The gem of the Caucasus region! The country with magical views, high mountains, and beautiful beaches. Excellent wine makers, and with one of the oldest alphabet and languages in the world.. Let’s explore Georgia!
In today’s video, we will be covering one of the most underrated, yet beautiful countries in all of Europe. A nation full of culture, history, and delicious wine – it’s the country of Georgia! No, not the state Georgia located in the US, but the little country sitting right below Russia and east of Turkey. Yes, that one! See, you found it!
If it’s your first time hearing about this European nation, then you are not alone. Even though Georgia is one of the most unique countries and lands, it’s relatively unknown to most. Ask any Georgian and they will gladly tell you – their country is the home of wine, cheese and breathtaking Caucasus mountains that protect their lands from high above. A nation of mysterious castles, caves and its very own one-of-a-kind Georgian Pizza, called Khachapuri! That’s why I’m so excited and thrilled to deliver all the incredible information and fun facts about this small nation.
Quick Country Facts
First things first, let’s locate this small nation! Grab your globe, your map, or simply Google “Georgia country” and let’s see where we’ll be traveling to today. Located in the Caucasus region of Eastern Europe, Georgia borders Russia on its North side, Turkey on its West and Azerbaijan on its South-East part. Along with the Black Sea making it’s far-West border, we have just pinpointed this nation!
When we say Georgia is a small country – we really do mean it. Georgia stands proud covering around 69,700 square kilometers, or 26,911 square miles of land. Its capital city of Tbilisi, is the largest, bounding around 726 square kilometers, or 280 miles.
Georgia has a population of around 4 million people, most living in the capital city of Tbilisi. With 2021 estimates, Georgia’s nationwide population ranks on the 128th spot, out of the 195 nations of the world. Which is why it’s sometimes so rare to cross paths with a Georgian! But if you do have the chance, then you should feel honored, as Georgians are considered to be some of the most welcoming and hospitable citizens of the world.
Speaking of its people, the citizens of Georgia are called Georgians and the official language of this nation is Georgian. Pretty easy to remember, right? Well, even though Georgians make up around 87% of the nation’s population, Georgia is also the home to Armenians, Azerbaijanis, Russians and other citizens of the world.
Some of Georgia’s most popular destinations include, the capital city of Tbilisi, where century-old cultures meet modern advancements and trends. For that picture-perfect summer beach day, we suggest visiting the sea-resort city of Batumi. But if sky-high mountain tops are more your style, then check out the regions of Svaneti, Racha and Guria.
When first visiting this underrated country, you might notice stunning and gorgeous Christian Orthodox Churches occupying its land. And that is because the official religion of Georgia is Christianity. To be specific, Georgians practice Eastern Orthodox Christianity, similar to the nation of Greece and Cyprus.
Now, let’s check out Georgia’s flag! Red and white colors make up this one-of-a-kind flag, also known as the Five Cross Flag. Did you know, Georgia’s official flag is very modern and recent? Yep, this red-and-white flag was adopted in 2004, just 17 years ago!
And last but not least, let’s take a quick look at the currency. The national currency of Georgia is the Georgian Lari, simply referred to as Lari. One Lari is divided into 100 Tetri, similar to how One dollar is made up of 100 cents. The symbol for a Georgian Lari is the Georgian letter ‘L’, with two upright dashes .
History Segment
And just like that, we have covered the basics of this stunning and jaw-dropping nation. Now, let’s move on to the history segment of our video. Georgia is thought to have one of the oldest civilizations in the world, dating back to 1.7 to 1.8 million years! Fun fact: the earliest European human fossils were actually discovered in the southern region of Georgia, known as Dmanisi.
Many archeologists and scientists believe that Georgia was also the first country in the world to cultivate grape vines and begin wine production. Evidence dating back to 8,000 years, when wine jars were discovered on Georgian land. No wonder why Georgians are so proud of their wine culture!
Geographically speaking, Georgia was once divided into two distinct parts – the east, also known Iberian and the west – the Kolkhian. The Kingdom of Kartli, which was the first eastern Georgian state, was established and created by the first King of Georgia – King Parnavaz I, in 4th century B.C. It was actually King Parnavaz who helped create Georgia’s distinct and unique alphabet.
In 326 A.D. Georgia adapted its religion – Christianity, thanks to a female evangelist – Saint Nino. Ever since, religion has remained a major part in Georgia’s identity and culture. One century later, in the 5th century AD, original hagiographic literature was discovered to be written in the Georgian language. Around that time, in the 5th century AD, Kartli was invaded by Persians, which forced King Gorgasali to move the capital city from Mtskheta to Tbilisi. And that is how Georgia’s modern capital city was created and established.
When it comes to the history of this nation, we must mention the time period, when Georgia was at the height of its power. In the 11-12th centuries Georgia flourished like never before. The country was led by Davit IV, dubbed Davit ‘The Builder’, as he defeated the attacks of the Turks, and expelled them from the nation.
Georgia continued to thrive with the arrival of Queen Tamar in the late 1190s. Along with resisting the attacks of multiple invaders, Georgia went on to become victorious in the major battles of Shamkori and Basiani. It was during Queen Tamar’s reign, when the nation of Georgia was considered to be one of the strongest and powerful in all of the Caucasus region. And one last memorable piece of history we must mention about 12th century Georgia, is the acclaimed medieval poem that made waves worldwide. Author and poet Shota Rustaveli wrote ‘The Knight In The Panther’s Skin’, a medieval poem that to this day is a huge part of Georgia’s culture and national education program. Now, are you ready to hear about a very intriguing 12th century drama? Well, according to historians, Shota Rustaveli was actually in love with Queen Tamar during her reign. And as a sign of his admiration and respect, he wrote the entire poem dedicated to her! And I can’t even get a text back! How unfair, right?
Let’s fast forward a bit to Georgia’s recent history and its modern revolutions. In 1917, after decades of Russian domination, the Democratic Republic of Georgia was created. In 1920 Russia acknowledged Georgia’s independence, until 1921, when the Russian army invaded Tbilisi and forced Georgia to become a part of the Soviet Union. After nearly 70 years of being under Russia’s wing, Georgia managed to escape the USSR regime.
And on May 26th, 1991, Georgia regained its independence. Now, modern-era Georgia is led by female President Salome Zurabishvili, as the country continues to grow as a Democratic nation.
Fun Facts
Congratulations! We have just covered the history of Georgia and some of its memorable culture. Who knew learning history could be so fun and relaxing! Well, now that we know a thing or two about Georgia’s history, now let’s move on to my favorite segment! Here are some of the most fun, exciting and interesting facts about Georgia you can amaze your friends with!
- When it comes to Georgian cuisine – it’s very diverse. This nation actually has its own ‘kind’ of pizza, known as Khachapuri. But instead of tomato sauce and pepperoni, Khachapuri is made from dough, cheese and eggs! But just like the different types of Pizzas, there are many types of Khachapuri, named after the regions of Georgia they originated from.
- Have you ever had the feeling of wanting to describe something, but couldn’t find the right word? We’ve all been there. Well, Georgian is actually one of the most diverse languages in the world. If you want to describe the day after tomorrow – you can just say Zeg. I don’t know about you, but I’m definitely adding Zeg to my vocabulary!
- Here’s another interesting fact – A Georgian song has actually been sent to space! Along with 29 other musical arrangements and pieces, the Georgian folk song – Chakrulo was sent into space on Voyager 2 in 1977.
- Thanks to its reigning Kings and Queens, Georgia has over 100 castles and fortresses scattered around the country. These giant buildings protected Georgians from enemy invasions.
- Along with a rich array of main dishes, Georgia is also the home to the sweet snacks called Churchkhela. Made from walnuts, raisins and almonds dipped in sweet syrup and grape juice, once you get a taste of Churchkhela, you’ll never forget it!
Famous Culture & People
As you see, Georgia is a country definitely worth exploring. But what is this small nation most famous and known for? As we’ve seen, Georgia’s one-of-a-kind cuisine and language are definitely note-worthy. But you would be surprised to know that Georgia prides itself most on its hospitable and welcoming citizens. The nation actually has a saying that roughly translates into: ‘A guest is a gift from God’. So, if you want to feel like a true superstar, we suggest booking a ticket and visiting Georgia!
What about some of the most famous people that have their roots in this Caucasus country? If you are a huge NBA fan, then you might recognize the Georgian basketball player – Zaza Pachulia who was a player for the Golden State Warriors and the Dallas Mavericks.
Did you also know that the Soviet Union leader – Joseph Stalin was Georgian? Born – Ioseb Jughashvili, the leader became Stalin at 34 after publishing political articles and journals under that name.
And finally, here is another famous face and stars you might recognize. If you love to scroll through TikTok videos on the phone, chances are you’ve come across Georgian rapper – Bera, and his wife Nanuka. The Georgian couple have made waves on social media platforms thanks to their unique and high quality videos. And with over 4.8 million fans and over 100 millions likes, Bera and Nanuka are true Georgian celebrities.
Closing
Well, here we have it guys! A quick, entertaining and informative overview of the nation Georgia. Now, you’ll have all the basic info to impress and amaze your friends and family! What did you think of the video? We would absolutely love it if you took time to write a comment down below. Tell us some things we didn’t mention about Georgia, and take the chance to educate your peers down in the comment section!
Also what country do you want to see next? As mentioned, we have no order here, we just ”go-with-the-flow” on this one. Give us some tips! And lastly, if you enjoyed this video and can’t wait for more. Make sure you subscribe to our channel, and turn notifications on, so we can see you soon again! Goodbye for now, or ”Nakhvamdis” as they say in Georgian!