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Georgia (country)

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Georgia is a country located in the Caucasus region.

Locator map of Georgia
Locator map of Georgia

It sits at the intersection of Eastern Europe and West Asia. Different schemes define this border. One line follows the crest of the Greater Caucasus range. This puts the north in Europe and the south in Asia. Another view places the western Caucasus in Europe. This would mean the eastern part is in Asia.

Georgia (orthographic projection with inset)
Georgia (orthographic projection with inset)

Georgia is generally regarded as part of Europe today. It is bordered by Russia to the north and northeast. The Black Sea lies to the west. To the south are Turkey and Armenia. Azerbaijan sits to the southeast.

The geography of Georgia is very diverse.

Koppen-Geiger Map GEO present
Koppen-Geiger Map GEO present

Parts of western Georgia have a subtropical climate. These areas see frequent rain and have plenty of moisture.

Waterfall in Mtirala National Park
Waterfall in Mtirala National Park

The landscape also features very high mountains.

Kasbek from Tsminda Gergeti (10600419415)
Kasbek from Tsminda Gergeti (10600419415)

In the northwest, you can find mountain lakes.

სვანეთი,ქურულდის ტბები
სვანეთი,ქურულდის ტბები

Some of these are alpine lakes.

Chaukhi Mountain & Tina Lake, Juta Valley, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Georgia
Chaukhi Mountain & Tina Lake, Juta Valley, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Georgia

These features create many different environments across the nation.

Georgia has a very long history of human habitation.

Near Mestia, Svan towers (35252565354)
Near Mestia, Svan towers (35252565354)

The Dmanisi hominins lived there 1.8 million years ago. These are the oldest known hominin fossils in Eurasia. Agriculture began in the 6th millennium BC. The region is also famous for its ancient traditions. It hosts the world's earliest known sites of winemaking. People even used fibers for clothing over 34,000 years ago. The area also shows early signs of gold mining.

During the classical era, several kingdoms emerged.

King Mirian III
King Mirian III

Colchis was a kingdom in western Georgia. Greek mythology links it to the Golden Fleece. Iberia was a kingdom in the east. It was an early example of an organized state. In the early fourth century, King Mirian III adopted Christianity.

გელათის მონასტერი Gelati Monastery (48743471618)
გელათის მონასტერი Gelati Monastery (48743471618)

This helped unify the people under the Kingdom of Georgia. The country reached a Golden Age during the High Middle Ages. This era happened under King David IV and Queen Tamar.

Betania Monastery, George IV Lasha, Tamar and George III of Georgia (cropped)
Betania Monastery, George IV Lasha, Tamar and George III of Georgia (cropped)

Political shifts changed Georgia many times after its Golden Age. Hostile empires like the Mongols and Ottomans attacked the kingdom. By the 15th century, the kingdom began to decline. The Russian Empire annexed Georgia starting in 1801. After the 1917 Russian Revolution, Georgia was a brief independent republic. However, the Red Army invaded in 1921. Georgia then became a republic of the Soviet Union. An independence movement grew in the 1980s. This led to secession from the Soviet Union in April 1991.

Modern Georgia is a unitary parliamentary republic.

Georgia, Tbilisi - Rose Revolution (2003)
Georgia, Tbilisi - Rose Revolution (2003)

It has a population of 3.9 million people. Over one third of them live in the capital, Tbilisi. Georgians are the majority of the population. They speak the Georgian language. This is a Kartvelian language. It has no relation to any other language family. Georgia is a developing country with a high Human Development Index. It has an emerging market economy. Since 2003, economic reforms have created a very free business climate. The country also has fast GDP growth rates.

Georgia faces complex political challenges. Following the 2003 Rose Revolution, the nation pursued a pro-Western foreign policy. This meant trying to join the European Union and NATO. This orientation caused tension with Russia. This led to the Russo-Georgian War in 2008. Parts of the country remain under Russian occupation. Since October 2024, the country has been in a deep political crisis.

2024 Georgian Protests, May 2 a
2024 Georgian Protests, May 2 a

Despite these issues, Georgia remains an active member of many international groups. It is an official candidate for the European Union.

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🖼️ Images & Media (44)
Tavisupleba_instrumental.ogg
File:Georgia (orthographic projection with inset).svg
Georgia (orthographic projection with inset).svg
File:Locator map of Georgia.svg
Locator map of Georgia.svg
File:World map by Pietro Vesconte - Georgia.jpg
World map by Pietro Vesconte - Georgia.jpg
File:King Mirian III.jpg
King Mirian III.jpg
File:Near Mestia, Svan towers (35252565354).jpg
Near Mestia, Svan towers (35252565354).jpg
File:გელათის მონასტერი Gelati Monastery (48743471618).jpg
გელათის მონასტერი Gelati Monastery...
File:Betania Monastery, George IV Lasha, Tamar and George III of Georgia (cropped).jpg
Betania Monastery, George IV Lasha, Tamar...
File:King George II of Imereti Gelati fresco.jpg
King George II of Imereti Gelati fresco.jpg
File:Heraclius II of Eastern Georgia crop.png
Heraclius II of Eastern Georgia crop.png
File:Андроников Иван Малхазович (cropped).jpg
Андроников Иван Малхазович (cropped).jpg
File:British troops in Batumi, Georgia, 1920.jpg
British troops in Batumi, Georgia, 1920.jpg

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