[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. 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). Georgia. The region's weather patterns are influenced both by dry Caspian air masses from the east and humid Black Sea air masses from the west. [12] [13] It is a developing country with a very high Human Development Index. [48][49], David suppressed dissent of feudal lords and centralized the power in his hands to effectively deal with foreign threats. referred to early western Georgians as Colchians and eastern Georgians as Iberians (Iberoi, in some Greek sources). [338] The Georgian language is written in three unique scripts which, according to traditional accounts, were invented by King Pharnavaz I of Iberia in the 3rd century BC. 888 pp., Tbilisi, Academy of Science of the Georgian SSR, 1986, Kirk, P.M., Cannon, P.F., Minter, D.W. and Stalpers, J. [351], The most popular sports in Georgia are football, basketball, rugby union, wrestling, judo, and weightlifting. [327], Georgian culture evolved over thousands of years from its foundations in the Iberian and Colchian civilizations. [277], Like most native Caucasian peoples, the Georgians do not fit into any of the main ethnic categories of Europe or Asia. [322], Tbilisi has become the main artery of the Georgian educational system, particularly since the creation of the First Georgian Republic in 1918 permitted the establishment of modern, Georgian-language educational institutions. [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. President Saakashvili acknowledged the defeat of his party on the following day. Zurabishvili was backed by the ruling Georgian Dream party. [57] Eastern Georgia (Safavid Georgia), composed of the regions of Kartli and Kakheti, had been under Iranian suzerainty since 1555 following the Peace of Amasya signed with neighbouring rivalling Ottoman Turkey. [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. [50], The 29-year reign of Tamar, the first female ruler of Georgia, is considered the most successful in Georgian history. [271] Infrastructural development has also been high on the agenda for the railways, with the key Tbilisi railway junction expected to undergo major reorganization in the near future. It was one of the first countries in the world to legalize cannabis, becoming the only former-socialist state to do so. [93][94] A bomb explosion on 1 August 2008 targeted a car transporting Georgian peacekeepers. In 1992 Burkhard Herbote, a VP for the World Tourism . In the Middle Ages, the unified Kingdom of Georgia emerged and reached its Golden Age during the reign of King David IV and Queen Tamar in the 12th and early 13th centuries. The responsibility for such actions does not cause dangerous consequences for the public. "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'. [82], He was soon deposed in a bloody coup d'tat, from 22 December 1991 to 6 January 1992. The present day Georgian or Kartvelian nation is thought to have resulted from the fusion of aboriginal, autochthonous inhabitants with immigrants who moved into South Caucasus from the direction of Anatolia in remote antiquity. 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. 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 . Among other things a flat income tax was introduced in 2004. Russia withdrew all personnel and equipment from these sites by December 2007[91] while failing to withdraw from the Gudauta base in Abkhazia, which it was required to vacate after the adoption of the Adapted Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty during the 1999 Istanbul summit. 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. In economics, the party controls the country's economic system, and private ownership is illegal, although this facet of communist rule has changed in some countries like China. It was an "official" reason, but instability of economic relations with Russia is well known, as they use the economic ties for political purposes. [201], Human rights in Georgia are guaranteed by the country's constitution. Legislative authority is vested in the Parliament of Georgia. The Action Plan was formally approved at the EUGeorgia Cooperation Council session on 14 November 2006, in Brussels. It is part of the Caucasus region, bounded by the Black Sea to the west, by Russia to the north and northeast, by Turkey to the southwest, by Armenia to the south, and by Azerbaijan to the southeast. Georgia's Five Cross Flag. [37] In 337 AD King Mirian III declared Christianity as the state religion, giving a great stimulus to the development of literature, arts, and ultimately playing a key role in the formation of the unified Georgian nation,[38][39] The acceptance led to the slow but sure decline of Zoroastrianism,[40] which until the 5th century AD, appeared to have become something like a second established religion in Iberia (eastern Georgia), and was widely practised there.[41]. [329] Georgian culture was influenced by Classical Greece, the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, the various Iranian empires (notably the Achaemenid, Parthian, Sassanian, Safavid, and Qajar empires),[330][331][332][333] and later, since the 19th century, by the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. Russian rule offered the Georgians security from external threats, but it was also often heavy-handed and insensitive. [272] Additional projects also include the construction of the economically important KarsTbilisiBaku railway, which was opened on 30 October 2017 and connects much of the Caucasus with Turkey by standard gauge railway. [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. On 25 February 1921, the Red Army entered Tbilisi and established a government of workers' and peasants' soviets with Filipp Makharadze as acting head of state. In a letter on Monday, Raffensperger called on the GOP's congressional leadership to . "[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. "[24] Before the 1995 constitution came into force, the country's official name was the Republic of Georgia (Georgian: , romanized: Sakartvelos Resp'ublik'a) and it is still sometimes referred to by that name. Alexander Mikaberidze wrote that these century-old explanations for the word Georgia/Georgians are rejected by the scholarly community, who point to the Persian word gur/gurn (, 'wolf'[17]) as the root of the word. After obtaining independence for the state, the matter of church independence became the main problem. They are collectively known as the Georgian Defense Forces (GDF). Burkhard Herbote, tourism Hero. [117] Russia recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as separate republics on 26 August. In Greek mythology, Colchis was the location of the Golden Fleece sought by Jason and the Argonauts in Apollonius Rhodius' epic tale Argonautica. In preparation for the 2012 parliamentary elections, Georgia implemented constitutional reforms to switch to a parliamentary democracy, moving executive powers from the President to the Prime Minister. [187] As of 2015[update], 31 Georgian servicemen have died in Afghanistan,[188] most during the Helmand campaign. [223][224] The country lies between latitudes 41 and 44 N, and longitudes 40 and 47 E, with an area of 67,900km2 (26,216sqmi). The medals depict the famous statue "Motherland" Calls, which was . p. 65. Members of parliament are elected for four-year terms. Joseph Stalin, an ethnic Georgian born Iosif Vissarionovich Jugashvili ( ) in Gori, was prominent among the Bolsheviks. [234] Although the amount of available information is still very small, a first effort has been made to estimate the number of fungal species endemic to Georgia, and 2,595 species have been tentatively identified as possible endemics of the country. [266] According to the government, there are 103 resorts in different climatic zones in Georgia. 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. In the 1992 elections it won four MPs. ", "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. There are also smaller communities of Greek Muslims (of Pontic Greek origin) and Armenian Muslims, both of whom are descended from Ottoman-era converts to Turkish Islam from Eastern Anatolia who settled in Georgia following the Lala Mustafa Pasha's Caucasian campaign that led to the Ottoman conquest of the country in 1578. The Georgian envoy in Saint Petersburg reacted with a note of protest that was presented to the Russian vice-chancellor Prince Kurakin. Meanwhile in Georgia, the communists terrorized dissidents, abolished democratic freedoms and persecuted the Church. [339][340], Georgia is known for its folklore, traditional music, dances, theatre, cinema, and art. [225] Out of the abovementioned peaks, only Kazbek is of volcanic origin. This method of cultivation is called maglari. [259] Georgia was ranked 63rd in the Global Innovation Index in 2021, down from 48th in 2019. An Arab incursion into western Georgia led by Marwan II, was repelled by Leon I (r. 720740) jointly with his Lazic and Iberian allies in 736. Evergreen species such as box may also be found in many areas. Georgia (excluding Abkhazia) was one of the six republics along with Armenia, Moldova and the Baltic States who boycotted participation in the March 1991 union-wide preservation referendum. [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). The former communist countries of the Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia needed to reform the financing of their healthcare systems and make efforts to strengthen the role of primary care while limiting the role of hospital care. [25][26], The territory of modern-day Georgia was inhabited by Homo erectus since the Paleolithic Era. In addition, 435 were wounded, including 35 amputees. 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". [228], Much of western Georgia lies within the northern periphery of the humid subtropical zone with annual precipitation ranging from 1,0002,500mm (3998in), reaching a maximum during the Autumn months. [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. The 2010 Russian census recorded about 158,000 ethnic Georgians living in Russia,[293] with approximately 40,000 living in Moscow by 2014. The country has sizeable hydropower resources. Soviet rule was firmly established only after the insurrection was swiftly defeated. On 69 March 2006, the IPAP implementation interim assessment team arrived in Tbilisi. The large majority of the forests that covered the Colchis plain are now virtually non-existent with the exception of the regions that are included in the national parks and reserves (e.g. As in the western parts of the nation, elevation plays an important role in eastern Georgia where climatic conditions above 1,500 metres (4,921ft) are considerably colder than in the low-lying areas. [189][190], In Georgia, law enforcement is conducted and provided for by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. Dinamo Tbilisi won the prestigious Euroleague competition in 1962. [86] The revolution was led by Mikheil Saakashvili, Zurab Zhvania and Nino Burjanadze, former members and leaders of Shevardnadze's ruling party. [22] The Georgian circumfix sa-X-o is a standard geographic construction designating 'the area where X dwell', where X is an ethnonym. As a result of incessant OttomanPersian Wars and deportations, the population of Georgia dwindled to 784,700 inhabitants at the end of the 18th century. The species number of invertebrates is considered to be very high but data is distributed across a high number of publications. There are two main climatic zones, roughly corresponding to the eastern and western parts of the country. Salome Zurabishvili is the current President of Georgia after winning 59.52% of the vote in the 2018 Georgian presidential election. Heraclius, who had risen to prominence through the Iranian ranks, was awarded the crown of Kakheti by Nader himself in 1744 for his loyal service to him. [237] It had a 2018 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 7.79/10, ranking it 31st globally out of 172 countries.[238]. [52] Tamar was given the title "king of kings" (mepe mepeta). [182], During later periods of the Iraq War Georgia had up to 2,000 soldiers serving in the Multi-National Force. The country covers an area of 69,700 square kilometres (26,900sqmi), and has a population of 3.7 million people. [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. South Ossetia is officially known by Georgia as the Tskinvali region, as it views "South Ossetia" as implying political bonds with Russian North Ossetia. Despite the revitalization of the Iberian monarchy, remaining Georgian lands were divided among rival authorities, with Tbilisi remaining in Arab hands. Since the early 21st century visible positive developments have been observed in the economy of Georgia. The Five Cross Flag has a white background with a red cross in the middle. Current Communist Countries: China, Cuba, Laos, North Korea, and Vietnam. [226], Much of the natural habitat in the low-lying areas of western Georgia has disappeared during the past 100 years because of the agricultural development of the land and urbanization. [334][335][336][337] This self-identity is stronger among the dominant ethnic Georgian population than in the country's minority groups. Communist Party of Georgia ( Georgian: , Sakartvelos Komunisturi Partia) is a communist party in Georgia. The alphabet probably was created soon afterward to . [226], The climate of Georgia is extremely diverse, considering the nation's small size. Michael W. Hughey, Springer, Mar 29, 2016. [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. [290][289] Other factors in the population decline include birth-death deficits for the period 19952010 and the exclusion of Abkhazia and South Ossetia from the statistics. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has called on House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to oppose a federal takeover of elections and support election law reforms. [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). It was named after George II of Great Britain. [149] Garibashvili, who had an earlier term as prime minister in 201315, is known as a political hardliner. [145], On 31 October 2020, the ruling Georgian Dream again led by Bidzina Ivanishvili secured over 48% of votes in the parliamentary election under a different electoral system. [58] Heraclius nevertheless stabilized Eastern Georgia to a degree in the ensuing period and was able to guarantee its autonomy throughout the Iranian Zand period. [352] Historically, Georgia has been famous for its physical education; the Romans were fascinated with Georgians' physical qualities after seeing the training techniques of ancient Iberia. The opposition made accusations of fraud, which the Georgian Dream denied. [321] Gross primary enrolment ratio was 117 per cent for the period of 20122014, the 2nd highest in Europe after Sweden. CABI, 2008. Its economy is growing at 5 percent per year, and the country ranks ahead of the United States in economic . [257], Georgia's telecommunications infrastructure is ranked the last among its bordering neighbours in the World Economic Forum's Network Readiness Index (NRI) an indicator for determining the development level of a country's information and communication technologies. "[197] In 2012, the World Bank called Georgia a "unique success" of the world in fighting corruption, noting "Georgia's experience shows that the vicious cycle of endemic corruption can be broken and, with appropriate and decisive reforms, can be turned into a virtuous cycle. [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. [346], Georgia is one of the oldest wine-producing countries in the world. Despite these increasingly difficult relations, in May 2005 Georgia and Russia reached a bilateral agreement[90] by which Russian military bases (dating back to the Soviet era) in Batumi and Akhalkalaki were withdrawn. This electoral imbalance became a key issue of political and civil society strife in the following years. [167] The majority of Georgians and politicians in Georgia support the push for NATO membership. Since February 2021, Irakli Gharibashvili has been the Prime Minister of 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. The country is a member of international organizations, such as the Council of Europe, the OSCE, Eurocontrol, the EBRD, the BSEC, the GUAM, the ADB, the WTO, and the Energy Community. [b][10] Tbilisi is its capital as well as its largest city, home to roughly a third of the Georgian population. Georgia was incorporated into the Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic, alongside Armenia and Azerbaijan, in 1921 which in 1922 would become a founding member of the Soviet Union. In February 1921, during the Russian Civil War, the Red Army advanced into Georgia and brought the local Bolsheviks to power. S. Neil MacFarlane, Centre for International Relations, Queen's University, 1997, "Georgia/Abchasia: Violations of the laws of war and Russia's role in the conflict", "Russia The IngushOssetian conflict in the Prigorodnyi region", "EurasiaNet Eurasia Insight Georgia's Rose Revolution: Momentum and Consolidation", "Russia Hands Over Batumi Military Base to Georgia", Russia's retention of Gudauta base An unfulfilled CFE treaty commitment, "Countdown in the Caucasus: Seven days that brought Russia and Georgia to war", "Georgia calls on EU for independent inquiry into war", "Russia resurgent? The Cabinet is composed of ministers, headed by the Prime Minister, and appointed by the Parliament. By the late 19th century, discontent with the Russian authorities grew into a national revival movement led by Ilia Chavchavadze. George V was the last great king of the unified Georgian state. The threshold for the proportional vote was lowered to 1%, which resulted in 9 parties being represented in parliament. [148], In February 2021, Irakli Garibashvili became Prime Minister of Georgia, following the resignation of Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia. Beginning in 2007, politicians here have been debating whether or not to change the governmental framework to a constitutional monarchy. Despite the Soviet takeover, Zhordania was recognized as the legitimate head of the Georgian Government by France, UK, Belgium, and Poland through the 1930s. 'Kartvelians'), first attested in the Umm Leisun inscription found in the Old City of Jerusalem. [239] Throughout Georgia's modern history agriculture and tourism have been principal economic sectors, because of the country's climate and topography. [305][c] Azerbaijani once served as a lingua franca for communication among various nationalities inhabiting Eastern Caucasus. The extinction of the Iberian royal dynasties, such as Guaramids and the Chosroids,[42] and also the Abbasid preoccupation with their own civil wars and conflict with the Byzantine Empire, led to the Bagrationi family's growth in prominence.
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