[146] This led to a new political crisis that was (temporarily) resolved with an EU brokered agreement,[147] from which the Georgian Dream later withdrew. For the U.S. state, see. 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. [25][26], The territory of modern-day Georgia was inhabited by Homo erectus since the Paleolithic Era. According to the 2014 census, Ethnic Georgians form about 86.8 per cent of the population, while the remainder includes ethnic groups such as Abkhazians, Armenians, Assyrians, Azerbaijanis, Greeks, Jews, Kists, Ossetians, Russians, Ukrainians, Yezidis and others. The zone is made up mainly of beech, spruce, and fir forests. Georgia's government should take urgent steps to protect the life of imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili, including releasing him on health grounds, Human Rights Watch (HRW) and . "Dictionary of the Fungi". New duties performed by the police include border security and customs functions and contracted security provision; the latter function is performed by the dedicated 'security police'. The coup was instigated by part of the National Guards and a paramilitary organization called "Mkhedrioni" ("horsemen"). [80] In August 1991, Romania became the first country to recognize Georgia. [78] The Georgian uprising on Texel against the Germans was the last battle of the Second World War in Europe. The mission and functions of the GDF are based on the Constitution of Georgia, Georgia's Law on Defense and National Military Strategy, and international agreements to which Georgia is signatory. On 29 October 2004, the North Atlantic Council of NATO approved the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) of Georgia, and Georgia moved on to the second stage of Euro-Atlantic Integration. [citation needed] The military budget of Georgia for 2021 is 900 ($280) million. [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. In recent years, the Patrol Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia has undergone a radical transformation, with the police having now absorbed a great many duties previously performed by dedicated independent government agencies. [291] Initially the out-migration was driven by non-Georgian ethnicities but increasing numbers of Georgians emigrated as well,[292] due to the war, the crisis-ridden 1990s, and the subsequent bad economic outlook. "It's a communist regime. According to CPUSA records, by 1932 only a small number of party members were active in Atlanta, and the statewide apparatus was in disarray. GCP 0001-01-01. The Likhi Range divides the country into eastern and western halves. [222], Georgia is a mountainous country situated almost entirely in the South Caucasus, while some slivers of the country are situated north of the Caucasus Watershed in the North Caucasus. [195], Prior to the Rose Revolution, Georgia was among the most corrupt countries in the world. Georgia: in the mountains of poetry 3rd rev. [225] Historically, the western portion of Georgia was known as Colchis while the eastern plateau was called Iberia.[226]. It is bounded on the north and northeast by Russia, on the east and southeast by Azerbaijan, on the south by Armenia and Turkey, and on the west by the Black Sea. [339][340], Georgia is known for its folklore, traditional music, dances, theatre, cinema, and art. [311], Despite the long history of religious harmony in Georgia,[312] there have been instances of religious discrimination and violence against "nontraditional faiths", such as Jehovah's Witnesses, by followers of the defrocked Orthodox priest Basil Mkalavishvili. Situated at the strategically important crossroads where Europe meets Asia, Georgia has a unique and ancient cultural heritage, and is famed for its traditions of hospitality and cuisine. Boeder; et al. Georgia (the ex-Soviet Republic, not the U.S. state) is now a remarkable success story. referred to early western Georgians as Colchians and eastern Georgians as Iberians (Iberoi, in some Greek sources). COVID-19 Travel restrictions for Georgia As of June 15th 2022, Citizens of any foreign countries, traveling to Georgia via any route, are no longer obliged to present either Covid-vaccination certificate or PCR-examination negative result For more information, visit the Georgia official governmental site. But the recognition proved to be of little value, as the Red Army led by Joseph Stalin invaded Georgia in 1921 and formally annexed it into the Soviet Union in 1922.[73]. Against the expectations of the then ruling United National Movement (UNM) of president Mikheil Saakashvili, the 6-party opposition coalition around newly found Georgian Dream won the parliamentary elections in October 2012, bringing an end to nine years of UNM rule and marking the first peaceful, electoral, transfer of power in Georgia. Other deciduous species include several varieties of maple, aspen, ash, and hazelnut. At present, the forest cover generally remains outside of the low-lying areas and is mainly located along the foothills and the mountains. [citation needed] The media environment of Georgia remains the freest and most diverse in the South Caucasus,[342] despite the long-term politicization and polarisation affecting the sector. [354], Within Georgia, one of the most popularized styles of wrestling is the Kakhetian style. 1953 - Soviet Union explodes its first hydrogen bomb. [citation needed], Georgian ecclesiastic art is one of the most notable aspects of Georgian Christian architecture, which combines the classical dome style with the original basilica style, forming what is known as the Georgian cross-dome style. The Five Cross Flag has a white background with a red cross in the middle. 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. [337], The Georgian language, and the Classical Georgian literature of the poet Shota Rustaveli, were revived in the 19th century after a long period of turmoil, laying the foundations of the romantics and novelists of the modern era such as Grigol Orbeliani, Nikoloz Baratashvili, Ilia Chavchavadze, Akaki Tsereteli, and Vazha-Pshavela. [81], On 26 May, Zviad Gamsakhurdia was elected as the first President of independent Georgia. The party was led by Panteleimon Giorgadze. Other architectural features of Georgia include Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi and the Old Town District. Georgia (Georgian: , .mw-parser-output .noitalic{font-style:normal}romanized:Sakartvelo, IPA:[skrtvl] (listen)) is a transcontinental country at the intersection of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. As the largest faction, having secured 90 out of 150 seats, Georgian Dream formed the country's next government and continued to govern alone. [144], Meanwhile, Salome Zurabishvili won the 2018 presidential election in two rounds, becoming the first woman in Georgia to hold the office in full capacity after Parliament Speaker Nino Burjanadze held the office as female interim President twice, in 2003 and 2007. [295][c], In the early 1990s, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, violent separatist conflicts broke out in the autonomous region of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region. [citation needed] Three types of polyphony have developed in Georgia: a complex version in Svaneti, a dialogue over a bass background in the Kakheti region, and a three-part partially-improvised version in western Georgia. [110], During the conflict, there was a campaign of ethnic cleansing against Georgians in South Ossetia,[111] including destruction of Georgian settlements after the war had ended. [207][209], Since independence, Georgia maintained harsh policies against drugs, handing out lengthy sentences even for marijuana use. [305][c] Azerbaijani once served as a lingua franca for communication among various nationalities inhabiting Eastern Caucasus. For most of the subsequent decade, post-Soviet Georgia suffered from economic crisis, political instability, ethnic conflict, and secessionist wars in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. On 69 March 2006, the IPAP implementation interim assessment team arrived in Tbilisi. He also conducts the highly philosophical toasts, and makes sure that everyone is enjoying themselves. During the classical era, several independent kingdoms became established in what is now Georgia, such as Colchis and Iberia. [185][186] Over 11,000 Georgian soldiers have been rotated through Afghanistan. is georgia a communist country. [164] The European Union has identified Georgia as a prospective member,[165] and Georgia has sought membership. Its Cold War with the United States (1947-1991) filled most of the 20th century with tension that extended throughout the world. [137] However, the new constitution made the role of president largely ceremonial. [266] According to the government, there are 103 resorts in different climatic zones in Georgia. In Greek mythology, Colchis was the location of the Golden Fleece sought by Jason and the Argonauts in Apollonius Rhodius' epic tale Argonautica. [351] The shipment of counterfeit wine has been primarily channelled through Russian managed customs checkpoints in Russian occupied Georgian territories Abkhazia and South Ossetia, where no inspection and regulation occurs. [225] The main roads through the mountain range into Russian territory lead through the Roki Tunnel between Shida Kartli and North Ossetia and the Darial Gorge (in the Georgian region of Khevi). [235] 1,729 species of plants have been recorded from Georgia in association with fungi. [153] Georgia also maintains political, economic, and military relations with France,[154] Germany,[155] Israel,[156] Japan,[157] South Korea,[158] Sri Lanka,[159] Turkey,[160] Ukraine,[161] the United States,[162] and many other countries. [151], Georgia maintains good relations with its direct neighbours Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey, and is a member of the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the World Trade Organization, the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Community of Democratic Choice, the GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development[152] and the Asian Development Bank. Ca. [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). 1000 of all 4000 higher plants of Georgia are endemic to this country. "[213] With this ruling, Georgia became one of the first countries in the world to legalize cannabis, although using the drug in the presence of children is still illegal and punishable by fines or imprisonment. These in turn are subdivided into 67 districts and 5 self-governing cities. [85], In 2003, Shevardnadze (who won re-election in 2000) was deposed by the Rose Revolution, after Georgian opposition and international monitors asserted that 2 November parliamentary elections were marred by fraud. [12][13] It is a developing country with a very high Human Development Index. Georgia's decision to boost its presence in the coalition forces in Iraq was an important initiative. The USSR was also the largest communist country. Both peasants and workers found expression for their discontent through revolts and strikes, culminating in the Revolution of 1905. [211] In response to lawsuits from civil society organizations, in 2018 the Constitutional Court of Georgia ruled that "consumption of marijuana is an action protected by the right to free personality"[212] and that "[Marijuana] can only harm the user's health, making that user him/herself responsible for the outcome. Georgia. [239] Throughout Georgia's modern history agriculture and tourism have been principal economic sectors, because of the country's climate and topography. [93][94] A bomb explosion on 1 August 2008 targeted a car transporting Georgian peacekeepers. Many Ossetians living in Georgia left the country, mainly to Russia's North Ossetia. [281][c] The Georgian Jews are one of the oldest Jewish communities in the world. [67], In May 1801, under the oversight of General Carl Heinrich von Knorring, Imperial Russia transferred power in eastern Georgia to the government headed by General Ivan Petrovich Lazarev. The Georgian language, the most pervasive of the Kartvelian languages, is not Indo-European, Turkic, or Semitic. [345], Georgian cuisine and wine have evolved through the centuries, adapting traditions in each era. In the 1992 elections it won four MPs. [226] The wettest periods generally occur during spring and autumn, while winter and summer months tend to be the driest. 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. [204][205][206][207] While human rights activists maintained that the protests were peaceful, the government pointed out that many protesters were masked and armed with heavy sticks and molotov cocktails. Georgia is developing into an international transport corridor through Batumi and Poti ports, BakuTbilisiKars Railway line, an oil pipeline from Baku through Tbilisi to Ceyhan, the BakuTbilisiCeyhan pipeline (BTC) and a parallel gas pipeline, the South Caucasus Pipeline. Georgia is a representative democracy governed as a unitary parliamentary republic. The common pheasant (also known as the Colchian Pheasant) is an endemic bird of Georgia which has been widely introduced throughout the rest of the world as an important game bird. Economic reforms since independence have led to higher levels of economic freedom, as well as reductions in corruption indicators, poverty, and unemployment. 888 pp., Tbilisi, Academy of Science of the Georgian SSR, 1986, Kirk, P.M., Cannon, P.F., Minter, D.W. and Stalpers, J. The sons and grandsons of Ashot I established three separate branches, frequently struggling with each other and with neighbouring rulers. [306], Islam is represented by both Azerbaijani Shia Muslims (in the south-east) ethnic Georgian Sunni Muslims in Adjara, and Laz-speaking Sunni Muslims as well as Sunni Meskhetian Turks along the border with Turkey. The political struggle for control over the public broadcaster have left it without a direction in 2014 too. They are collectively known as the Georgian Defense Forces (GDF). [355], The first and only race circuit in the Caucasian region is located in Georgia. In addition, 435 were wounded, including 35 amputees. [215], Georgia contains two official autonomous regions, of which one has declared independence. Zurabishvili was backed by the ruling Georgian Dream party. Beginning in 2007, politicians here have been debating whether or not to change the governmental framework to a constitutional monarchy. Other examples of Georgian ecclesiastic architecture can be found outside Georgia: Bachkovo Monastery in Bulgaria (built in 1083 by the Georgian military commander Grigorii Bakuriani), Iviron monastery in Greece (built by Georgians in the 10th century), and the Monastery of the Cross in Jerusalem (built by Georgians in the 9th century). [214], Georgia is administratively divided into 9 regions, 1 capital region, and 2 autonomous republics. The country then became embroiled in a bitter civil war, which lasted until nearly 1994. Saakashvili led the country from 2004 to 2013 but was later convicted in absentia on corruption charges and abuse of power, which he denied. and Romans (Titus Livius, Tacitus, etc.) [181] STC Delta now produces a variety of military equipment, including armoured vehicles, artillery systems, aviation systems, personal protection equipment, and small arms. The 2014 census, carried out in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), found a population gap of approximately 700,000 compared to the 2014 data from the National Statistical Office of Georgia, Geostat, which was cumulatively built on the 2002 census. Ever since its turbulent founding in 1918, Georgia has been highly dependent on the German Empire, the primary nation guaranteeing Georgian independence. [338], Georgian architecture has been influenced by many civilizations. [281][c] The population declined by 40,000 in 2021, a reversal of the trend towards stabilisation of the last decade and, for the first time since independence, the population was recorded to be below 3.7 million. [315], The education system of Georgia has undergone sweeping, though controversial, modernisation since 2004. Temur Pipia (TP): Since 2011, a law under the title "Charter of Freedom" has been in force in Georgia. Cross-dome architecture developed in Georgia during the 9th century; before that, most Georgian churches were basilicas. Thereafter, the kingdom declined and eventually disintegrated under the hegemony of various regional powers, including the Mongols, the Turks, and various dynasties of Persia. In Abkhazia, a minority of the Abkhaz population is also Sunni Muslim. De facto separate since Georgian independence, offers were made to give South Ossetia autonomy again, but in 2006 an unrecognized referendum in the area resulted in a vote for independence. Georgia is a small country. [108] Tskhinvali was seized by the Russian military by 10 August. [47] The Golden age of Georgia left a legacy of great cathedrals, romantic poetry and literature, and the epic poem The Knight in the Panther's Skin, the latter which is considered a national epic. [254] Georgia's economy is becoming more devoted to services (as of 2016[update], representing 59.4 per cent of GDP), moving away from the agricultural sector (6.1 per cent). [174] On 2 October 2006, Georgia and the European Union signed a joint statement on the agreed text of the GeorgiaEuropean Union Action Plan within the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). [109] Russian forces occupied Georgian cities beyond the disputed territories. On the other hand, Georgia, the country in the Caucasus region between Europe and Asia, is a sovereign state. [27] In fact, early metallurgy started in Georgia during the 6th millennium BC, associated with the Shulaveri-Shomu culture. As Karl Marx, coauthor of the The Communist Manifesto, declared,. A period of unrest ensued, which ended as Abkhazia and eastern Georgian states were unified under a single Georgian monarchy, ruled by King Bagrat III of Georgia (r. 9751014), due largely to the diplomacy and conquests of his energetic foster-father David III of Tao (r. 9661001). [316][317] Education in Georgia is mandatory for all children aged 614. Later, in 1936, the TSFSR was dissolved and Georgia emerged as a union republic: the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic. [citation needed], In 2005, President Mikheil Saakashvili fired the entire traffic police force (numbering around 30,000 police officers) of the Georgian National Police due to corruption. Romans erected the statue of the Iberian King Pharsman after he demonstrated Georgian training methods during his visit to Rome; Georgia's secession from the Soviet Union, democratic and economic reforms aimed at integration, first countries in the world to legalize cannabis, Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic, Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic, Adapted Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty, International recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Tensions between Georgia and Russia began escalating, ethnic cleansing against Georgians in South Ossetia, Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Role of Georgia in the War in Afghanistan (20012021), Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, Administrative divisions of Georgia (country), International Union for Conservation of Nature, 2014 General Population Census Main Results, Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, secular and irreligious segments of society, one of the oldest wine-producing countries, Index of Georgia (country)-related articles, " ", "2014 General Population Census Main Results General Information National Statistics Office of Georgia", "World Economic Outlook Database, October 2022", "GINI index (World Bank estimate) Georgia", "2014 General Population Census Main Results", "Consolidating Parliamentary Democracy in Georgia", "U.S. and Allies Blame Russia for Cyberattack on Republic of Georgia", "Now that's what you call a real vintage: professor unearths 8,000-year-old wine", "Evidence of ancient wine found in Georgia a vintage quaffed some 6,000 years BC", The Gold Mine of Sakdrisi and Earliest Mining and Metallurgy in the Transcausus and the Kura-Valley System, "UNESCO Ancient Georgian traditional Qvevri wine-making method", "Georgia iii. [226], Because of its high landscape diversity and low latitude, Georgia is home to about 5,601 species of animals, including 648 species of vertebrates (more than 1% of the species found worldwide) and many of these species are endemics. Soviet rule was firmly established only after the insurrection was swiftly defeated. There is an independent human rights public defender elected by the Parliament of Georgia to ensure such rights are enforced. Announces New Military Assistance Program for Georgia", "Why was Georgia not granted EU candidate status? After Stalin's death, Nikita Khrushchev became the leader of the Soviet Union and implemented a policy of de-Stalinization. [230] The Rioni River may contain a breeding population of the critically endangered bastard sturgeon. It was founded in June 1994 through the merger of the Stalin Society, the Georgian Workers Communist Party and the Union of Communists of Georgia. [83], During the War in Abkhazia (19921993), roughly 230,000 to 250,000 Georgians[84] were expelled from Abkhazia by Abkhaz separatists and North Caucasian volunteers (including Chechens). The first mention of the name spelled as Georgia is in Italian on the mappa mundi of Pietro Vesconte dated AD 1320. The 1989 census recorded 341,000 ethnic Russians, or 6.3 per cent of the population,[288] 52,000 Ukrainians and 100,000 Greeks in Georgia. [18] The name Sakartvelo () consists of two parts. The Action Plan was formally approved at the EUGeorgia Cooperation Council session on 14 November 2006, in Brussels. [307] In the first half of the 4th century, Christianity was adopted as the state religion of Iberia (present-day Kartli, or eastern Georgia), following the missionary work of Saint Nino of Cappadocia. [92], Tensions between Georgia and Russia began escalating in April 2008. The region between Kazbek and Shkhara (a distance of about 200km (124mi) along the Main Caucasus Range) is dominated by numerous glaciers. [191] The US State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law-Enforcement Affairs has provided assistance to the training efforts and continues to act in an advisory capacity. Iranian elements in Georgian art and archeology", Ethnic tensions: War in the Caucasus is Stalin's legacy, "Georgian World War II hero's remains return home". [23], Today, the official name of the country is Georgia, as specified in the Georgian constitution which reads "Georgia is the name of the state of Georgia. The alphabet probably was created soon afterward to . The opposition made accusations of fraud, which the Georgian Dream denied. Salome Zurabishvili is the current President of Georgia after winning 59.52% of the vote in the 2018 Georgian presidential election. The first attempt to unite the country occurred under King Parnavaz of Kartli at the beginning of the third century B.C.E. Georgia was further weakened by several disastrous invasions by Tamerlane. With the completed transfer of power, Prime Minister Ivanishvili stepped aside and named one of his close business associates as next Prime Minister. [241] Georgia's main imports are vehicles, ores, fossil fuels and farmaceuticals. Georgia was incorporated into the Soviet Union as the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic after 25 February 1921 when the Red Army entered its capital Tbilisi and installed a communist government led by Georgian Bolshevik Filipp Makharadze.
