The facts about Georgia (Written by Doug Parks)
1. If you are looking for a wonderful small country to visit with spectacular natural beauty, friendly people and terrific food, fine wines and a rousing nightlife, then Georgia is for you.
2. With a population of 3,750,000 including 1.25 million in the charming capital Tbilisi, Georgia is in the very mountainous Caucasus region of Eurasia. It is bordered on the West by The Black Sea, where the country has a number of resorts. Turkey and Armenia lie to the South, and Azerbaijan to the East. Russia hovers on the Northern border and has played a major role in Georgia’s recent history.
3. The population of Georgia is 84% Georgian, 7% Azeri, 6% Armenian and 1.5% Russian.
4. Depending on which historian you read, Georgia was either the second or third country in the world to establish Christianity as the state religion in 327 A.D. As you might expect, there are many beautiful Christian churches throughout the nation.
5. The dramatic mountain ranges of Georgia are excellent for mountaineering and hiking. Cliff dwelling Pagans lived for thousands of years in the caves of the high cliffs before they were driven out by the Christians. Significant rivers race through steep gorges enticing photographers to get out their cameras.
6. Georgians are super friendly and have the reputation of celebrating life with gusto. That gusto includes making and drinking large quantities of fine red wines especially from their spectacular Saperavi red grapes.
7. Tbilisi is known for its fine restaurants and cafes featuring delicious meats and stews. Don’t miss the khachapuri, a cheese pie that looks somewhat like a pizza. It is a national institution. Khachapuri is available to eat nightly or daily (and some do)! Go into most restaurants and you will see long tables with friends singing, eating, drinking and making continuous toasts to life, love and friendships. An extremely colorful city, the capital also has a number of markets, mansions and galleries in the Old Town and considerable nightlife is available to tourists and locals alike.
8. After independence in December 1991, Georgia suffered an economic crisis and civil unrest until The Rose Revolution in 2003 when the Government introduced Democratic and economic reforms. In 2008, Russia invaded and there was a one week Russo-Georgian War. Russia gained very few friends from this event.
9. A couple hours Northwest of Tbilisi is the birthplace of Joseph Stalin (1889-1953). You can visit the house where Stalin was born spent his first four years. Here also you can find the Stalin Museum providing a thorough look at his life, especially the early years when he went to seminary for four years. (He was kicked out for preaching Marxism.) Also on the grounds is the railroad car Stalin used to travel throughout Russia and down to Yalta to meet with Churchill and Eisenhower.
