It was named after George II of Great Britain. 1. [313], In addition to traditional religious organizations, Georgia retains secular and irreligious segments of society (0.5 per cent),[314] as well as a significant portion of religiously affiliated individuals who do not actively practice their faith. Georgia has become more integrated into the global trading network: its 2015 imports and exports account for 50% and 21% of GDP respectively. Other popular sports in 19th century Georgia were polo, and Lelo, a traditional Georgian game very similar to rugby. [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. The revival of the Kingdom of Georgia was set back after Tbilisi was captured and destroyed by the Khwarezmian leader Jalal ad-Din in 1226. The country's Western orientation soon led to worsening relations with Russia, which culminated in the Russo-Georgian War of 2008, and entrenched Russia occupation of a portion of Georgia. Since the early 21st century visible positive developments have been observed in the economy of Georgia. The track satisfies the FIA Grade 2 requirements and currently hosts the Legends car racing series and Formula Alfa competitions. "[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. Neighboring large empires subsequently exploited the internal division of the weakened country, and beginning in the 16th century up to the late 18th century, Safavid Iran (and successive Iranian Afsharid and Qajar dynasties) and Ottoman Turkey subjugated the eastern and western regions of Georgia, respectively. After the Russian Revolution of 1917, the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic was established with Nikolay Chkheidze acting as its president. "[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. [132] The transition was set to start with the October 2012 parliamentary elections and to be completed with the 2013 presidential elections. [227], The west-central slopes of the Meskheti Range in Ajaria as well as several locations in Samegrelo and Abkhazia are covered by temperate rain forests. 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. [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. This made it easy for the remaining Georgian realms to fall victim to the early Muslim conquests in the 7th century. [178], Georgia applied for EU membership on 3 March 2022, soon after the beginning of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Document No. [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. 3 mins ago. The responsibility for such actions does not cause dangerous consequences for the public. The . [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. [260][261][262][263], Tourism is an increasingly significant part of the Georgian economy. [citation needed], Coordinates: 4200N 4330E / 42.000N 43.500E / 42.000; 43.500. Georgia had five players in the NBA: Vladimir Stepania, Jake Tsakalidis, Nikoloz Tskitishvili, Tornike Shengelia and current Golden State Warriors centre Zaza Pachulia. [31] In 2013, UNESCO added the ancient traditional Georgian winemaking method using the Kvevri clay jars to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.[31][32]. [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. [27] The earliest evidence of wine to date has been found in Georgia, where 8,000-year old wine jars were uncovered. 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. [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. Economic reforms since independence have led to higher levels of economic freedom, as well as reductions in corruption indicators, poverty, and unemployment. ", "NDI Poll: Economy Still Top Concern for Georgians; Support for NATO and EU Stable", "Substantial NATO-Georgia Package (SNGP)", "Lavrov: If Georgia Joins NATO, Relations Will Be Spoiled", "Russian FM Lavrov supports resumption of flights to Georgia as Georgians 'realised consequences' of June 20", "Europe | Bush praises Georgian democracy", "Visas: Council confirms agreement on visa liberalisation for Georgia", "Visas: Council adopts regulation on visa liberalisation for Georgians", "Georgia's PM Signs Application to Join the EU", "MoD Releases Details on Georgian Troops Wounded in May 13 Helmand Attack", "Georgia deploying 750 soldiers to Afghanistan", "Why Georgia sends troops to Afghanistan", "Georgian Soldier Succumbs to Injuries Suffered in Afghanistan", "Firing of traffic police force stands as a symbol of hope in Georgia | McClatchy", "Georgia's National Police Corruption Project", Building security in the Republic of Georgia, "Remarks by President Saakashvili at the CIS Summit in Tbilisi", "How Georgia Stamped Out Corruption on Campus", "Lessons from Georgia's fight against graft", "Georgia's Fight Against Corruption in Public Services Wins Praise", "Georgia's anti-corruption reforms stall amid political crisis and allegations of state capture", "Alternative report on the implementation by Georgia of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities in the region of Kvemo Kartli Tbilisi, 2008 p. 5859", "US, Britain, call for probe into May 26 events in Georgia", "Georgia: Police Used Excessive Force on Peaceful Protests | Human Rights Watch", "Tbilisi Mayor's Offers Protesters Alternative Venues for Rally", "Georgian Police Say 2 Killed in Protest Dispersal", "Audio, Video Recordings Implicate Protest Leaders to 'Plotting Violence', "Thousands gather for street protests against Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili", "PM Strongly Against of Marijuana Decriminalization", "Fighting back against Georgia's war on drugs", "Georgian Court Abolishes Fines For Marijuana Consumption", "Human Rights in the Occupied Territories of Georgia", "Abkhazia, S. Ossetia Formally Declared Occupied Territory", "The Law of Georgia on Occupied Territories (431-IIs)", 'Caucasus (region and mountains, Eurasia)', "Dramatic Double Sturgeon Discovery in Georgia", "Cybertruffle's Robigalia Observations of fungi and their associated organisms", "An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm", "Anthropogenic modification of forests means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity Supplementary Material", "U.S. Energy Informationa Administration "World Hydroelectricity Installed Capacity", "World Integrates Trade Solution Country Snapshot Georgia", "Briefing note for countries on the 2020 Human Development Report", "Briefing note for countries on the 2020 Human Development Report": Figure 1: Trends in Georgia's HDI component indices 20002019, Flat taxes could be a flash in the pan, IMF research says, "Frequently Asked Questions: I. Between 2000 and 2019, Georgia's HDI score improved by 17.7%. In Greek mythology, Colchis was the location of the Golden Fleece sought by Jason and the Argonauts in Apollonius Rhodius' epic tale Argonautica. [225] Historically, the western portion of Georgia was known as Colchis while the eastern plateau was called Iberia.[226]. 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. During much of this time (1927-1953), Joseph Stalin was the totalitarian leader. [226], Eastern Georgia's landscape (referring to the territory east of the Likhi Range) is considerably different from that of the west, although, much like the Colchis plain in the west, nearly all of the low-lying areas of eastern Georgia including the Mtkvari and Alazani River plains have been deforested for agricultural purposes. It's been a communist takeover of our country, and it happened on January 21. The Constitution of Georgia guarantees freedom of speech. 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. [282][e] Most of them were deported during World War II.[285]. [241] Georgia's main imports are vehicles, ores, fossil fuels and farmaceuticals. It borders Russia to the north, Azerbaijan to the east, Armenia and the Ottoman Empire to the south.. [93][94] A bomb explosion on 1 August 2008 targeted a car transporting Georgian peacekeepers. Cart; vintage milk bottle caps 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 Global Coalition To Defeat ISIS U.S. Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority Arms Control and International Security Arms Control and International Security Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation The U.S. Capitol building in Washington on Dec. 21, 2022. 1000 of all 4000 higher plants of Georgia are endemic to this country. Both peasants and workers found expression for their discontent through revolts and strikes, culminating in the Revolution of 1905. [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. Georgia is a representative democratic parliamentary republic, with the President as the largely ceremonial[125] head of state, and Prime Minister as the head of government. [103] According to Russian military expert Pavel Felgenhauer, the Ossetian provocation was aimed at triggering the Georgian response, which was needed as a pretext for premeditated Russian military invasion. [308][309] The Church gained autocephaly during the early Middle Ages; it was abolished during the Russian domination of the country, restored in 1917 and fully recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in 1989. Georgia is a representative democracy governed as a unitary parliamentary republic. [297] Of the Meskhetian Turks who were forcibly relocated in 1944, only a tiny fraction returned to Georgia as of 2008[update]. In February 1921, during the Russian Civil War, the Red Army advanced into Georgia and brought the local Bolsheviks to power. Supported by a powerful military lite, Tamar was able to build on the successes of her predecessors to consolidate an empire which dominated the Caucasus, and extended over large parts of present-day Azerbaijan, Armenia, and eastern Turkey as well as parts of northern Iran,[53] until its collapse under the Mongol attacks within two decades after Tamar's death in 1213.[54]. Other architectural features of Georgia include Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi and the Old Town District. Georgia adopted Christianity in 334, when King Mirian III of Kartli-Iberia, following the instructions of Saint Nino of Cappadocia, declared it the state religion. The Kingdom of Georgia collapsed into anarchy by 1466 and fragmented into three independent kingdoms and five semi-independent principalities. [140] Most of Georgian Dream's coalition parties had left the coalition and landed outside of parliament. This period also brought social and economic change to Georgia, with new social classes emerging: the emancipation of the serfs freed many peasants but did little to alleviate their poverty; the growth of capitalism created an urban working class in Georgia. [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. [269] Positioned in the Caucasus and on the coast of the Black Sea, Georgia is a key country through which energy imports to the European Union from neighbouring Azerbaijan pass. [264] In 2019, the number of international arrivals reached a record high of 9.3 million people[265] with foreign exchange income in the year's first three quarters amounting to over US$3 billion. 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. [226], The climate of Georgia is extremely diverse, considering the nation's small size. 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. Georgia, or officially called the Democratic Republic of Georgia, is a country in the Southern Caucasus. Brief on Georgia. [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. [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. ed., Nasmyth, Peter, I. Gagoshidze "The Achaemenid influence in Iberia" Boreas 19. [138] Ivanishvili has since been called the informal leader of Georgia, arranging political reappointments from behind the scenes. [74], The 1918 GeorgianArmenian War, which erupted over parts of disputed provinces between Armenia and Georgia populated mostly by Armenians, ended because of British intervention. [28][29] Archaeological finds and references in ancient sources also reveal elements of early political and state formations characterized by advanced metallurgy and goldsmith techniques that date back to the 7th century BC and beyond. Georgia's moderate climate and moist air, influenced by the Black Sea, provide the best conditions for vine cultivation. Other airports in the country are largely underdeveloped or lack scheduled traffic, although, as of late, efforts have been made to solve both these problems. With the beginning of perestroika in 1986, the Georgian Soviet leadership proved so incapable of handling the changes that most Georgians, including rank and file communists, concluded that the only way forward was a break from the existing Soviet system. Throughout the remainder of the Soviet period, Georgia's economy continued to grow and experience significant improvement, though it increasingly exhibited blatant corruption and alienation of the government from the people. The medals depict the famous statue "Motherland" Calls, which was . Christianity and the Georgian language are particularly important national identifiers. Simmering disputes within two regions of Georgia; Abkhazia and South Ossetia, between local separatists and the majority Georgian populations, erupted into widespread inter-ethnic violence and wars. However, subsequent Iranian and Ottoman invasions further weakened local kingdoms and regions. [245] As of 2021, it ranked 12th in the world for economic freedom. In turn, this has allowed them to benefit in recent years from increased energy exports from neighbouring Azerbaijan to the European Union, Ukraine, and Turkey. Members of parliament are elected for four-year terms. Two major rivers in Georgia are the Rioni and the Mtkvari. [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). [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. [183] Georgia also participated in the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan; with 1,560 troops in 2013, it was at that time the largest contributor among non-NATO countries[184] and in per capita terms. The incorporation of the Golden Fleece into the myth may have derived from the local practice of using fleeces to sift gold dust from rivers. 888 pp., Tbilisi, Academy of Science of the Georgian SSR, 1986, Kirk, P.M., Cannon, P.F., Minter, D.W. and Stalpers, J. Despite the revitalization of the Iberian monarchy, remaining Georgian lands were divided among rival authorities, with Tbilisi remaining in Arab hands. [195], Prior to the Rose Revolution, Georgia was among the most corrupt countries in the world. [48][49], David suppressed dissent of feudal lords and centralized the power in his hands to effectively deal with foreign threats. Rustavi International Motorpark originally built in 1978 was re-opened in 2012 after total reconstruction[356] costing $20million. Their cause was championed by the socialist Mensheviks, who became the dominant political force in Georgia in the final years of Russian rule. [175] In June 2014, the EU and Georgia signed an Association Agreement, which entered into force on 1 July 2016. [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. [109] Russian forces occupied Georgian cities beyond the disputed territories. [31][347][348][349] Local traditions associated with wine are entwined with its national identity. Additionally, Eastern European countries, especially former communist countries, have become the target of state-sponsored disinformation and propaganda, seeking to exploit societal and cultural wedge issues and strengthen extremist groups. The executive branch of power is made up of the Cabinet of Georgia. [11] As the Ottomans advanced into the Caucasian territories of the crumbling Russian Empire, Georgia declared independence on 26 May 1918. [177] On 27 February 2017, the Council adopted a regulation on visa liberalization for Georgians travelling to the EU for a period of stay of 90 days in any 180-day period. [231], Slightly more than 6,500 species of fungi, including lichen-forming species, have been recorded from Georgia,[232][233] but this number is far from complete. [351], The most popular sports in Georgia are football, basketball, rugby union, wrestling, judo, and weightlifting. [14] At the early stage of its appearance in the Latin world, it was not always written in the same transliteration, and the first consonant was being spelt with J as Jorgia. 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".