Georgia

General Information:

Common Name: Georgia
Capital: Tbilisi
Official Languages: Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, other 7%
Government: Republic
Independence: 26 May 1918 note - 26 May 1918 was the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 9 April 1991 was the date of independence from the Soviet Union
President: Mikheil Saakashvili
Prime Minister: Nikoloz Gilauri
Religion: Orthodox Christian 83.9%, Muslim 9.9%, Armenian-Gregorian 3.9%, Catholic 0.8%, other 0.8%, none 0.7%

Population: 4,615,807 (2009 est.)
Area: 69,700 sq km ( slightly smaller than South Carolina )
Terrain: Largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhet'is Dablobi (Kolkhida Lowland) opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River Basin in the east; good soils in river valley flood plains, foothills of Kolkhida Lowland
Climate: Warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast
Natural Resources: Forests, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper, minor coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for important tea and citrus growth

Visa Required for Americans: No

Public Holidays:

1 Jan New Year's Day
7 Jan Orthodox Christmas
19 Jan Orthodox Epiphany/Baptism
3 Mar Mothers' Day
8 Mar Women's Day
4 Apr Orthodox Easter
5 Apr Orthodox Easter Monday
26 May Independence Day
28 Aug Mariamoba (Day of the Virgin Mary)
14 Oct Svetitskhovloba (Georgian Orthodox Festival)
23 Nov Giorgoba (St George's Day)

Food and beverage:

National specialities:

Walnuts feature in sauces and soups. They are also used in desserts, coated in caramelised sugar, gozinaki, or in churchkhela, when they are threaded on string then dipped in thickened, sweetened grape juice which is subsequently dried into chewy, flavoursome ‘candles’
Lobio (bean and walnut salad)
Marinated aubergines, pkhali, made from young spinach leaves pounded together with spices
Khachapuri, consisting of layers of flat bread alternated with melting cheese
Basturma (cured meat and assorted fresh and pickled vegetables).

National drinks:

Kindzmareuli, a fruity, red wine, is reputed to have been Stalin’s favourite tipple
Akhasheni and Teliani are two of the commoner red wines, fruity and dry respectively
Tsinandali is a dry white wine, as is Gurdzhaani.