- Flag of the Republic of Georgia
The Republic of Georgia is a small country in the Caucasus Mountains of Asia. For much of the 20th century Georgia was part of the Soviet Union. It gained independence in 1991. The republic's official name is Sakartvelo, which is in the Georgian language. The capital is Tbilisi. GeographyGeorgia covers an area of 26,911 square miles (69,700 square kilometers). It borders Russia to the north, Turkey and Armenia to the south, and Azerbaijan to the east and southeast. The Black Sea lies to the west. - The Aragvi River flows through the central sector of the greater Caucasus north of Tbilisi, Georgia.
The Caucasus Mountains are the most prominent geographical feature of Georgia. The range known as the Greater Caucasus runs along the border with Russia in the north. In this range is Mount Shkhara, the country's highest peak at 16,627 feet (5,068 meters). The southern part of Georgia is marked by the slightly lower ranges of the Lesser Caucasus Mountains. Near the shore of the Black Sea in the west are the Kolkhida lowlands. Originally a vast swamp, this is now the main agricultural region in Georgia. The Inguri and Rioni rivers flow through the lowlands to the sea. For a small country, Georgia has a varied climate. Winds off the Black Sea give the western lowlands a mild, humid climate. Rainfall is plentiful in this region. Parts of eastern Georgia are quite dry, however. The highest peaks of the Caucasus are covered with snow throughout the year. Plants and animalsMore than a third of the land in Georgia is covered with forest. Oak, beech, alder, and fir are among the common trees. Citrus trees grow throughout the country. The mountains are home to goats and Caucasian antelope. Wild boars, deer, brown bears, lynx, wolves, and foxes live in the forests. Vultures, hawks, and eagles soar overhead. The rivers and the Black Sea are rich in fish. People and cultureThe Georgian people may have always lived in the area of the Caucasus that is now Georgia. Ethnic Georgians make up about 70 percent of the country's population. Their language, also called Georgian, has an alphabet all its own. Armenians, Russians, and Azerbaijanis are the largest minority groups. Because the former Soviet leaders of Georgia discouraged religious practice, many of the people are not religious. Most of the people who are religious belong to Christian churches, the largest being the Georgian Orthodox church. Muslims are the largest religious minority. During the Soviet period the Georgian population greatly increased, especially in urban areas. More than 60 percent of the population now lives in cities. The largest city is Tbilisi, the capital. It stands on the banks of the Kura River in a lush valley surrounded by mountains. Other major cities include nearby Rustavi, Kutaisi on the Rioni River, and Batumi on the Black Sea. EconomyLittle of the land in Georgia is suitable for farming. Nevertheless, about 30 percent of the country's labor force works in agriculture. Tea, citrus fruits, and wine made from local grapes are among the products Georgia sells to other countries. Corn (maize), potatoes, and wheat are among the crops grown mostly for use within Georgia. Cattle and sheep are the main livestock. Industry became increasingly important in Georgia during the Soviet era. The country's factories manufacture railway locomotives, motor vehicles, iron and steel, textiles, and other products. Food processing is another important industry. Georgia was long one of the world's leading producers of the mineral manganese, but production dropped significantly in the late 20th century. The country also produces cement, copper, iron ore, and some oil and coal. Because of its pleasant climate, the Black Sea coast has many tourist resorts. In the 1990s, however, the country's uncertain political situation scared away many vacationers. HistoryHumans have lived in Georgia since prehistoric times. The ancient Greeks and Romans knew the land as a source of valuable metals. By 65 BC the region was part of the Roman Empire. Georgia was converted to Christianity in AD 337, and thereafter it was closely tied to the Christian Byzantine Empire. For the next three centuries Georgia was involved in conflicts between the Byzantine and Persian empires. Arabs took control of Tbilisi in 654. Georgia was unified into one state by King Bagrat III, who reigned from 975 to 1014. The kingdom soon entered a golden age, reaching the height of its power in the late 11th and early 12th centuries. This period ended in 1220 when Mongols invaded from the east. The next foreign powers to dominate Georgia were the Ottoman Turks and the Persians. These groups invaded repeatedly from the 16th to the 18th century. Georgia turned to Russia for protection, signing a treaty in 1783. Russia agreed in the treaty to respect Georgia's independence. In the early 19th century, however, Russia gradually took control of Georgia. Soviet controlThe Russian Empire fell in the Russian Revolution of 1917. A year later Georgia declared itself independent. In 1921, however, the armies of Russia's new Soviet regime invaded and introduced Communist rule. Georgia joined the Soviet Union as part of the Transcaucasian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic. This body was dissolved in 1936, and Georgia became a separate Soviet republic. The Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin was himself a Georgian, but this did not protect the republic from harsh Soviet rule. The government forcibly transformed Georgia from an agricultural country into a largely industrial one. In the 1980s, however, Soviet rule loosened under leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Georgians took advantage of the changes to demand more freedom for their republic. IndependenceAs the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Georgia declared its independence. A year later the first government of the new country was overthrown. A former Soviet official named Eduard Shevardnadze then came to power. A new constitution adopted in 1995 made Georgia a republic headed by a president. Shevardnadze was elected to the office. After surviving two assassination attempts, he was reelected in 2000. Shevardnadze was often criticized for the strictness of his rule. Once a minority within the Soviet Union, the Georgians themselves had to deal with minority groups after independence. Some people living in the regions called South Ossetia and Abkhazia did not want to be part of Georgia. Rebellions broke out in both areas. Negotiations between the Georgian government and the two regions made some progress in the late 1990s. Nevertheless, the conflicts remained unresolved in the early 21st century. Population (2001 estimate), 4,989,000. |