FAQ · History 31

Georgian culture evolved over thousands of years from its foundations in the Iberian and Colchian civilizations. It experienced a golden age of classical literature, arts, philosophy, architecture, and science during the 11th century. Throughout its history, the culture was influenced by Classical Greece, the Roman Empire, and the Byzantine Empire. It was also shaped by various Iranian empires and later by the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. This long history has helped preserve a unique culture and identity despite external pressures.

The Kolkhoba festival finds its roots in historical celebrations held in Lazeti, a region in Western Georgia that corresponds to the ancient Kingdom of Colchis. These ancient traditions are directly linked with the Laz people and their connections to the Black Sea. Originally, the celebrations were related to folkloric beliefs regarding the sea, specifically a period known as bahuri. This time was traditionally believed to mark the end of the annual swimming season due to the meeting of fresh and salt waters. Today, the holiday has evolved into a commemoration of the myth of the Argonauts.

During medieval times, Georgia frequently faced military aggression from its neighbors. This constant conflict caused Georgians to often abandon territories located near the borders. These vacated areas were then occupied by other ethnic groups. Consequently, the ethnic makeup of the country shifted due to these historical social and political factors. This period marked one of the major stages in the changing ethnic composition of Georgia.

The Kingdom of Georgia reached its zenith of power between 1180 and 1236 as a formidable Christian kingdom. During this era, it had a population of about eight million people and could field between 40,000 and 90,000 troops. Under David the Builder, the military underwent reforms that included the creation of a royal guard of 5,000 horsemen. The Georgians also achieved four major victories over the Seljuk Turks in battles such as Didgori and Basiani. Later, under Queen Tamar, the kingdom regained its resources and reconquered territories including Tao-Klarjeti.

The Province of Georgia was established in 1732, with the first settlement occurring in Savannah in 1733. It was originally administered by the Trustees for the Establishment of the Colony of Georgia in America under a charter from King George II. By 1752, Georgia had transitioned into a British royal colony. This made it the last and southernmost of the original Thirteen Colonies. During the War of Jenkins' Ear, the colony was invaded by the Spanish in 1742.

The National Council of Georgia adopted the Act of Independence on 26 May 1918. This date has seen various historical milestones, including the 100th anniversary of the First Republic in 2018 and the 30th anniversary of the restoration of independence in 2021. Celebrations have ranged from large military parades to demonstrations in Tbilisi. Over the years, these commemorations have faced challenges such as security force interventions and political opposition. Today, the date remains a significant moment for marking Georgia's historical journey.

During the 1830s, the pace of settlement by European Americans increased rapidly following Indian Removal under President Andrew Jackson. Most Spanish place names in the state actually date from this century rather than the age of colonization. The invention of the cotton gin stimulated a major cotton boom that made cotton a main economic driver. This industry relied on the labor of enslaved black Africans to develop large plantations. While many planters became immensely wealthy, most yeomen whites did not own slaves.

The number of Poles in Georgia decreased from over 15,000 in 1914 to 3,000 in 1926 due to repatriation to independent Poland after World War II. During the Great Purge in 1937–1938, Poles were victims of the Polish Operation and Kulak Operation carried out by the Soviet Union. Following Operation Barbarossa in 1941, many Polish refugees arrived in Georgia and encountered local Poles and friendly Georgians. After the Sikorski–Mayski agreement, the Polish embassy established local offices in the Georgian SRR to care for the population. However, the Soviets liquidated these offices in July 1942 and arrested officials to replace them with puppet structures. By January 1945, official data showed 1,879 registered Polish refugees remained in Georgia.

Georgia was relatively prosperous in the 1910s because cotton prices remained high until the end of World War I. However, lower wholesale prices in the 1920s negatively impacted the rural economy and the entire state. By 1932, the economic recession had deteriorated into a severe depression. Cotton prices dropped from a high of $1.00 a pound during World War I to lows of 6 cents in 1931 and 1932. This Great Depression proved to be economically difficult for both rural and urban Georgia.

Georgia's democratic status has seen significant changes according to various international reports. While there was a trajectory of democratic improvement following the 2012–13 transfer of power, recent years have shown a process of democratic backslide. The Economist Intelligence Unit classifies the country as a hybrid regime, denoting an incomplete transition from authoritarianism. More recently, the V-Dem Institute classified Georgia as an electoral autocracy for the first time in 2025. This follows a period of rapid democratic erosion that began after a trend of improvements in civil liberties and judicial independence started to reverse.

During the early 1990s, electoral law reforms were negotiated to create a compromise between different ethnic groups. These reforms granted significant over-representation to Abkhazians in the local Abkhazian Supreme Soviet. Even though Georgians made up 46% of the population and Abkhazians only 18%, seats were allocated to ensure ethnic quotas. Specifically, 28 seats were given to Abkhazians and 26 to Georgians, with 11 seats for other groups. A two-thirds majority was required to pass important legislation to ensure key decisions needed support from both sides.

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, some Ukrainian officials called for Georgia to open a second front against Russia. They also suggested this could be an opportunity to retake Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The Georgian Dream party has accused the West of trying to open such a front at Georgia's expense. They argue that while this would hurt Russia, it would also destroy Georgia because the Russian military is significantly stronger. Furthermore, Georgian Dream leaders have accused the opposition United National Movement of trying to drag the country into the military conflict.

Abkhazia is considered a post-Soviet frozen conflict zone. While the de facto government considers it a sovereign country, a majority of sovereign states recognize Abkhazia as an integral part of Georgia. Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Nauru have officially recognized Abkhazia, while some others have noted it is under occupation by the Russian military. The United Nations has urged both sides to settle the dispute through diplomatic dialogue. Previous attempts to outline a distribution of competencies between authorities have not been accepted by the Abkhaz side.

Under Soviet rule, Azerbaijanis were the third largest ethnic minority, but they became the largest minority group by 2002 due to high birth rates and low immigration. During the Soviet era, many Azerbaijanis left Georgia because policies discouraged them from working in administration. In 1944, thousands of Azerbaijanis and Kurds were forcibly relocated from Tbilisi to rural parts of Kvemo Kartli. Additionally, a 1944 decree led to the forced relocation of tens of thousands of residents from southern border regions to Central Asia. Among these deportees, over 24,000 were identified as Azerbaijanis. Those remaining in rural areas primarily worked in agriculture, animal husbandry, and small-scale trade.

Former president Mikheil Saakashvili developed a nine-point economic plan focused on stimulating growth through deregulation and digitalization. The plan emphasized judicial reform, the application of English law for commercial matters, and the decriminalization of economic crimes. It also aimed to achieve de-oligarchization by banning individuals who own more than 5% of the GDP from political involvement. To become a regional logistical hub, the strategy prioritized infrastructure development such as new railways, airports, and hydropower plants. Additionally, the plan suggested downsizing the public sector by outsourcing services to the private sector.

The idea of creating a parliamentary-type body to limit royal power was conceived in the 12th century during the reign of Queen Tamar. This concept was proposed by aristocrats and citizens, including a leader named Qutlu Arslan. They envisioned a system consisting of two chambers known as the Darbazi and the Karavi. Although Queen Tamar had a chamber of advisors who could propose laws, they did not have the final say in governance. It was not until 1906 that Georgians were able to send representatives to a parliamentary body of government.

Various scholarly resources provide insight into the history of social structures and labor in Georgia. Researchers can look to works concerning the Black experience in Georgia and the history of caste and class in the late nineteenth century. Some studies specifically examine the relationship between white land and Black labor during that era. Additionally, historical texts cover the creation of a cotton South between 1760 and 1815. These diverse sources offer a comprehensive view of the state's complex social history.

The Abkhazian Revolution occurred in 2014 after demonstrators stormed President Aleksandr Ankvab's office in Sukhumi. This uprising was driven by public anger regarding Ankvab's liberal policies toward ethnic Georgians, which opponents feared could endanger the ethnic Abkhazian identity. Although Ankvab described the events as an attempted coup d'état, he ultimately resigned on 1 June after fleeing to Gudauta. The revolution led to an early presidential election in August 2014. Following this vote, opposition leader Raul Khajimba was elected president with a narrow majority.

The United Nations Security Council has passed 32 resolutions recognizing Abkhazia as an integral part of Georgia and supporting its territorial integrity. The UN urges both sides to settle the Georgian–Abkhazian conflict through peaceful diplomatic dialogue. It calls for the immediate return of all expelled ethnic Georgians and seeks to determine the final status of Abkhazia within Georgia's borders. Additionally, the United Nations General Assembly has recognized the right of all refugees to return to Abkhazia and their property rights. Many UN resolutions also relate to the establishment and extension of the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia.

Georgia maintains diplomatic relations with many different nations around the world. South Korea is one of the countries that has an embassy located in Tbilisi. This presence indicates an established connection between the two nations. Georgia is currently reaching out to various neighbors and looking toward the West for new opportunities. The country has established relations with 187 countries and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.

The naming of Georgia in Korea has seen recent changes regarding Russian influence. In June 2011, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia announced that South Korea had agreed to use the name Jojia. This is intended to replace the Russian-influenced term Geurujiya. However, North Korea continues to use the term Geurujiya as of 2024. This shift is part of a broader effort by Georgia to move away from names derived from the Russian term Gruziya.

The Abkhaz people have a significant diaspora located in several different regions. Thousands of members of this diaspora live in Turkey, Syria, and Jordan. They can also be found within Georgia's autonomous republic of Adjara and in various Western countries. It is widely agreed that most Abkhaz people do not currently live in Abkhazia. This movement has resulted in the Abkhaz language being spoken across these diverse international locations.

Several monument complexes in Georgia are managed by the National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation of Georgia. Among these significant sites, the Greater Mtskheta Archaeological Museum-Reserve is inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This reserve includes a series of monuments and archaeological sites located in and around the town of Mtskheta. Additionally, the Kutaisi Historical-Architectural Museum-Reserve contains UNESCO World Heritage sites such as the Gelati monastery and Bagrati cathedral. These locations represent the country's important cultural and historical heritage.

In the state of Georgia, the definition of a business day can vary depending on the specific context. For consumer protection purposes, a business day corresponds to the actual business days of operation. This means a business that is open every day would be considered to have seven business days a week. However, for lending purposes, the business week is defined as six days from Monday to Saturday. These distinctions ensure that different legal and financial activities are handled according to their specific requirements.

In the beginning, the head god and his sister existed, but he cursed her after she made him unhappy. This transformed her into a demon who created evil things to oppose every good thing made by the head god. Men and lesser gods were creations of the head god, while women and lesser demons were creations of the demon. This established a universe divided into two antagonistic series, one social and divine and the other wild and demonic. Consequently, the middle world inhabited by humans is merely a place of passage where beings act as emanations of the divine or subterranean worlds.

Yes, Georgia possesses its own unique folklore. This cultural element is part of the country's broader unique culture. It is one of the many distinctive aspects that define the Georgian identity. Visitors can explore this heritage as part of the country's rich traditions. The folklore contributes to the overall cultural landscape of the nation.

The 2020–2021 Georgian political crisis arose from allegations by opposition parties that the 2020 parliamentary election was rigged. The opposition accused the ruling Georgian Dream party of election fraud and refused to recognize the results. This led to protests, a parliamentary boycott, and the resignation of Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia in February 2021. The crisis eventually ended on 19 April 2021 following the signing of an EU-mediated agreement. This agreement was signed between the ruling party and various opposition parties and coalitions.

During the 2020 pandemic, the Georgia State BOE addressed the impact on student evaluations. They agreed to a proposal from state superintendent Richard Woods to adjust the weight of the End of Course Test. This change reduced the EOCT test weight to only 0.01% of a student's course grade. This specific adjustment is currently in effect for the 2020–21 school year. These tests are typically mandatory for high school students in eight core subjects.

On 4 June 2024, Speaker Shalva Papuashvili initiated a legislative package titled On Family Values and Protection of Minors. This package consists of one main law and 18 related draft laws that amend several existing codes. The proposed changes include outlawing alternative marriage unions and prohibiting gender reassignment medical interventions for all ages. It also seeks to ban pride events, the public display of the rainbow flag, and media propaganda regarding non-heterosexual relationships. Additionally, the legislation would designate May 17 as a holiday for the sanctity of the family and respect for parents.

The Global Organized Crime Index is scheduled to release its report on Georgia in 2025. This publication is part of the ongoing documentation regarding crime and corruption in the country. Other relevant data can be found through the National Statistics Office of Georgia. These resources provide essential information for understanding the current landscape of the nation. Visitors and residents can use these reports to stay informed about local statistics.

Georgia experiences several significant events throughout 2026. The nation participates in the Winter Olympics in Italy, where figure skaters Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava win a silver medal. In May, Georgia competes in the Eurovision Song Contest. The country also hosts the 2026 World Rugby U20 Championship. Other notable moments include a nationwide blackout in July and the death of Patriarch Ilia II in March. Additionally, political changes occur in South Ossetia with the resignations of Dzambolyt Tadtayev and Alan Gagloev.