Facts about Georgia: history, symbols, numbers
Where Georgia is and which countries it borders, how many people live here, what time it is in Tbilisi, what the flag and coat of arms show and who founded Tbilisi.
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What happened to Abkhazia, and what is its status under Georgian law?
In Soviet times Abkhazia was an autonomous republic within the Georgian SSR, and after the armed conflict of 1992-1993 the Georgian authorities lost control of it.
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What time is it in Tbilisi and Batumi, and what is the difference with Moscow?
All of Georgia, including Tbilisi and Batumi, is on one time zone, UTC+4, one hour ahead of Moscow.
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Why did Georgia leave the CSTO?
Georgia took part in the Collective Security Treaty from the mid-1990s, but in 1999, when the treaty was due for renewal, it declined to extend it, as did Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan.
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Where did Pushkin visit in Georgia?
Alexander Pushkin visited Georgia in 1829 on his way to the Caucasian War front, described in 'A Journey to Arzrum'.
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What was Georgia's Rose Revolution, and why is it called that?
The Rose Revolution refers to mass peaceful protests in Georgia in November 2003 after parliamentary elections that the opposition said were rigged.
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Who was the first president of Georgia?
Georgia's first president was Zviad Gamsakhurdia, elected by popular vote on 26 May 1991.
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Which is correct: Georgia or the Republic of Georgia?
Under the Constitution, the country's official name is simply Georgia, Sakartvelo in Georgian; 'Republic of Georgia' was used in the early 1990s and is no longer official.
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What natural resources does Georgia have?
Georgia's main mineral resource is manganese: the Chiatura deposit is one of the largest in the world.
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How old is Kutaisi?
Kutaisi is one of Europe's oldest continuously inhabited cities, with a history of more than 3,000 years.
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How high above sea level is Tbilisi?
Tbilisi lies at roughly 380 to 770 metres above sea level: the lowest districts are along the Kura, and the highest point is Mount Mtatsminda.
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Why did Georgia leave the CIS?
Georgia decided to leave the Commonwealth of Independent States in August 2008, after the war with Russia, and parliament voted unanimously to withdraw.
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How do ordinary people live in Georgia, and what is the standard of living?
Georgia's average salary in the second quarter of 2026 was about 2,400 GEL a month according to the National Statistics Office, but most people earn much less, with a median of about 900-1,000 GEL.
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What happened in Tbilisi on 9 April 1989?
On the night of 9 April 1989, Soviet troops dispersed a peaceful pro-independence rally outside Government House on Rustaveli Avenue.
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How big is Georgia, and which is larger: Georgia, Armenia or Azerbaijan?
Georgia covers about 69,700 square kilometres.
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How old is Batumi?
A settlement has existed on Batumi's site since antiquity; the ancient Greeks called the harbour Bathys, meaning 'deep'.
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Who were Queen Tamar, Shota Rustaveli and other heroes of Georgian history?
Queen Tamar ruled Georgia in the late 12th and early 13th centuries, the country's golden age, and the poet Shota Rustaveli lived at her court and wrote 'The Knight in the Panther's Skin'.