Source: Wikipedia
Flag of Georgia
Capital: Tbilisi 41°43′N 44°47′E
Official language: Georgian Government: Unitary republic
President: Mikheil Saakashvili
Prime Minister: Zurab Noghaideli

Consolidation :
- Establishment of first Georgian Kingdoms of Colchis and Iberia c.2000 BC
- Establishment of unified Georgian Kingdom 1008 AD
- Establishment of Democratic Republic of Georgia May 26, 1918
- Independence from the Soviet Union
- Declared March 11, 1990
- Recognized September 6, 1991
- Completed December 25, 1991

Area :
- Total 69,700 km² (121st) 26,912 sq mi

Population :
- 2005 estimate 4,474,404 (117th1)
- Density 64/km² (129) 166/sq mi

GDP (PPP) 2005 estimate :
- Total $15.5 billion (122nd)
- Per capita $3,616 (120th)

HDI (2003): 0.732 (medium) (100th)

Currency: Lari ( ლ ) (GEL)

Time zone: MSK (UTC+3)
- Summer (DST) MSD (UTC+4)

Internet TLD: .ge

Calling code: +995

Georgia known officially from 1990 to 1995 as the Republic of Georgia, is a country in Eurasia to the east of the Black Sea, most of which is located in the South Caucasus, while a portion of the territory lies in the North Caucasus. It shares borders with Russia in the north and Turkey , Armenia , and Azerbaijan in the south.

Georgia is a unitary, emerging liberal democratic[1][2][3] nation-state with an ancient historical and cultural heritage. Georgian civilization stretches back for more than three thousand years of history with an exclusive literary and artistic heritage.[4] Culturally, historically, and politically Georgia is considered part of Europe ; however, the official geographic classification of the country varies according to different sources. Sometimes Georgia is considered a transcontinental nation.[5]

The English name Georgia is a transliteration of the Hellenistic term (Greek: Γεωργία) derived from Georgios (Greek: Γεώργιος), a Greek name meaning "farmer"; Georgia here is indicative of farmland. Georgians used the Greek and Aramaic alphabets before adopting the Georgian alphabet, reformed by King Pharnavaz I of Iberia ,[6] which is not directly related to any other alphabet in the world. In 337, Christianity was declared the official state religion in the ancient Georgian Kingdom of Iberia, making Georgia the second oldest country after Armenia (301) to declare Christianity its official state religion. The Bible was translated into Georgian in the 5th century.[7]

Geographically, Georgia is diverse and its natural resources are abundant. The mixture of Alpine zone in the Caucasus mountains and the subtropical Black Sea coast of western Georgia attracts many tourists, because the country is considered both an excellent ski resort and an excellent sea resort. Georgia has one of the most ancient wine-making traditions in the world. Georgian wine is characterized as naturally semi-sweet and very competitive to French, Spanish and other Western European wines and is well known around the world, especially in Eastern Europe . Georgia has been called the birthplace of wine, due to archeological findings which indicate wine production back to 5000 B.C.