Nation profile Georgia – BBC Information

Positioned on the strategically essential crossroads between Europe and Asia, Georgia has a singular and historic cultural heritage and is known for its traditions of hospitality and delicacies.

Over the centuries, Georgia was the topic of rivalry between Persia, Turkey and Russia earlier than it was lastly annexed by Russia within the 19th century.

Since Georgia emerged as an impartial state from the collapsed Soviet Union in 1991, it has as soon as once more turn out to be the scene of conflicting pursuits.

The rising U.S. financial and political affect within the nation has lengthy been a priority for neighboring Russia, as have Georgia's aspirations to affix NATO and the EU.

Strained relations with Russia had been additional exacerbated by Moscow's help for the separatist areas of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which led to a quick conflict in 2008.

President: Salome Zourabichvili

Salome Zurabishvili first rose to prominence in 2004 when President Mikheil Saakashvili appointed her overseas minister. She beforehand served as ambassador to France, the place she was born to Georgian émigrés and labored within the French diplomatic service earlier than receiving Georgian citizenship.

However she quickly turned towards the president, accusing him of being a “dictator,” though she remained impartial of the Georgian Dream occasion, which defeated Mr. Saakashvili within the 2012 election.

Georgian Dream has since diminished the presidency to a ceremonial workplace, and all future presidents are anticipated to be elected by an electoral faculty reasonably than the general public.

Ms Zourabichvili ran for the put up as an impartial in 2018 with the help of Georgian Dream and beat pro-Saakashvili opposition challenger Grigol Vashadze within the runoff.

Prime Minister: Irakli Garibashvili (resigned)

Prime Minister Iraqi Garibashvili introduced his resignation in January 2024, saying he needed to present his successor time to organize for parliamentary elections in October 2024.

Garibashvili mentioned he was supplied the put up of chief of the ruling Georgian Dream occasion as a substitute.

Georgian media have reported that Iraqi Kobakhidze, the present chief of the Georgian Dream, might succeed Garibashvili as prime minister.

Observers say the change in prime minister is unlikely to convey any coverage modifications and was primarily geared toward shoring up the governing bloc forward of elections.

Tv is the preferred medium, though on-line media is on the rise as information sources.

The structure gives for freedom of speech, and journalists typically criticize officers. Freedom Home says the media is “sturdy and aggressive, however typically partisan.”

Some essential dates in Georgia's historical past:

11th century – The Georgian Kingdom is politically unified below the Bagrationi dynasty.

12th-13th century – The Kingdom of Georgia reaches its peak in the course of the reign of David IV (r. 1089-1125) and his great-granddaughter Tamar (r. 1184-1213).

C. 1220-1330s – Mongol invasions and occupations of the Caucasus.

1299-1302 – George V of Georgia defeats the Mongols and restores the Georgian Kingdom. After his loss of life, Georgia disintegrated politically and collapsed within the 15th century.

16th-18th century – Safavid Iran (and the next Iranian Afsharid and Qajar dynasties) and Ottoman Turkey subjugate the jap and western components of Georgia.

1801-1804 – Most of as we speak's Georgia turns into a part of the Russian Empire.

1879 – Probably the most well-known Georgian in historical past, the long run Soviet chief Iosif Dzhugashvili (Joseph Stalin), is born within the metropolis of Gori.

1918 – After the Russian Revolution, an impartial Georgian state is proclaimed.

1921 – The Pink Military invades, Georgia is integrated into the rising Soviet Union.

1956 – Protests towards Soviet chief Nikita Khrushchev's de-Stalinization insurance policies attain violent proportions and spark requires secession from the us; They’re brutally crushed by Soviet forces.

1989 – Calls for for extra autonomy in South Ossetia result in violent clashes between Georgians and Ossetians. Soviet – later Russian – peacekeepers are deployed.

1990-92 – After a number of outbreaks of violence, South Ossetia declared its intention to interrupt away from Georgia in 1992 and declared its independence. Sporadic violence between irregular Georgian forces and Ossetian fighters will proceed till an settlement is reached on the deployment of Georgian, Ossetian and Russian peacekeepers.

1991 – Georgia's parliament declares secession from the Soviet Union after independence was overwhelmingly supported in a referendum.

1992-93 – Georgia-Abkhazia Battle: Georgia sends troops to Abkhazia to cease secession efforts. Fierce preventing ends with the expulsion of Georgian forces from Abkhazia. As much as 30,00zero individuals die. Earlier than the conflict, Georgians made up nearly half of Abkhazia's inhabitants, however as much as 250,00zero Georgians and others had been displaced, successfully halving Abkhazia's inhabitants.

1994 – The Georgian authorities and Abkhazian separatists signal a ceasefire settlement, paving the best way for the deployment of a Russian peacekeeping pressure within the area.

2001– Clashes in Abkhazia between Abkhazian troops and Georgian paramilitaries supported by fighters from the North Caucasus. Rigidity escalates as Russia accuses Georgia of harboring Chechen rebels, an accusation denied by Georgia.

2004 – A number of deaths had been reported in clashes between Georgian and South Ossetian forces.

2006 – South Ossetians vote for independence in unrecognized referendum.

2008 – Tensions between Georgia and Russia are escalating into full-scale army battle as Georgia makes an attempt to retake South Ossetia by pressure following low-level clashes with Russian-backed rebels.

Russian forces counterattack and push Georgian troops out of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. After 5 days of preventing, each side signal a peace settlement brokered by France. Russia acknowledges each South Ossetia and Abkhazia as impartial states – only a few different international locations do.

Russia says it’ll preserve its army presence in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

2014 – The European Union and Georgia signal an Affiliation Settlement – ​​a far-reaching commerce partnership settlement.

2015 – Russian forces in South Ossetia are pushing the inner border 1.5 km additional into Georgia, threatening the principle street connecting the west and east of the nation.

2017 – The breakaway area of South Ossetia will maintain presidential elections and a referendum on altering its identify to the “State of Alania” as a part of a plan to affix the Russian Federation.

2022 – After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Georgia turns into a short lived house for a lot of Russian exiles.

2023 – Georgian Prime Minister Iraqi Gharibashvili is drawing criticism at house and overseas for saying NATO growth was one of many most important causes for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Georgia achieves its long-standing purpose of acquiring EU candidate standing.