March. The country encompasses an area of 69,700 square km. 1. [27] In fact, early metallurgy started in Georgia during the 6th millennium BC, associated with the Shulaveri-Shomu culture. On 13 April 2006, the discussion of the assessment report on implementation of the Individual Partnership Action Plan was held at NATO Headquarters, within 26+1 format. [226], The climate of Georgia is extremely diverse, considering the nation's small size. In August 2004, the Individual Partnership Action Plan of Georgia was submitted officially to NATO. [87], Following the Rose Revolution, a series of reforms were launched to strengthen the country's military and economic capabilities, as well as to reorient its foreign policy westwards. The civil war and military conflicts in South Ossetia and Abkhazia aggravated the crisis. In preparation for the 2012 parliamentary elections, Georgia implemented constitutional reforms to switch to a parliamentary democracy, moving executive powers from the President to the Prime Minister. [297] Of the Meskhetian Turks who were forcibly relocated in 1944, only a tiny fraction returned to Georgia as of 2008[update]. Most countries consider the regions to be Georgian territory under Russian occupation. [203], The government came under criticism for its alleged use of excessive force on 26 May 2011 when it dispersed protesters led by Nino Burjanadze, among others, with tear gas and rubber bullets after they refused to clear Rustaveli Avenue for an independence day parade despite the expiration of their demonstration permit and despite being offered to choose an alternative venue. "[172], George W. Bush became the first sitting US president to visit the country. [351], The most popular sports in Georgia are football, basketball, rugby union, wrestling, judo, and weightlifting. With the support of the UNFPA, the demographic data for the period 19942014 has been retro-projected. Economic reforms since independence have led to higher levels of economic freedom, as well as reductions in corruption indicators, poverty, and unemployment. 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 the Eastern Roman Empire. For example, in its 2017 report, Council of Europe observed that while most day-to-day corruption has been eliminated, there are some indications of a "clientelistic system" whereby the country's leadership may allocate resources in ways that generate the loyalty and support it needs to stay in power. [citation needed], Religious minorities of Georgia include Muslims (10.7 per cent), Armenian Christians (2.9 per cent) and Roman Catholics (0.5 per cent). [193], The new Patruli force was first introduced in the summer of 2005 to replace the traffic police, a force which was accused of widespread corruption. [208] Georgian opposition leader Nino Burjanadze said the accusations of planning a coup were baseless, and that the protesters' actions were legitimate. On the other hand, Georgia, the country in the Caucasus region between Europe and Asia, is a sovereign state. One of the most unusual traditions of dining is supra, or Georgian table, which is also a way of socializing with friends and family. [316][317] Education in Georgia is mandatory for all children aged 614. The party was led by Panteleimon Giorgadze. In response,[95] several South Ossetian militiamen were killed by snipers. 1955 - Warsaw Treaty Organisation, or Warsaw Pact, set up. Leon I then married Mirian's daughter, and a successor, Leon II exploited this dynastic union to acquire Lazica in the 770s. Thousands of people gathered outside the Central Election Commission to demand a new vote. The Action Plan was formally approved at the EUGeorgia Cooperation Council session on 14 November 2006, in Brussels. [129] In their Democracy Index 2021 report[update] the Economist Intelligence Unit classifies Georgia as a hybrid regime which is above the threshold for an authoritarian regime but below the threshold needed to be classified as a flawed democracy.[130]. [260][261][262][263], Tourism is an increasingly significant part of the Georgian economy. The . In contrast with western Georgia, nearly 85 per cent of the forests of the region are deciduous. The large cross is the cross of St George, the patron saint of Georgia. [93][94] A bomb explosion on 1 August 2008 targeted a car transporting Georgian peacekeepers. In 2005, the agreement on the appointment of Partnership for Peace (PfP) liaison officer between Georgia and NATO came into force, whereby a liaison officer for the South Caucasus was assigned to Georgia. [117] Russia recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as separate republics on 26 August. The coup was instigated by part of the National Guards and a paramilitary organization called "Mkhedrioni" ("horsemen"). [73] The Menshevik Social Democratic Party of Georgia won the parliamentary election and its leader, Noe Zhordania, became prime minister. [27] The earliest evidence of wine to date has been found in Georgia, where 8,000-year old wine jars were uncovered. In the early 9th century the Abkhazian Church broke away from Constantinople and recognized the authority of the Catholicate of Mtskheta; the Georgian language replaced Greek as the language of literacy and culture. In Greek mythology, Colchis was the location of the Golden Fleece sought by Jason and the Argonauts in Apollonius Rhodius' epic tale Argonautica. Top 10 Georgia country facts. The Five Cross Flag has a white background with a red cross in the middle. [335] These cultural, religious, and later political attributes are associated with a European and Western identity, based on a national perception of these attributes that contrasts with surrounding powers. The executive branch of power is made up of the Cabinet of Georgia. [226], The landscape within the nation's boundaries is quite varied. As result of the mixed proportional-majoritarian system, with a threshold of 5% for the proportional vote and redefined majoritarian districts, only four parties entered parliament, with the Georgian Dream party gaining a constitutional majority of 77% (+36 seats). The population of the nation is about 3.718 million people. History of Modern Georgia, David Marshal Lang, p 18. [168], In 2011, the North Atlantic Council designated Georgia as an "aspirant country". [79] Georgia was the first non-Baltic republic of the Soviet Union to officially declare independence. [31][32] The classical period saw the rise of a number of early Georgian states, the principal of which were Colchis in the west and Iberia in the east. [132] The transition was set to start with the October 2012 parliamentary elections and to be completed with the 2013 presidential elections. In politics, communist parties have absolute power over governance, and elections are single-party affairs. [12] [13] It is a developing country with a very high Human Development Index. [71], From 1803 to 1878, as a result of numerous Russian wars now against Ottoman Turkey, several of Georgia's previously lost territories such as Adjara were recovered, and also incorporated into the empire. Out of the deciduous species of trees, beech, oak, and hornbeam dominate. "[197] In 2012, the World Bank called Georgia a "unique success" of the world in fighting corruption, noting "Georgia's experience shows that the vicious cycle of endemic corruption can be broken and, with appropriate and decisive reforms, can be turned into a virtuous cycle. On 25 February 1921, the Red Army entered Tbilisi and established a government of workers' and peasants' soviets with Filipp Makharadze as acting head of state. [34], After the Roman Republic completed its brief conquest of what is now Georgia in 66 BC, the area became a primary objective of what would eventually turn out to be over 700 years of protracted Irano-Roman geo-political rivalry and warfare. [118] In response to Russia's recognition, the Georgian government severed diplomatic relations with Russia. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. There were a number of other styles in the past that are not as widely used today. Brief on Georgia. Georgia (excluding Abkhazia) was one of the six republics along with Armenia, Moldova and the Baltic States who boycotted participation in the March 1991 union-wide preservation referendum. The penetration of humid air masses from the Black Sea is often blocked by mountain ranges (Likhi and Meskheti) that separate the eastern and western parts of the nation. "[198], Although Georgia has been very successful in reducing blatant forms of corruption, other more subtle corrupt practices have been noted. The first mention of the name spelled as Georgia is in Italian on the mappa mundi of Pietro Vesconte dated AD 1320. Agency Newintro History Debrief Dailybrief Policies Tags countries Timeline Docs About Georgia 2. For example, the Khevsureti region of Georgia has three styles of wrestling. Alexander Mikaberidze wrote that these century-old explanations for the word Georgia/Georgians are rejected by the scholarly community, who point to the Persian word gur/gurn (, 'wolf'[17]) as the root of the word. In 1921, communist Russia launched a new military campaign against Georgia and conquered the country in fierce battles, annexing it to the Soviet Union. 1000 of all 4000 higher plants of Georgia are endemic to this country. [355], The first and only race circuit in the Caucasian region is located in Georgia. [18] The name Sakartvelo () consists of two parts. [189][190], In Georgia, law enforcement is conducted and provided for by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. Current Communist Countries: China, Cuba, Laos, North Korea, and Vietnam. [37] 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,[38][39] The acceptance led to the slow but sure decline of Zoroastrianism,[40] which until the 5th century AD, appeared to have become something like a second established religion in Iberia (eastern Georgia), and was widely practised there.[41]. The Georgian government fled to France where it operated until the early 1930s. Its economy is growing at 5 percent per year, and the country ranks ahead of the United States in economic . The political struggle for control over the public broadcaster have left it without a direction in 2014 too. [319], Most of these institutions offer three levels of study: a bachelor's programme (three to four years); a master's programme (two years), and a doctoral programme (three years). The southern portion of the country is bounded by the Lesser Caucasus Mountains. After obtaining independence for the state, the matter of church independence became the main problem. Other notable basketball players are two times Euroleague champion Giorgi Shermadini and Euroleague players Manuchar Markoishvili and Viktor Sanikidze. [21] Ancient Greeks (Strabo, Herodotus, Plutarch, Homer, etc.) Heraclius, who had risen to prominence through the Iranian ranks, was awarded the crown of Kakheti by Nader himself in 1744 for his loyal service to him. After his death, local rulers fought for their independence from central Georgian rule, until the total disintegration of the Kingdom in the 15th century. Georgia, Georgian Sakartvelo, country of Transcaucasia located at the eastern end of the Black Sea on the southern flanks of the main crest of the Greater Caucasus Mountains. Georgia was further weakened by several disastrous invasions by Tamerlane. There is also a certified specialist's programme that represents a single-level higher education programme lasting from three to six years. On 69 March 2006, the IPAP implementation interim assessment team arrived in Tbilisi. By the 1980s, an independence movement emerged and grew quickly, leading to Georgia's secession from the Soviet Union in April 1991. The construction of new highways has been prioritized and, as such, major cities like Tbilisi have seen the quality of their roads improve dramatically; despite this however, the quality of inter-city routes remains poor and to date only one motorway-standard road has been constructed the 1 (S1), the main eastwest highway through the country. This came under criticism from human rights activists[210] and led to protests. Of them, an estimated 350,000 were killed. CABI, 2008. Cuba is ruled by the Communist Party of Cuba, whose role is described in the Cuban constitution as the "leading force of society of the state." The Communist Party of Cuba adheres more strictly to the tradition of Marxism-Leninism and the Soviet model than the communist parties of other countries. From 1,5001,800 metres (4,9215,906ft), the forest becomes largely coniferous. [271] Infrastructural development has also been high on the agenda for the railways, with the key Tbilisi railway junction expected to undergo major reorganization in the near future. [46] This early Georgian renaissance, which preceded its Western European analogue, was characterized by impressive military victories, territorial expansion, and a cultural renaissance in architecture, literature, philosophy and the sciences. [282][d] Georgia was also once home to significant ethnic German communities, numbering 11,394 according to the 1926 census. [167] The majority of Georgians and politicians in Georgia support the push for NATO membership. [176] On 13 December 2016, EU and Georgia reached the agreement on visa liberalization for Georgian citizens. [112] The war displaced 192,000 people,[113] and while many were able to return to their homes after the war, a year later around 30,000 ethnic Georgians remained displaced. [245] As of 2021, it ranked 12th in the world for economic freedom. [11] Following World War I, Georgia was invaded and annexed by the Soviet Union in 1922, becoming one of its constituent republics. Announces New Military Assistance Program for Georgia", "Why was Georgia not granted EU candidate status? [120][121] Since the war, Georgia has maintained that Abkhazia and South Ossetia are occupied Georgian territories. [191][192] A new force was then subsequently built around new recruits. [237] It had a 2018 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 7.79/10, ranking it 31st globally out of 172 countries.[238]. It is unicameral and has 150 members, known as deputies, of whom 30 are elected by plurality to represent single-member districts, and 120 are chosen to represent parties by proportional representation. The Likhi Range divides the country into eastern and western halves. [139], In October 2016, the ruling party Georgian Dream won the parliamentary elections with 48.61 percent of the vote while the opposition United National Movement (UNM) gained 27.04 percent of the vote. [80] In August 1991, Romania became the first country to recognize Georgia. Russia received by far the most migrants from Georgia. [44][45] The most prosperous period of the Abkhazian kingdom was between 850 and 950. Saakashvili led the country from 2004 to 2013 but was later convicted in absentia on corruption charges and abuse of power, which he denied. [194] The police introduced a 0-2-2 (currently, 1-1-2) emergency dispatch service in 2004. The extinction of the Iberian royal dynasties, such as Guaramids and the Chosroids,[42] and also the Abbasid preoccupation with their own civil wars and conflict with the Byzantine Empire, led to the Bagrationi family's growth in prominence. Country straddling Western Asia and Eastern Europe in the Caucusus, "Republic of Georgia" redirects here. The Georgian railways represent an important transport artery for the Caucasus, as they make up the largest proportion of a route linking the Black and Caspian Seas. At its peak, its population was a little less than 4.5 million. Marxism-Leninism was the state ideology of the Soviet Union, the Comintern after Bolshevisation and the communist states within the Comecon, the Eastern Bloc, and the Warsaw Pact. [344] The Georgian folk song "Chakrulo" was one of 27 musical compositions included on the Voyager Golden Records that were sent into space on Voyager 2 on 20 August 1977. [266] According to the government, there are 103 resorts in different climatic zones in Georgia. Georgian wine making is a very old tradition and a key branch of the country's economy. [233] According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, there are 4,300 species of vascular plants in Georgia. Joseph Stalin, an ethnic Georgian born Iosif Vissarionovich Jugashvili ( ) in Gori, was prominent among the Bolsheviks. [306][c] 0.7 per cent of those recorded in the 2014 census declared themselves to be adherents of other religions, 1.2 per cent refused or did not state their religion and 0.5 per cent declared no religion at all. "[128] In their 2022 report[update] Freedom House lists Georgia as a partly free country, recognizing a trajectory of democratic improvement surrounding the 201213 transfer of power, yet observing a gradual backslide in later years.