| GEORGIA | | | | Christian faith in great population proportions of |
| Population: 5 million (UN, 2005) | | | | almost 85%, with traditions that venerates, |
| Capital: Tbilisi | | | | cherishes, and treats women with courtliness, |
| Area: 69,700 sq km (26,911 sq miles) | | | | Georgia is one of the most women-friendly places |
| Major languages: Georgian, Russian | | | | and societies in the world. Highly tolerant of other |
| Major religion: Christianity | | | | beliefs, Islam is widely and freely practised |
| Life expectancy: 66 years (men), 74 years | | | | throughout the nation, as well as |
| (women) (UN) | | | | Armenian-Gregorian Orthodox (3.9%), Catholic |
| Monetary unit: 1 lari = 100 tetri | | | | (less than 1%), and Jewish. Cathedrals, churches, |
| Georgia is the part of the world God has | | | | mosques and synagogues are characteristically |
| reserved for Himself with its unparalleled natural | | | | sheltered in similarly communal areas. |
| beauty enhanced with the hands of loving | | | | ATTRACTIONS |
| Georgians. Georgia is in the heart of Asia, but its | | | | Georgia has maintained little contact with the |
| heart is in Europe. And although it is a nation not | | | | outside world, and up until the United States |
| as renowned or acknowledged as perhaps the | | | | strategic friendship with the country, their culture |
| most famous Georgian to date Joseph Stalin, | | | | has remained unchanged for centuries. Indeed, |
| Georgia is a country much more loved and | | | | attractions equal satisfaction, more than ever to |
| celebrated. From the Greek Mythology, Georgia is | | | | the non-package tourist who can enjoy the early |
| the site of Jason's Golden Fleece. Georgia is not | | | | 5th Century basilicas of Bolnisi and Urbnisi and |
| exactly your mainstream tourist destination, but | | | | many other architectural feats of the 11th |
| this small land of Kartvelians has the elements for | | | | through 13th centuries. Speaking of cathedrals, the |
| potentially becoming an ideal getaway for the | | | | Tbilisi Sameba Cathedral is one the traveller |
| alternative independent traveller. The food is | | | | shouldn't miss especially its 5 underground chapels |
| great, the drink even better, and people's | | | | beneath Elia Hill. Breathtaking, jaw-dropping, and |
| hospitality are off-the-charts, with a multiplicity of | | | | knee-weakening are sturdy impressions on the |
| amazing off-the-beaten-path options at super low | | | | elegant edifices from St. George's golden statue, |
| low costs. Most travellers might also find it | | | | to the parliament, to basic music schools have |
| comforting that Georgia is one of the earliest | | | | nothing "basic" about their designs. Now, I clearly |
| Christian nations, from 330 AD until the present | | | | understand how Georgia puts a different meaning |
| time.While the oldest person in the world, Antisa | | | | to "beauty" and "opulence". |
| Kvichava born in 1880 is Georgian, she stands no | | | | Three hours from the capital is an entirely |
| comparison to the millennia-old culture and | | | | different world offered by Kazbegi, a sleepy |
| civilizations that have long existed way ahead of | | | | mountain town 1,750 metres above the sea. |
| her. There perhaps is some crucial reason why in | | | | Metekhi is the historical district of the whole of |
| all the years she exists, she opted to stay where | | | | Georgia with a church built by legendary |
| her homeland is, and looking through her eyes, | | | | Demetrius II. For a relaxing afternoon, Narikela is |
| this is what the rest of the world needs to see. | | | | the place to be for its sulphur baths and botanical |
| GEOGRAPHY | | | | gardens teeming with rich natural beauty, but as |
| Georgia is strategically located east of the Black | | | | old as this place is like the 4th century fortress, |
| Sea, at the Great Caucasus Mountains (42 00 N, | | | | Narikela is also a place to enjoy a laidback |
| 43 30 E) making it largely mountainous to the | | | | afternoon while sipping aromatic coffee on its |
| north, as well as in the south with Lesser | | | | scores of cafes. Georgian grapes are also a |
| Caucasus Mountains, all 69,700 km2 of it. The | | | | diverse speciality in Kakheti, Georgia's lovely wine |
| incredibly high Gora Kazbek is the summit of | | | | country, not just heaving with hundreds of kinds |
| Georgia at an altitude of 5,048 metres above sea | | | | of grapes, but also historic sites including like the |
| level. Lowlands roll in from the foothills of the | | | | Davit Gareja cave monastery. But, the |
| Kolkhida Lowland in the west, to the east at the | | | | consummate feature of an adventure to Georgia |
| Mtkavri River Basin, where river valley plains finally | | | | is a trek or hike to the Caucasus Mountains, to its |
| rest. The landscape also includes beautiful lush | | | | green highland pastures, immaculate forest |
| temperate rainforests that cover 40% of | | | | scenery, and fairytale view from the |
| Georgia's territory, as well as snow zones and | | | | snow-capped summit. |
| glaciers. | | | | FOOD |
| CLIMATE | | | | When it comes to food, though, any place or |
| The climate in Georgia is diverse but with two | | | | town in Georgia will make sure of a gastronomic |
| main climate zones, that is the East and the West. | | | | experience of a lifetime, being a nation with its |
| The mountainous regions behold lower and cooler | | | | own culinary traditions and specialty. But when it |
| temperatures, while the overall general climate is | | | | comes to something the world will love, there are |
| in truth warm and pleasant. Thanks to the | | | | as compound meat dishes as there are |
| Caucasus Mountains that act as barrier and | | | | vegetarian dishes, something for everybody, |
| protect this small landmass from the cold air | | | | that's right. Georgian cuisine may have gained |
| masses from the north, and dry and hot air | | | | prestige in Soviet Republics, but as it has not been |
| masses from the south. The weather in Western | | | | reached areas of the world where most its |
| Georgia is Mediterranean-like to the Black Sea, | | | | people have gone, Georgia is simply the best way |
| while Eastern Georgia is subject to humid | | | | to be introduced to the food culture. |
| subtropical-continental climates, where winters are | | | | Khachapuri and khinkali are the country's national |
| freezing and summers are scorching hot. An | | | | dishes that come in many variations by itself. |
| escape to highlands and foothills, especially the | | | | Khachapuri is a cheese pie that can either be an |
| Caucus are suggested as perfect timing at the | | | | appetizer or a satisfying snack, while Khinkali is a |
| height of summer, where Tbilisi, the capital, and | | | | dumpling dish filled with meat, vegetables or both |
| the lowlands become insufferably warm. | | | | and savoury juices. Shashlik is a staple here, and |
| PEOPLE | | | | Georgians pack a mean happily grilled kebab. On |
| Georgians is the official address to the 4,615,807 | | | | the other hand, pirozkhi is a quick fix when the |
| citizens of Georgia, but the locals do not call | | | | traveller is out on the streets. This is a personal |
| themselves this. Georgians refer to themselves as | | | | size meat pastry with potatoes, cheese and other |
| Kartvelebiand Sakartvelo, their homeland, Georgia. | | | | fresh ingredients. The vegetable dish ajabsandali is |
| The Georgians or Kartvelians form 83.8% of the | | | | similar to ratatouille with versions as much as the |
| population, a relatively huge demographic, and the | | | | number of Georgian families. Meat stews, pasta, |
| Azeri, 6.5%. Armenians, as well, comprise the | | | | soup...they have a cuisine that will easily change |
| ethnic make-up of Georgia constituting 5.7% of | | | | your palate forever. Desserts here in Georgia like |
| the population, significantly higher than the Russian | | | | gonzinaqi, churchkhela, and pakhlava are generally |
| demographic 1.5%. The remainder 2.5% of the | | | | nut-based and are eaten as snacks, and only |
| population are so diverse from Chinese to Greeks | | | | frequently after meal in celebrations or feasts. |
| to Turks, to Ukrainians and so on. | | | | To say Georgian food is heavenly is even an |
| LANGUAGE | | | | understatement. Ingredients from vegetables, |
| Corresponding to these facts, Georgia is, thus, a | | | | fruits, to meat are unbeatable in terms of |
| nation of linguistic diversity, with two official | | | | freshness and flavour. Just a couple of eat-iquette |
| working languages, Georgian and Abkhaz, the | | | | reminders and the traveller can celebrate in |
| latter mostly used in the region of Abkhazia. | | | | Georgian festivities. Wine is for toasting, beer is |
| GEORGIAN is widely used, 80% of the population | | | | not because this act means betrayal. This is an |
| to be exact, while as a former Soviet, RUSSIAN | | | | efficient CIA code of behaviour to know where |
| speakers shares 9% of the linguistic make-up. A | | | | an individual is from. If they don't toast beer, |
| sizeable number speak ARMENIAN (87%) and | | | | you're drinking with a Georgian. On top of that, |
| AZERI (6%), while the 7% are minor languages. | | | | eating the top hat of the khinkali is evidently a |
| RELIGION | | | | show of severe poverty. |
| As among the fundamental nations to uphold the | | | | |