Western Asia · AsiaGeorgia
Discover Georgia - the birthplace of wine, where the Caucasus Mountains meet ancient churches, the table is always full, and hospitality is a sacred duty spanning 8,000 years.
Where Is Georgia?
Georgia is a country in Western Asia. Its capital is Tbilisi.
- Capital Tbilisi
- Population 3.94M
- Area 69,700 km²
Georgia is where Europe and Asia collide in the most delicious way possible. Tucked between the Greater Caucasus mountains and the Black Sea coast, this small country has been producing wine for 8,000 years - making it the oldest wine-producing region on Earth. Georgians still ferment their wine in qvevri, large clay vessels buried underground, a technique so ancient and distinctive that UNESCO has listed it as intangible cultural heritage. When a Georgian invites you to dinner, prepare to sit for hours. A tamada (toastmaster) will guide you through dozens of elaborate toasts while plate after plate of food materializes.
The landscape is as dramatic as the hospitality is warm. The Caucasus mountains along the northern border hold peaks over 5,000 meters, with medieval stone watchtowers clinging to impossibly steep valleys in Svaneti. The capital Tbilisi is built into a gorge along the Mtkvari River, a layered cake of carved wooden balconies, Art Nouveau facades, Soviet blocks, and futuristic glass structures. Georgia has its own unique alphabet - one of only 14 in the world - and polyphonic singing so hauntingly beautiful that NASA included a Georgian folk song on the Voyager Golden Record sent into interstellar space. This is a country that has been invaded by Romans, Persians, Arabs, Mongols, Turks, and Russians, and somehow come through with its language, alphabet, wine, and identity entirely intact.
At a glance
Largest cities in Georgia
Tbilisi
Batumi
Kutaisi
Mestia
Famous people from Georgia
Shota Rustaveli
Literature12th-century poet who wrote The Knight in the Panther's Skin, the Georgian national epic and one of the great works of medieval literature
Niko Pirosmani
ArtSelf-taught painter whose naive-style works captured Georgian folk life and became national treasures, despite dying in poverty
Katie Melua
MusicGeorgian-British singer-songwriter who has sold over 11 million albums, once held the record for deepest underwater concert
Giorgi Kvirikashvili
PoliticsFormer Prime Minister who helped modernize Georgia's economy and strengthen ties with European institutions
Kakhi Kaladze
SportWon two Champions League titles with AC Milan and later became Mayor of Tbilisi, Georgia's most famous footballer
Traditional cuisine of Georgia
- Khachapuri
- Cheese-filled bread in various regional shapes, the Adjaran version shaped like a boat with egg and butter is Georgia's most iconic dish
- Khinkali
- Soup dumplings twisted at the top, filled with spiced meat and broth, eaten by hand and judged by how much juice they hold
- Pkhali
- Vegetable pates made from walnut paste with spinach, beet, or beans, spiced with garlic, coriander, and fenugreek
- Churchkhela
- Strings of walnuts dipped in thickened grape juice and dried, the candle-shaped Georgian snack called Churchkhela
- Lobio
- Rich kidney bean stew cooked in a clay pot with herbs, walnuts, and spices, a hearty staple of the Georgian table
Nature and landmarks in Georgia
- Greater Caucasus MountainsMountain
- Northern wall of peaks over 5,000 meters including Mount Shkhara at 5,193 m, with glaciers, alpine meadows, and medieval Svan towers
- Kazbegi (Stepantsminda)Mountain
- Dramatic mountain town beneath Mount Kazbek at 5,054 m, with the iconic Gergeti Trinity Church perched above the clouds
- Vashlovani National ParkNational Park
- Semi-arid badlands in eastern Georgia with striking rock formations, mud volcanoes, and steppe wildlife
- Martvili CanyonCanyon
- Turquoise-water canyon in western Georgia carved by the Abasha River, explored by boat through narrow limestone walls
- Black Sea CoastCoast
- Subtropical coastline around Batumi with tea plantations, citrus groves, and beach resorts backed by misty mountains
Sports in Georgia
- Rugby
- Georgia's rugby team, the Lelos, are a rising force in world rugby, regularly beating established European nations
- Wrestling
- Deep tradition in Georgian wrestling (Chidaoba) with multiple Olympic medals in freestyle and Greco-Roman
- Football
- Qualified for Euro 2024, a historic achievement, with passionate club support and a growing talent pipeline
Did you know?
Georgia has been making wine for 8,000 years, making it the oldest wine region on Earth - qvevri clay vessel winemaking is UNESCO-listed
The Georgian alphabet is one of only 14 unique writing systems in the world and has been granted UNESCO intangible heritage status
A Georgian folk song, Chakrulo, was included on the Voyager Golden Record sent into interstellar space in 1977
Tbilisi's name comes from the Georgian word tbili meaning warm, after the natural hot sulfur springs the city was built around
Georgian polyphonic singing, where multiple independent vocal parts create complex harmonies, dates back over 1,500 years
Georgia was one of the first countries in the world to adopt Christianity, in 337 CE
At a traditional Georgian feast called a supra, the tamada toastmaster may lead 20-30 elaborate toasts in a single evening
Can you find Georgia on a map?
Drop a pin where you think it is and see how close you got. A few rounds and you will place Georgia and its neighbours without a second thought.
