Georgia

Georgia The country beeing the crossroad of Europe and Asia, has a cultural heritage beeing famous as a unique and ancient place. This land of magnificant sights can offer you, a capital city with hospitality and an old world architecture, the area of wine-making called Kakheti or places like Meskheti and Javakheti where you will find amazing ancient castles and fortresses. It that is not enough for you, you can go hiking, or explore the Cave city, which is a very cultural symbol, turned from military complex to a religious one instead.

Area: 69.510 Km²
Population: 4.989.000 (2001 est.)
Density: 72 pop/Km²

System of government: Presidential Republic
Capital: T'bilisi (1.342.000 pop.)
Major cities: K'ut'aisi 165.000 pop., Bat'umi 100.000 pop., Rust'avi 95.000 pop., Sokhumi 70.000 pop.
Ethnic majority: Georgian 70%, Armenian 7%, Russian 6%
Border countries: Russia NORTH, Turkey and Armenia SOUTH, Azerbaijan SOUTH-EAST

Principal mountains: Mount Shkhara 5201 m
Principal rivers: Kura 1520 Km (total, with azerbaijani and turkish tracts)
Principal lakes: -
Principal islands: -
Climate: Continental

Language: Georgian (official), Russian, Armenian, Azeri
Religion: Georgian Orthodox 65%, Muslim 11%, Russian Orthodox 10%, Armenian Apostolic 8%
Currency: Lari (GEL)

Fixed public holidays: 1/1, 7/1, 19/1, 13/3, 26/5, 28/8, 14/10, 23/11
Dialling code: 00995
GMT: +4

World Heritage List:

• Bagrati Cathedral and Gelati Monastery (1994)
• Historical Monuments of Mtskheta (1994)
• Upper Svaneti (1996)