[354], Within Georgia, one of the most popularized styles of wrestling is the Kakhetian style. 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. [73] The Menshevik Social Democratic Party of Georgia won the parliamentary election and its leader, Noe Zhordania, became prime minister. 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. why were chinese railroad workers called jakes . [86] The revolution was led by Mikheil Saakashvili, Zurab Zhvania and Nino Burjanadze, former members and leaders of Shevardnadze's ruling party. The Five Cross Flag has a white background with a red cross in the middle. 1953 - Soviet Union explodes its first hydrogen bomb. In response,[95] several South Ossetian militiamen were killed by snipers. However, scholars agree that the word is derived from the Karts, one of the proto-Georgian tribes that emerged as a dominant group in ancient times. Consecutive research estimated the 2002 census to be inflated by 8 to 9 percent,[286] which affected the annually updated population estimates in subsequent years. [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. [226], At higher elevations above 1,000 metres (3,281ft) above sea level (particularly in the Tusheti, Khevsureti, and Khevi regions), pine and birch forests dominate. The head of the Bagrationi dynasty Ashot I of Iberia (r. 813826), who had migrated to the former southwestern territories of Iberia, came to rule over Tao-Klarjeti and restored the Principate of Iberia in 813. 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. Its economy is growing at 5 percent per year, and the country ranks ahead of the United States in economic . [321] Gross primary enrolment ratio was 117 per cent for the period of 20122014, the 2nd highest in Europe after Sweden. This country held its first democratic republic elections in 1990. There is also a certified specialist's programme that represents a single-level higher education programme lasting from three to six years. [266] According to the government, there are 103 resorts in different climatic zones in Georgia. [343], Georgia has an ancient musical tradition, which is primarily known for its early development of polyphony. The penetration of humid air masses from the Black Sea is often blocked by mountain ranges (Likhi and Meskheti) that separate the eastern and western parts of the nation. The medals depict the famous statue "Motherland" Calls, which was . [353] Wrestling remains a historically important sport of Georgia, and some historians think that the Greco-Roman style of wrestling incorporates many Georgian elements. [306][c] The Georgian Orthodox Church is one of the world's most ancient Christian Churches, and claims apostolic foundation by Saint Andrew. [252] In 2015, the average monthly income of a household was 1,022.3 (about $426). One explanation put forward by UNFPA is that families of emigrants continued to list them in 2002 as residents for fear of losing certain rights or benefits. 1955 - Warsaw Treaty Organisation, or Warsaw Pact, set up. 1956 - Soviet troops . [245] As of 2021, it ranked 12th in the world for economic freedom. [120][121] Since the war, Georgia has maintained that Abkhazia and South Ossetia are occupied Georgian territories. [117] Russia recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as separate republics on 26 August. Other popular sports in 19th century Georgia were polo, and Lelo, a traditional Georgian game very similar to rugby. [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. [189][190], In Georgia, law enforcement is conducted and provided for by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. 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. Various historical regions of Georgia are known for their particular dishes: for example, khinkali (meat dumplings), from eastern mountainous Georgia, and khachapuri, mainly from Imereti, Samegrelo and Adjara. [233] According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, there are 4,300 species of vascular plants in Georgia. [1] Soviet rule was firmly established only after the insurrection was swiftly defeated. The highest mountain in Georgia is Mount Shkhara at 5,203 metres (17,070ft), and the second highest is Mount Janga at 5,059m (16,598ft) above sea level. [138] Ivanishvili has since been called the informal leader of Georgia, arranging political reappointments from behind the scenes. [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]. [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. It was not until around 2010 that parts of the system became reliable again. [218], In both Abkhazia and South Ossetia large numbers of people had been given Russian passports, some through a process of forced passportization by Russian authorities. The species number of invertebrates is considered to be very high but data is distributed across a high number of publications. p. 65. Phoenix: The Peoples of the Hills: Ancient Ararat and Caucasus by Charles Burney, David Marshall Lang, Phoenix Press; New edition (31 December 2001), Thomas Stllner, Irina Gambaschidze (2014). Georgia is a small country. [133] Georgian Dream was founded, led and financed by tycoon Bidzina Ivanishvili, the country's richest man who was subsequently elected by parliament as new Prime Minister. [282][d] Georgia was also once home to significant ethnic German communities, numbering 11,394 according to the 1926 census. A communist state, also known as a Marxist-Leninist state, is a one-party state that is administered and governed by a communist party guided by Marxism-Leninism. Unified Communist Party of Georgia. The U.S. Capitol building in Washington on Dec. 21, 2022. [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. 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. [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. . [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. As the largest faction, having secured 90 out of 150 seats, Georgian Dream formed the country's next government and continued to govern alone. [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. [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. Document No. 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. In the 1992 elections it won four MPs. Scheduled and chartered passenger ferry services link Georgia with Bulgaria,[276] Romania, Turkey and Ukraine. President Saakashvili acknowledged the defeat of his party on the following day. [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. Between 2000 and 2019, Georgia's HDI score improved by 17.7%. [277], Like most native Caucasian peoples, the Georgians do not fit into any of the main ethnic categories of Europe or Asia. In the early 4th century, ethnic Georgians officially adopted Christianity, which contributed to the spiritual and political unification of the early Georgian states. In emerging Europe's wealthiest nation, Slovenia, GDP per-capita in 2019 was 23,170 euros. There are two main climatic zones, roughly corresponding to the eastern and western parts of the country. 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. 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. This was nowhere else more publicly and violently opposed than in Georgia, where in 1956 riots broke out upon the release of Khrushchev's public denunciation of Stalin, which had to be dispersed by military force. "[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. [219] This was used as a justification for Russian invasion of Georgia during the 2008 South Ossetia war after which Russia recognized the region's independence. [226], The term Lesser Caucasus Mountains is often used to describe the mountainous (highland) areas of southern Georgia that are connected to the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range by the Likhi Range. There are several architectural styles for castles, towers, fortifications and churches. by Juergen T Steinmetz. [93][94] A bomb explosion on 1 August 2008 targeted a car transporting Georgian peacekeepers. [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]. Located on the crossroads of protracted RomanPersian wars, the early Georgian kingdoms disintegrated into various feudal regions by the early Middle Ages. [55] The Mongols were expelled by George V of Georgia (r. 12991302), son of Demetrius II of Georgia (r. 12701289), who was named "Brilliant" for his role in restoring the country's previous strength and Christian culture. "Christianity and the Georgian Empire" (early history) Library of Congress, March 1994, webpage: Sketches of Georgian Church History by Theodore Edward Dowling, Nakhutsrishvili, I.G. Western Georgia's landscape ranges from low-land marsh-forests, swamps, and temperate rainforests to eternal snows and glaciers, while the eastern part of the country even contains a small segment of semi-arid plains. 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. ", "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. [239] Throughout Georgia's modern history agriculture and tourism have been principal economic sectors, because of the country's climate and topography. In comparison, that places Georgia in the top 50 out of 180 countries, among Central European and Mediterranean EU member states. [82] Eduard Shevardnadze (Soviet Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1985 to 1991) returned to Georgia in 1992. In 1121, he decisively defeated much larger Turkish armies during the Battle of Didgori and liberated Tbilisi. However, subsequent Iranian and Ottoman invasions further weakened local kingdoms and regions. 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. [48][49], David suppressed dissent of feudal lords and centralized the power in his hands to effectively deal with foreign threats. The civil war and military conflicts in South Ossetia and Abkhazia aggravated the crisis. [230] The Rioni River may contain a breeding population of the critically endangered bastard sturgeon. [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. [246] Of factors contributing to HDI, education had the most positive influence[247] as Georgia ranks in the top quintile in terms of education. [140] Most of Georgian Dream's coalition parties had left the coalition and landed outside of parliament. Georgia is a representative democracy governed as a unitary parliamentary republic. One of the most unusual traditions of dining is supra, or Georgian table, which is also a way of socializing with friends and family. There were a number of other styles in the past that are not as widely used today. [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. 888 pp., Tbilisi, Academy of Science of the Georgian SSR, 1986, Kirk, P.M., Cannon, P.F., Minter, D.W. and Stalpers, J. Russia received by far the most migrants from Georgia. [81], On 26 May, Zviad Gamsakhurdia was elected as the first President of independent Georgia. 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. Russian suzerainty over eastern Georgia was officially finalized with Iran in 1813 following the Treaty of Gulistan. They are collectively known as the Georgian Defense Forces (GDF). One of the most famous late 19th/early 20th century Georgian artists was primitivist painter Niko Pirosmani. 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. The country plans to host 11 million visitors by 2025 with annual revenues reaching US$6.6 billion. [267] Other tourist attractions are Cave City, Ananuri Castle/Church, Sighnaghi and Mount Kazbek. In 2016, 2,714,773 tourists brought approximately US$2.16billion to the country. [134] Due to the incomplete transition to parliamentary democracy, a year of uneasy cohabitation between rivals Ivanishvili and Saakashvili followed until the October 2013 presidential elections. [31][347][348][349] Local traditions associated with wine are entwined with its national identity. Burkhard Herbote, tourism Hero. The soil in vineyards is so intensively cultivated that the grapevines grow up the trunks of fruit trees eventually hanging down along the fruit when they ripen. [108] Tskhinvali was seized by the Russian military by 10 August. During the classical era, several independent kingdoms became established in what is now Georgia, such as Colchis and Iberia. [268], Today transport in Georgia is provided by rail, road, ferry, and air. A bitter civil war and feudal revolts which began under Demetrius III (r. 967975) led the kingdom into complete anarchy under the unfortunate king Theodosius III the Blind (r. 975978). 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]. Lore-based theories were given by the traveller Jacques de Vitry, who explained the name's origin by the popularity of St. George amongst Georgians,[16] while traveller Jean Chardin thought that Georgia came from Greek ('tiller of the land'). [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). [200] Since 2016 the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index hovers around 56 out of 100 points. At present, the forest cover generally remains outside of the low-lying areas and is mainly located along the foothills and the mountains. Meanwhile in Georgia, the communists terrorized dissidents, abolished democratic freedoms and persecuted the Church. [30], Archaeological evidence indicates that Georgia has been the site of wine production since at least 6,000 BC, which over time played a role in forming Georgia's culture and national identity. Since 2004 the Georgian Railways have been undergoing a rolling programme of fleet-renewal and managerial restructuring which is aimed at making the service provided more efficient and comfortable for passengers. Tbilisi is home to several major institutions of higher education in Georgia, notably the Tbilisi State Medical University, which was founded as Tbilisi Medical Institute in 1918, and the Tbilisi State University (TSU), which was established in 1918 and remains the oldest university in the entire Caucasus region. [61] Despite a punitive campaign subsequently launched against Qajar Iran in 1796, this period culminated in the 1801 Russian violation of the Treaty of Georgievsk and annexation of eastern Georgia, followed by the abolition of the royal Bagrationi dynasty, as well as the autocephaly of the Georgian Orthodox Church. Georgia (the ex-Soviet Republic, not the U.S. state) is now a remarkable success story. [11] Following World War I, Georgia was invaded and annexed by the Soviet Union in 1922, becoming one of its constituent republics. [82], He was soon deposed in a bloody coup d'tat, from 22 December 1991 to 6 January 1992. Joseph Stalin, an ethnic Georgian born Iosif Vissarionovich Jugashvili ( ) in Gori, was prominent among the Bolsheviks. [207][209], Since independence, Georgia maintained harsh policies against drugs, handing out lengthy sentences even for marijuana use. [173] The street leading to Tbilisi International Airport has since been dubbed George W. Bush Avenue. Since the fall of the USSR in 1991, Georgia embarked on a major structural reform designed to transition to a free market economy. [346], Georgia is one of the oldest wine-producing countries in the world. Prominent features of the area include the Javakheti Volcanic Plateau, lakes, including Tabatskuri and Paravani, as well as mineral water and hot springs. Officially autonomous within Georgia,[216] the de facto independent region of Abkhazia declared independence in 1999. It was an "official" reason, but instability of economic relations with Russia is well known, as they use the economic ties for political purposes. Since February 2021, Irakli Gharibashvili has been the Prime Minister of Georgia. [275] There are a number of seaports along Georgia's Black Sea coast, the largest and most busy of which is the Port of Batumi; whilst the town is itself a seaside resort, the port is a major cargo terminal in the Caucasus and is often used by neighbouring Azerbaijan as a transit point for making energy deliveries to Europe. [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. 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. [46] This early Georgian renaissance, which preceded its Western European analogue, was characterized by impressive military victories, territorial expansion, and a cultural renaissance in architecture, literature, philosophy and the sciences. temple emanuel denver calendar. The last Imeretian king and the last Georgian Bagrationi ruler, Solomon II, died in exile in 1815, after attempts to rally people against Russia and to enlist foreign support against the latter, had been in vain. Around 23,000 Georgians fled South Ossetia as well. [323] The number of faculty and staff (collaborators) at TSU is approximately 5,000, with over 35,000 students enrolled. [56], The rulers of regions that remained partly autonomous organized rebellions on various occasions. Its autonomous status was revoked in 1990. The country has sizeable hydropower resources. [220] Georgia considers the regions as occupied by Russia. [296] On the other hand, at least 160,000 Georgians left Abkhazia after the break-out of hostilities in 1993. Most countries consider the regions to be Georgian territory under Russian occupation. [35][36] From the first centuries AD, the cult of Mithras, pagan beliefs, and Zoroastrianism were commonly practised in Georgia. As Karl Marx, coauthor of the The Communist Manifesto, declared,. Communist Party of Georgia ( Georgian: , Sakartvelos Komunisturi Partia) is a communist party in Georgia. [citation needed] The general landscape of eastern Georgia comprises numerous valleys and gorges that are separated by mountains. Georgia national basketball team qualified to EuroBasket during the last three tournaments since 2011. [62], On 22 December 1800, Tsar Paul I of Russia, at the alleged request of the Georgian King George XII, signed the proclamation on the incorporation of Georgia (Kartli-Kakheti) within the Russian Empire, which was finalized by a decree on 8 January 1801,[63][64] and confirmed by Tsar Alexander I on 12 September 1801. "[172], George W. Bush became the first sitting US president to visit the country. This period during the reigns of David IV (r. 10891125) and his great-granddaughter Tamar (r. 11841213) has been widely termed as Georgia's Golden Age or the Georgian Renaissance. 120 parliamentary seats were elected through proportional vote while 30 seats were elected through single mandate majoritarian constituencies. [344] The Georgian folk song "Chakrulo" was one of 27 musical compositions included on the Voyager Golden Records that were sent into space on Voyager 2 on 20 August 1977. It was the last direct election of a Georgian president, as additional constitutional reforms removed the popular vote. Leon I then married Mirian's daughter, and a successor, Leon II exploited this dynastic union to acquire Lazica in the 770s. [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. [1] The party is member of Union of Communist Parties Communist Party of the Soviet Union . and Romans (Titus Livius, Tacitus, etc.) For the U.S. state, see. Georgia was further weakened by several disastrous invasions by Tamerlane. 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 1992 Burkhard Herbote, a VP for the World Tourism .
