You might have heard about Georgia since it has been in the news quite a lot lately, but not many know about the country itself. Meanwhile, here is a list of 17 important facts about Georgia.

17 important facts about Georgia

  1. Georgia is located in the Caucasus Mountains between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. Here laid the vital routes of the Great Silk Road. Therefore, the country borders the Russian Federation, Turkey, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.
  2. Georgia has one of the earliest evidence of human habitation. By recent archeological evidence, the first Europian came from Georgia 700 thousand years ago.
  3. The Georgian State existed as far back as the 4th – 3rd centuries BC.
  4. The capital of Georgia is Tbilisi. It was founded in the 5th century. Nowadays, it’s the largest city in the county with a population of approximately 1.5 million inhabitants. So, this cosmopolitan city brims with history and has a dramatic setting of hillsides on either side of Mtkvari.
  5. Georgia is the birthplace of wine. Grape seeds found there have been carbon-dated between 7000-5000BC and identified as the cultivated form of the wine grape. Therefore, some even consider that the generic word “wine” stems from the Georgian word ‘ghvino‘.
  6. Georgia is the land of Golden Fleece. The Greek legend of Jason and the Argonauts seems more like a metaphor than a fact. But, there may be a glimmer of truth since the oldest gold mines in the world, dated 4th century BC are in Georgian territory.
  7. Georgia is one of the oldest Christian countries in the world. Christianity was declared the state religion in 337 AD.
  8. The Georgian language is one of the oldest languages in the world. But it is not an Indo-Europian language; It belongs to a separate language family called Kartvelian or South Caucasian. The Georgian alphabet was created in the 5th century AD. It is just one of only 14 existing alphabets in the world. In addition, the Georgian alphabet is among the top 5 most beautiful alphabets in the world.
  9. Georgia is not a part of Russia. In 1921, the Russian Red Army occupied the country, and Georgia became a part of the USSR as a Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic. In April 1991, Georgia declared independence from USSR.
  10. Georgia has two breakaway regions – Abkhazia and South Ossetia with their de-facto governments supported by Russia. Russian troops are still there.
  11. Georgia has the world’s deepest cave – Krubera Cave. It’s deeper than 2 km.
  12. Georgia is the capital of the world’s folk music. Georgian polyphonic singing is on UNESCO’s List of Intangible Heritage. Therefore, Voyager I, in 1977, launched a recording of the Georgian song ‘Chakrulo‘ as an example of the musical abilities of mankind.
  13. Georgian dance is a celebration of life. It reflects the national character and a way of thinking. It is a unique phenomenon that one should see at least once in a life.
  14. Georgia is a land of traditions. Friendship and hospitality have a high value for Georgians. According to the Georgian proverb, every guest is God-sent. You can count on Georgians to welcome even strangers.
  15. Georgian food is an expression of its culture. Georgian cuisine is probably the most important attraction of the country. The traditional Georgian feast is an integral element of its culture. Georgians have managed to make their cuisine not only magically delicious but also bright, original, exquisite, unique, and unforgettable.
  16. The Georgian table or Supra (tablecloth) is a true backbone of Georgian social culture. It unites all the main cornerstones – wine, the Georgian Orthodox Church, Cuisine folk songs, poetry dance, and hospitality. The traditional leader of the supra is the Tamada, or toastmaster, who is vital to Supra because Supras revolve entirely around the toasts. Cheers – Gagimarjos!
  17. Georgia is a natural paradise with the towering Caucasus Mountains and diverse terrains including raging rivers, healing spring waters, lavish valleys, a Black Sea coast, and even a desert. Also, the smiled subtropical climate, glorious mountains, sunny seaside, magnificent churches, and ancient fortresses enrich the Georgian landscape with architectural splendor and make Georgia an attractive tourist destination.