Georgia

Region: Middle East

Official language: Georgian

Population: 4,900,961 (2024 est.)

Nationality: Georgian(s) (noun), Georgian (adjective)

Land area: 69,700 sq km (26,911 sq miles)

Capital: Tbilisi

National anthem: "Tavisupleba" (Liberty), by Davit Magradse/Zakaria Paliashvili (Adapted By Joseb Ketschakmadse)

National holiday: Independence Day, May 26 (1918); note—May 26, 1918, was the date of independence from the Russian Empire; April 9, 1991, was the date of independence from the Soviet Union

Population growth: 0.5% (2024 est.)

Time zone: UTC +4

Flag: The flag of Georgia is the same flag that was once used for the medieval Georgian kingdom. The flag is white, with a red cross that divides the flag into four equal rectangles. In each white rectangle is a "bolnur-katskhuri" cross or small cross.

Motto: "Dzala ertobashia" (Strength is in Unity)

Independence: April 9, 1991 (from the Soviet Union); notable earlier date: 1008 CE (Georgia unified under King Bagrat III)

Government type: republic

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Legal system: civil law system

Georgia is a Central Asian republic bordered by Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey, and the Black Sea. For much of the last two centuries, the country has been in continual political conflict with Russia that has at times resulted in violence.

Since becoming an independent country in 1991, Georgia has struggled to forge a post-communist identity and has been beset by internal economic and ethnic tensions. A popular movement ousted the president in 2003. In the wake of the so-called Rose Revolution, the new leadership aimed to stamp out corruption, bolster regional and international economic relations, and broker peace with separatists. Nonetheless, the country had a military conflict with Russia in 2008 over the breakaway Georgian republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia; tensions with Russia continued into the 2020s.

Note: unless otherwise indicated, statistical data in this article is sourced from the CIA World Factbook, as cited in the bibliography.

People and Culture

Population: According to data from the United Nations, Georgia's average population density was just over 57 people per square kilometer in 2020, with the majority of the population concentrated along the Black Sea coastline and in river basins. Georgia's population density declined steeply in the post-Soviet era as its population declines due to emigration. Georgia ranked 60 out of 193 countries on the 2022 United Nations Human Development Index. In 2023 average life expectancy at birth was 72.8 years (77.2 years for women and 68.7 years for men).

Roughly 60.7 percent of the population lived in urban centers in 2023. The capital, Tbilisi, in the Kura River valley, is the largest city, with a population of 1.08 million (2023). Other important, though considerably smaller, urban centers include Batumi, Kutaisi, and Rustavi.

Georgia has a diverse population, but ethnic Georgians comprise the majority at 86.8 percent of the total (2014 estimate). Azeris, who live near the border with Azerbaijan, made up about 6.3 percent of the population at that time, and Armenians, who generally live north of the Armenian border, made up about 4.5 percent.

Ossetians and Abkhaz are special cases in the context of the Georgian population. Both groups were incorporated into Georgia by Soviet leader Joseph Stalin in the early twentieth century, despite their ethnic and cultural differences. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, both the Ossetians and Abkhaz have sought independence from Georgia. In 2008, when Georgia attacked separatists in South Ossetia, Russian forces responded by ousting Georgian forces from the area as well as from Abkhazia, and also invaded Georgian territory that was not disputed. After the conflict Russia recognized both areas as independent states, and continued to support each ethnic group in their aim to establish themselves as separate from Georgia, despite Georgia's concerns over Russian annexation.

The Georgian language is a South Caucasian language and does not belong to any major language family. It is written in a unique script distantly related to Greek. Other languages spoken in the country include Azeri, Armenian, and Russian. Ossetians and Abkhazians both speak their own languages, which belong to Indo-Iranian and Northwest Caucasian language families respectively. Abkhaz is the official language of Abkhazia. Minority ethnic groups are more apt to speak Russian as a second language than Georgian. Though Russian dominated official communications during the Soviet era, attempts to proscribe Georgian failed.

Georgia is one of the earliest Christian nations, having converted in the fourth century, and has long had a reputation for religious tolerance. Most of the population identifies with the Georgian Orthodox Church, the official religion of Georgia. Minority religions include Islam, Armenian Apostolic, and Catholicism. Islam is the religion of both Azerbaijanis and Ajarians, an ethnic Georgian group which became Muslim in the seventeenth century. They are concentrated in southern Georgia near the Turkish border.

Indigenous People: Ethnic Georgian ancestry in the region extends back at least three millennia. Their stock was formed from a variety of Caucasian subgroups. The political manipulations of regional populations, followed by the dissolution of the Soviet Union, have led to acute ethnic conflict between Georgians and minority ethnic groups who seek independence.

The Meskhetian Turks, comprised of several groups of Sunni Muslims, have a slightly different problem. Their traditional homeland was in southwest Georgia, but in 1944, they were deported from the territory by Stalin and dispersed across Central Asia. Most have not been able to resettle in Georgia, despite various attempts to coordinate their return.

Education: The Georgian state provides a free and compulsory education from the first to the eleventh grades. The adult literacy rate was estimated at 99.6 percent in 2019. The government of Georgia began implementing significant reforms to the country's education system in 2004. Higher education is available to all students who pass the Unified National Examination.

Georgians have traditionally attained a high level of university or college education. Institutes of higher learning include the University of Georgia, State University of Tbilisi, the Georgian National Academy of Sciences, and the Georgian Technical University, all located in the capital; and the Abkhazian State University, located in the Abkhaz capital of Sokhumi.

Health Care: During much of the Soviet era, Georgia had a socialized health care system of high quality. Throughout the 1990s, quality declined drastically as the system struggled to cope with lack of funding, inadequate supplies, and an overwhelming number of refugees from war-torn regions. The health care system began to recover from these difficulties, though it has had to convert from socialized to privatized medicine. Health expenditures amounted to 7.6 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020.

Food: Georgia is renowned for a cuisine that incorporates a variety of meats, vegetables, and spices. Popular dishes include khachapuri, a pizza-like bread filled with salty cheese; kharcho, a spicy lamb soup; khinkali, a dumpling filled with lamb; satsivi, chicken or turkey in a walnut sauce; tolma, grape leaves stuffed with lamb and rice; and tekemali, a plum sauce used to flavor meat.

Georgia has one of the oldest wine-making traditions in the world and produces many prized types, both red and white and often sweet. Wine commonly accompanies meals, as do pungent mineral waters deriving from the many natural springs in the country.

Georgians partake of certain rituals during their feasts. The table is presided over by a tamada, a person chosen to make toasts and tell jokes and anecdotes; only when the tamada is finished can other guests add their own toasts and stories. Folk dances and music performances can also accompany these feasts.

Arts & Entertainment: Georgians have fiercely protected their ancient culture through centuries of invasion and domination. The national poet is Shota Rustaveli, who wrote the medieval epic The Knight in the Tiger's Skin. This work gave rise to a wealth of Georgian proverbs, and Tbilisi's main street is named for the author. Modern Georgian literature is not frequently translated into English, and its creativity suffered under the literary dictates of the Soviet Union during much of the twentieth century.

One of the most respected Soviet films, The Color of Pomegranates, (1968) was made by a Georgian director of Armenian descent, Sergei Paradjanov. Another of his famous films, The Legend of Suram Fortress (1984), is based on a Georgian folk legend. Another important director is Tengiz Abuladze, whose film Repentance (1987) allegorically broached the state violence instigated by Stalin in the 1930s.

Perhaps the most practiced artistic form in Georgia is music, which in its folk varieties is known for vocal polyphony with three or four voices and complex harmonies. The Rustavi Choir is renowned for its renditions of traditional songs, while the Georgian State Dance Company has performed to acclaim around the world.

The founding of cities and towns is celebrated throughout Georgia. Tbilisi, founded in fifth century, has the largest festival. It is held at the end of October.

Holidays: In addition to the holidays associated with the Orthodox tradition, Georgians celebrate St. George's Day (November 23) in recognition of the country's patron saint. Secular holidays include Independence Day (May 26), marking the 1918 declaration of independence from the Russian Empire, and Constitution Day (August 24), marking the approval of the new 1995 constitution.

Environment and Geography

Topography: Georgia is located in the Caucasus region, a large isthmus connecting Asia and Europe. The Georgian terrain is highly varied, though 85 percent of it is classified as mountainous. The exceptions are the Kartaliniya Plain in the east and the Kolkhida Lowland along the Black Sea coast, which forms Georgia's western border.

Most of the country's northern border with Russia is dominated by the Greater Caucasus Mountains. These mountains are characterized by deep gorges, sharp escarpments, and meadows. From this range the country's highest peaks rise, including Gora Shkhara (5,193 meters/17,038 feet), Jangi-tau (5,058 meters/16,594 feet), and Kazbegi (5,047 meters/16,558 feet). The Lesser Caucasus Mountains, which border Azerbaijan and Armenia in the south, are much lower. The Surami is a mountain range running northeast-southwest and joining the Greater and Lesser Caucasus.

As many as 25,000 rivers flow through Georgia. The longest, the Ktkyara, extends 351 kilometers (218 miles) across Georgia and empties into the Caspian Sea. The Rioni (333 kilometers; 206 miles) flows from the Greater Caucasus and empties into the Black Sea. The country's few lakes are generally small, and are located at high elevations.

Natural Resources: Manganese, iron ore, and copper are Georgia's primary minerals, but there are also deposits of coal and oil. The lowlands and river basins have been heavily cultivated for agricultural production and therefore do not have tree growth. Dense mountain forests provide wood for both timber and pulp.

Although Georgia imports almost all of the natural gas and petroleum products it needs, most of its energy needs are met by its own large hydropower capacity, which comes in part from renovated hydropower plants. Georgia imports more and more natural gas from Azerbaijan rather than Russia. The nation has also constructed several major pipelines in order to take advantage of its strategic location between Asia and Europe and become a transit point for gas, oil, and other products.

The Soviet Union, with its emphasis on maximizing production with little concern for the effects, left a legacy of environmental problems. Since independence, Georgia has often lacked the funding and technology to properly counteract them. The problems are acute in and around the industrial center of Rustavi, and many cities have polluted air. Soil also suffers from an overuse of fertilizers and pesticides as well as erosion. Moreover, the Black Sea has been severely polluted by untreated wastewater.

Plants & Animals: The largest variety of plants and animals is found in the alpine regions of Georgia, since the lowlands are heavily cultivated and the eastern plain is hot and dry. The country has thousands of species of plants.

Forests, which cover around 37 percent of the country, and meadows are concentrated in the mountain regions. Among the common trees are oak, pine, box-wood, and manna. Few trees grow on the plain, which supports grasses and shrubs.

Animal life follows a similar distribution pattern. Foxes, deer, wolves, boar, martens, and pheasants are among the animals found in the forests. Georgia has hundreds of different animal and bird species, many of them endemic to the Caucasus region.

Climate: Georgia's climate is as varied as its terrain. Along the Black Sea, a sub-tropical climate prevails. The region has high humidity and precipitation, with annual rainfall averaging between one and two meters (between 39 and 78 inches). Average temperatures for this region are about 5° Celsius (41° Fahrenheit) in January and 22° Celsius (72° Fahrenheit) in July. In contrast, average temperatures for Tbilisi, in the southeast, are approximately 1° Celsius (34° Fahrenheit) in January and 25° Celsius (77° Fahrenheit) in July.

The Greater Caucasus Mountains protect against colder weather coming from the north, except at higher elevations, where snow and ice last year-round above 3,600 meters (11,811 feet). Otherwise the summers are cool, and the winters cold and rainy in typical lower Alpine patterns. The central Surami range prevents the influence of the Black Sea climate from reaching Georgia's eastern plain, where the summers are hot, the winters cold, and precipitation low.

Rockslides, mudslides, and avalanches occur frequently in the mountains, and the region is also prone to earthquakes.

Economy

Industry: The transition from a command economy, combined with civil unrest, shattered the Georgian economy in the early 1990s. At that time, unemployment stood at over 54 percent and inflation was rampant. Meanwhile, a local underground economy flourished. The situation has greatly improved since then, as a result of new leadership, austerity measures, International Monetary Fund (IMF) loans, and foreign investment. In 2023 the gross domestic product (GDP, purchasing power parity), was estimated at US$83.656 billion. The per-capita GDP that year was $22,200—compared to $4,800 in 2010.

The service sector makes up approximately two-thirds of the Georgian economy, but industrial production remains viable, at 23.7 percent of GDP in 2017. Production of steel, machine tools, and electrical appliances are important industries, along with mining, chemicals, wood products, and wine.

Agriculture: Georgia is blessed with rich soil and a wide range of micro-climates; while agriculture makes up less than ten percent of GDP, it employs a significant portion of the labor force.

Major cash crops include tea and citrus fruits, both cultivated in the warm lowlands, as well as grapes, hazelnuts, and vegetables. Sheep, cattle, and pigs are the most commonly kept livestock.

Tourism: Georgia was once a favored vacation spot among Soviet citizens. The civil unrest, crime, and movement of refugees marking the post-independence period scared away all but the most stalwart tourists and damaged much of the country's infrastructure. Since the security situation has stabilized somewhat, Georgia is attempting to improve its image abroad and realize its potential as a tourism hotspot; this helped the country become more of a draw for international tourism by the 2010s and 2020s.

Attractions include Tbilisi, which boasts a long history, unique Georgian architecture, and museums showcasing the country's rich culture, such as the Georgian National Museum's Museum of Georgia, National Gallery, and Museum of Fine Arts. A fourth century fortress overlooks the city, and the city's sulfur baths are promoted as a cure for many illnesses. The oldest and most important churches include the Sioni Cathedral and the Anchiskhati Basilica of St. Mary.

Outside the capital, the mountains, vineyards, and the cave city of Vardzia attract visitors. The so-called Georgian Military Highway, which leads north into Russia, is a popular route for those wanting to see the mountain scenery and visit remote conical-topped churches which typify the Georgian style.

Government

Georgia is a republic in which a president serves as chief of state and a prime minister serves as head of government. The 1995 constitution was amended in 2017 so that after the 2018 election the president would be elected by a 300-member College of Electors rather than by popular vote. The Council of Ministers, overseen by the Minister of State, is appointed by the president, as are three of the nine Constitutional Court justices and the prefects who oversee local administrations.

The legislature is a unicameral body with 150 members who are elected to serve four-year terms. The seats are filled by two methods: proportional representation, based on votes received by each political party nation-wide, and by simple majority vote within single seat constituencies.

The judicial branch is comprised of a Supreme Court and a Constitutional Court. Justices serve ten-year terms. Three of the nine Constitutional Court justices and all of the Supreme Court justices are appointed by the legislature.

Georgia is divided into nine administrative regions, one city, two autonomous republics, and one breakaway region (South Ossetia). South Ossetia and the autonomous republic of Abkhazia, in their drive to secede, each have local governments which the central government does not recognize. The government of the other autonomous republic, Ajaria, works closely with the central government.

Political parties in Georgia cross the political spectrum. Foremost among them are the Georgian Dream coalition and the United National Movement.

In terms of international relations, Georgia maintains tense relations with Russia; the two countries have not had diplomatic relations since the war in 2008. In the 2010s and early 2020s, particularly in the wake of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Georgia continued to explore ways to build closer relations with western Europe and expressed interest in joining both the European Union (EU) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Mikheil Kavelashvili, a former Manchester City footballer, was appointed president by Georgia's disputed parliament in December 2024.

Interesting Facts

• To Georgians, the name of their country is Sakartvelo.
• Josef Dzhugashvili, later to be known as Joseph Stalin, was born in Gori, Georgia, in 1879.
• Modern historians consider Georgia to be the place where Jason and the Argonauts sought the mythical Golden Fleece, a major story in Greek mythology.
• Legend has it that Prometheus, the mythological figure who stole fire from the gods and gave it to humans, was chained to the top of Mount Kazbegi as a punishment. This mountain is the third highest in Georgia.
• Georgia is one of the non-European countries that participates in the Eurovision Song Contest (along with Azerbaijan, Armenia, Israel, and Australia).

Bibliography

"Georgia." The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 23 Dec. 2024, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/georgia/. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.

"Georgia Country Profile." BBC News, 2 Aug. 2023, www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17301647. Accessed 27 Oct. 2023.

Human Development Insights, United Nations Development Programme, 13 Mar. 2024, hdr.undp.org/data-center/country-insights#/ranks. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.

Kingsley, Patrick. "Ukraine Reminds Georgia of Its Own War with Russia. That Creates a Dilemma." The New York Times, 19 Mar. 2022, www.nytimes.com/2022/03/19/world/europe/ukraine-georgia-war.html. Accessed 31 May 2022.

"South Ossetia Profile." BBC News, 31 Dec. 2024, www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-18269210. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.