Georgia

The Republic of Georgia is a breathtakingly beautiful country located on an isthmus between the Black and Caspian seas in the Transcaucasian region of the former Soviet Union (FSU). Georgia is bounded by Russia and the Caucasus Mountains to the north, Armenia to the south, Azerbaijan to the east, the Black Sea to the west and Turkey to the southwest. The Black Sea shoreline used to be and will become again a primary vacation destination for Eastern and Western Europeans.

Georgia is rich in natural resources and has a proud cultural and religious history. It is the second-oldest Christian nation, following Armenia, and is also a land of many legends. According to Greek mythology, the former Georgian kingdom of Colchis was where Jason and the Argonauts stole the Golden Fleece. According to another myth, Georgia was also where Zeus chained Prometheus to a rock.

Georgia's capital city is Tbilisi, which is spread out for 19 miles in a basin along the Mtkvari river. Often called "The Paris of the Orient," Tbilisi features many ancient churches and monuments. Tbilisi contains 1.5 million of Georgia's population of 5.8 million.

Georgia's official language is Georgian, the only language in the Iberia Caucasian family written in ancient script, with its own unique alphabet. While the Georgian Christian Orthodox religion is the most practiced in the country, also present are Russian Orthodox Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and others.

Georgia is known for its wine. Today there are between 500 to 1,000 varieties of grape in Georgia, with almost every village producing its own wine. Stone wine presses and clay containers have been found in Georgia that date back to the 3rd Century B.C. Wine leaves and stems have been found in Bronze Age tombs. Georgia is generally believed to be the place where grape vines were first cultivated.

Georgia was incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1921, achieved its independence in 1991 and is now a democratic republic. Georgia's President is Mikheil (Misha) Saakashvili, who came to power after Eduard Shevardnadze was ousted during the so-called 'Rose Revolution' on 23 November 2003.

Georgia's main trading partners are Russia, Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Export commodities include citrus fruits, teas, wine, machinery, ferrous and nonferrous metals, textiles, chemicals and fuel exports. Imports include fuel, grain, and other foods, machinery and transport equipment. American and European companies are currently developing oil and natural gas deposits in Georgia and throughout Transcaucasia.

Georgia's mountainous terrain complements its natural resource base. The country's position, with outlets to the Black Sea and Turkey, makes it a natural and strategic transit route to Europe from the mineral-rich republics in the east such as Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. The re-opening of this historical "Silk Road" transportation corridor should have significant economic rewards for Georgia and its neighbors in Transcaucasia, as well as Central Asia and China.