38 Lesser Known Interesting Fun Facts about Georgia Country

(Last Updated On: February 28, 2022)

There are many interesting facts about Georgia country you will love to know about. Georgia, also known as Georgian Sakartvelo, is a Transcaucasia nation located at the eastern end of the Black Sea on the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains’ main crest. Russia borders it on the north and northeast, Azerbaijan on the east and southeast, Armenia and Turkey on the south, and the Black Sea on the west. This article will feature more interesting facts about Georgia country like this. Keep going.

Georgia is divided into three ethnic enclaves: Abkhazia (main city Sokhumi), Ajaria (primary city Batumi), and South Ossetia (principal city Sokhumi) (principal city Tskhinvali). Tbilisi is Georgia’s capital (Tiflis).

Georgians have profound historical origins, and their cultural legacy is similarly ancient and rich. A powerful Georgian kingdom flourished throughout the medieval period, peaking during the 10th and 13th centuries. This is really one of the interesting facts about Georgia country.

Georgia was acquired by the Russian Empire in the 19th century after a long era of Turkish and Persian dominance. Georgia was an autonomous state from 1918 until 1921 when it was absorbed by the Soviet Union.

Georgia became a component (union) republic in 1936 and remained such until the Soviet Union collapsed. Georgia’s economy was developed and diversified throughout the Soviet era. Georgia proclaimed statehood on November 19, 1989, and independence on April 9, 1991, making it one of the most pro-independence nations in the world.

Georgia had a period of instability and civil upheaval in the 1990s, with the toppling of the first post-independence administration and the emergence of separatist groups in South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Interesting facts about Georgia country

Let’s read out the following interesting facts about Georgia country for your fun and learning.

1. Sakartvelo (“land of Kartvelians”) is a Georgian native name that originated from the Kartli area in central Georgia. It was first mentioned in the 9th century, and by the 13th century, it had expanded to include the whole medieval Kingdom of Georgia.

2. Sakartvelo is the name Georgians give to their homeland. The name is made up of two parts: Kartvel, which refers to a resident of the Kartli area in central Georgia, and sa-o, which stands for a generic geographic designation that means “place where the Kartveli live.” There are other hypotheses as to where the English name of the nation came from, but most believe that it is taken from the Persian and Turkish versions of the name George, Gorj and Gurju, which was derived from the Russian word Gruzia.

3. On the Voyager spacecraft, a recording of Chakrulo, a Georgian folk song commonly sung at festivals and festivities, was transmitted into space. The Golden Record has 115 analog photographs, numerous natural noises, traditional music from throughout the world, and spoken greetings in 59 languages. It’s like a message in a bottle, greeting any potential life forms who could come upon the probe.

4. Georgian language, Georgian Kartuli ena, is the official language of Georgia. It contains various dialects, which are commonly split into East Georgian and West Georgian groupings. Keep going for more interesting facts about Georgia country!

5. Mtskheta, Georgia’s historic city and former capital, Gelati Monastery, and the hilly area of Upper Svaneti are all recognized on Unesco’s World Heritage list. Despite the fact that these are great settings, there are 15 more sites on a preliminary list that might be considered for a World Heritage Site candidacy in the future.

6. An archaeological expedition to a site in Dmanisi discovered the Caucasus’ oldest human skulls, some dating back to 1.8 million years, indicating that Georgia may be home to one of the world’s oldest societies. Despite the fact that six skulls were discovered, two of them were given the Georgian names Zezva and Mzia, and artists strove to recreate their look.

7. While there was significant risk during the Russo-Georgian War a decade ago, Georgia is currently a safe place to visit. Georgia was ranked the seventh safest country in the world by the International Crime Index in 2017!

8. One of the country’s earliest Jewish communities was found in Georgia. It’s worth emphasizing that Georgian Jews have a 2,600-year history, whereas Ashkenazi Jews moved to Georgia after the Russian conquest in the 19th century. A huge majority of Georgian Jews currently live in Israel, thanks to a large wave of emigration in the 1990s.

9. Georgians are volatile people who can be quickly angered. They commonly speak swear words to one other as a joke, but if you are a foreigner who is not in a close, friendly relationship with a Georgian, especially a woman, you should never say a swear word to her. Georgians are a patriarchal society where women are held in great regard.

10. At 2,345m (7,694ft) and 2,100m (6,890ft), respectively, above sea level, the villages of Bochorna and Ushguli are among Europe’s highest permanent settlements. Both are found in mountainous locations with short summers and snowy, brisk winters.

11. Shota Rustaveli was a medieval Georgian poet and the country’s most important literary figure. Since middle school, every citizen has been taught his Knight in the Panter’s Skin, national epic poetry. For many Georgians, it is the ‘second Bible,’ promoting friendship, love, loyalty, and respect among individuals.

12. The oldest habitation of the land of modern-day Georgia dates back to c. 1.8 million years ago, as evidenced by the Dmanisi excavations in the country’s south-eastern region. This is the world’s oldest evidence of people outside of Africa.

13. When speaking with a Georgian, one guideline to remember is to never claim that Georgia is Russia, that it is the same as Russia, or anything similar. For decades, Georgia was subjugated and ruled by Russia, but it never gave up and sought to oppose the oppression as much as it could.

14. Georgia is sometimes confused with the state of Georgia in the United States, which is unsurprising given that the state is more well-known than the country in many locations. Georgians will not be as outraged as if you made a comparison to Russia, but be aware that this is a common mistake.

15. Furthermore, Russia has occupied two areas of Georgia, Abkhazia, and Ossetia, for years. So try to steer clear of any discussion about international relations, or at least be as diplomatic as possible about it.

16. Georgia is considered the origin of winemaking, having produced wine for over 8,000 years. Georgians discovered that if grape juice was placed into enormous clay pots, known as qvevri, and buried underground during the winter, it would change into wine. The ancient Georgian winemaking process of qvevri has been added to Unesco’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

17. Georgia’s official state religion has been Christianity since the 4th century. The Catholicus-Patriarch Mtskheta-Tbilissi Ilia II is the current Head of the Church in Georgia. He is the spiritual leader of Georgia’s 5,000 congregations.

18. The Georgian language is one of the world’s most distinctive languages, with its own alphabet. Though the Georgian alphabet has had several variations – Asomtavruli, Nuskhuri, and Mkhedruli, to name a few — the latter is the traditional 33-letter script used by modern Georgians. The Georgian Orthodox Church is the sole user of Asomtavruli and Nuskhuri. Standard Georgian, on the other hand, is based on the Kartvelian dialect, one of 14 distinct scripts in the Georgian alphabet.

19. Georgians despise being labeled as Russians, and the feeling grew even stronger during the five-day Georgian-Russian conflict in 2008, which is one of the crazy interesting facts about Georgia country.

20. Surprisingly, the natives do not refer to their motherland as Georgia. In the native language, Georgians refer to their nation as Saqartvelo. The name Georgia’s origins are likewise mostly unclear. However, one theory is that throughout the Middle Ages, Christians thought of St. George as the country’s patron saint. Apparently, the moniker remained.

21. Mtskheta and Kutaisi, both historical Georgian capitals, are among the oldest cities in Europe. From 1008 to 1122 CE, Kutaisi was the capital of the United Kingdom of Georgia, and from the 15th century until 1810 CE, it was the capital of the Imeretian Kingdom. Mtskheta, on the other hand, is best recognized as the capital of the early Georgian Kingdom of Iberia, as well as the site of Georgia’s conversion to Christianity in 326CE.

22. Mongols brought khinkali, a Georgian national dish of pork dumplings, to Georgia in the 13th century. Georgian Khinkali is thought to have evolved from xiaolongbao, a Taiwanese dumpling soup, but Georgians gave it their unique spin and made it their own.

23. Georgia is strategically located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. The country’s natural attractions include the Black Sea beaches and the majestic Caucasus Mountain Range. Georgia’s vital location on the old Silk Road trade route, however, has drawn the attention of neighboring countries and empires for millennia. Turkey, Russia, and the erstwhile Persian Empire were all interested in a piece of Georgian cake.

24. Georgia has practically every sort of climate, from subtropical to alpine to semi-arid, and its terrain, with 49 distinct types of soil, is ideal for agriculture. The Georgian biosphere is thus one of the most environmentally diversified on the planet. Though the nation is home to a diverse range of species, deep woods comprise 43 percent of the land and are home to lynxes, bears, and a small number of leopards.

25. Although you may not have Georgian labels in your cellar, the country is often regarded as the birthplace of wine. Georgians are thought to have started making wine as early as 8000 years ago but in their own unique method.

26. Georgian has various dialects, and its alphabet is unlike anything else you’ll find anywhere else in the world. It dates back to the mid-4th century, much like the rest of Georgia. This is a difficult one to grasp, but take solace in the fact that many young Georgians are more fluent in English than in Russian.

27. Khinkali (Georgian Dumplings), Badrijani Nigvzit, Lobio (Bean Soup), Qababi (Kebabs), Dolmas, Chakapuli, Mtsvadi (Meat Skewers), and Satsivi are some of the traditional Georgian cuisines.

28. Georgian has various dialects, and its alphabet is unlike anything else you’ll find anywhere else in the world. It dates back to the mid-4th century, much like the rest of Georgia. This is a difficult one to grasp, but take solace in the fact that many young Georgians are more fluent in English than in Russian.

29. Khinkali (Georgian Dumplings), Badrijani Nigvzit, Lobio (Bean Soup), Qababi (Kebabs), Dolmas, Chakapuli, Mtsvadi (Meat Skewers), and Satsivi are some of the traditional Georgian cuisines, which is one of the interesting facts about Georgia country.

30. Vardzia, a fortress-monastery-palace complex built out of and beneath the Erusheti Mountain in the south, is Georgia’s own otherworldly cave town. Georgia’s Queen Tamar ordered the site’s construction in the 13th century as a shelter from the Mongol Empire’s raids. Upon completion, it offered an astounding 13 floors of 6000 rooms (complete with a bakery, chapel, and wine cellars), a self-sustaining irrigation system, and royal suites. Sadly, barely a century later, an earthquake destroyed more than two-thirds of the city.

31. In the nineteenth century, Russia seized the nation. Georgia did not win independence from the Soviet Union until much later.

32. It is not acceptable to not drink in Georgia. Every event, whether it’s a casual get-together, a birthday party, or a dinner, is marked by wine and excessive drinking. As a result, if you state you don’t like to drink, everyone will be astonished, if not shocked. Georgians are perplexed as to how someone could not enjoy drinking. Simply be polite and sip the beverage a little at a time to avoid constant requests for you to take a drink.

33. Despite centuries of domination of the Middle East and the Russian Empire, Georgians are proud of their country and what they have done. It is regarded as one of the friendliest countries, with residents who are passionate about their wine and cuisine.

34. Georgians are deeply religious, with Orthodox Christianity being practiced by 83.4 percent of the population. When it comes to religion, you don’t want to be a part of this heated debate, especially if you’re speaking with someone who is deeply devout.

35. Georgia is recognized for its polyphonic singing culture, which was included on the Unesco list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008. There are four distinct varieties of polyphony: complicated polyphony, which is popular in Svaneti; polyphonic conversation over a bass backdrop, which is popular in Kakheti; and contrasting polyphony, which is popular in western Georgia and consists of three largely improvised sung parts.

36. Georgian culture is a strange, intriguing, and ancient civilization that dates back millennia. Georgia’s ethnic identity has been affected by elements of Anatolian, European, Persian, Arabian, Ottoman, and Far Eastern civilizations, resulting in one of the world’s most distinctive and friendly cultures.

37. Gudauri, Georgia’s ski resort, is a great place to go to heliskiing because of the plentiful powder, magnificent vistas, and big open slopes. Gudauri is a new ski destination that offers all of the benefits of major European resorts without the crowds. If you’re not an adrenaline addict, don’t worry: Gudauri still has terrific slopes for beginners and intermediate skiers, and snowboarders.

38. Georgians have long thought that their country is where wine is born. Fortunately, the claim has lately been validated by academics. Wine is an important component of the culture and traditions of this country. It’s regarded as a national beverage, and the old techniques of manufacturing wine in clay jars have been designated as UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Hopefully, you have enjoyed these interesting facts about Georgia country!