Many Ossetians living in Georgia left the country, mainly to Russia's North Ossetia. In 2018, more than 1.4million tourists from Russia visited Georgia. Georgia, or officially called the Democratic Republic of Georgia, is a country in the Southern Caucasus. [282][d] Georgia was also once home to significant ethnic German communities, numbering 11,394 according to the 1926 census. The head of supra is known as tamada. Meanwhile in Georgia, the communists terrorized dissidents, abolished democratic freedoms and persecuted the Church. [132] The transition was set to start with the October 2012 parliamentary elections and to be completed with the 2013 presidential elections. [30], Archaeological evidence indicates that Georgia has been the site of wine production since at least 6,000 BC, which over time played a role in forming Georgia's culture and national identity. The Georgian envoy in Saint Petersburg reacted with a note of protest that was presented to the Russian vice-chancellor Prince Kurakin. [82] Eduard Shevardnadze (Soviet Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1985 to 1991) returned to Georgia in 1992. Over. The new government's efforts to reassert Georgian authority in the southwestern autonomous republic of Adjara led to a major crisis in 2004. [334], This long history has provided a national narrative which encompasses the successful preservation of unique culture and identity in a consistent territory, despite external pressures. Macroeconomic Environment", "Services, value added (% of GDP) Georgia", "Georgia Poll Reflects Widespread Concern over Economic Issues", "Georgian National Tourism Administration Researches", "Russian Flight Ban Could Cost Georgia $300M, Experts Say", "Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway Line Officially Launched", "Kutaisi's airport: Georgia's opportunity", "ECMI European Centre For Minority Issues Georgia", "Population and Demography Population by cities and boroughs (daba), as of 1 January", "Main Results of the 2014 Census (Publication)", "Retro-projection of main demographic indicators for the period 19942014", Georgia: Ethnic Russians Say, "There's No Place Like Home", "International migrant stock 2019, 'by destination and origin', "Results of the 2010 All-Russian Population Census", "Immigrants by previous country of residence and usual place of residence", Russia: The IngushOssetian Conflict in the Prigorodnyi Region, World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples Uzbekistan: Meskhetian Turks, "Population by region, by native languages and fluently speak Georgian language", "The History of Georgian Orthodox Church", "Memorandum to the U.S. Government on Religious Violence in the Republic of Georgia (Human Rights Watch August 2001)", "Centralized university entrance examinations", "Gross enrollment ratio, primary, both sexes", "New Tbilisi.Gov.Ge ", "The role of cultural paradigms in Georgian foreign policy", "The 'Myth' of the Self: The Georgian National Narrative and Quest for 'Georgianness', "Go West: Georgia's European identity and its role in domestic politics and foreign policy objectives", "Georgia's Unfinished Search for Its Place in Europe", "Niko Pirosmani Short Biographical Information", "Media freedom in Eastern Partnership countries: Georgia tops list, Ukraine improves position", "The Untold Story of How "Chakrulo" Ended Up in Space", "Traditional winemaking in Georgia the oldest wine in the world", "Position Unchanged On Russian WTO Negotiations", Claude Saurel: Georgia's rugby revolution is only just starting, Population Dynamics in Georgia An Overview Based on the 2014 General Population Census Data, Association of Modern Scientific Investigation (AMSI), autonomous country of the Kingdom of Denmark, Commission against Racism and Intolerance, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Georgia_(country)&oldid=1141973874, States and territories established in 1991, Articles with dead external links from July 2022, Articles with dead external links from November 2010, Articles with incomplete citations from June 2022, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from June 2022, Articles with dead external links from July 2017, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles with dead external links from June 2016, Wikipedia articles needing factual verification from March 2012, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia indefinitely move-protected pages, Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected pages, Articles containing Georgian-language text, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2023, Articles containing Persian-language text, Articles containing Classical Syriac-language text, Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text, Pages using multiple image with auto scaled images, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2023, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2016, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2015, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2016, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2016, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2008, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2023, Pages using Sister project links with hidden wikidata, Pages using Sister project links with default search, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica with Wikisource reference, Articles with MusicBrainz area identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Personal Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office on the Conflict Dealt with by the OSCE Minsk Conference, This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 21:09. [167] The majority of Georgians and politicians in Georgia support the push for NATO membership. [298], The most widespread language group is the Kartvelian family, which includes Georgian, Svan, Mingrelian and Laz. The common pheasant (also known as the Colchian Pheasant) is an endemic bird of Georgia which has been widely introduced throughout the rest of the world as an important game bird. In 2016, 2,714,773 tourists brought approximately US$2.16billion to the country. Additionally, Eastern European countries, especially former communist countries, have become the target of state-sponsored disinformation and propaganda, seeking to exploit societal and cultural wedge issues and strengthen extremist groups. [56], The rulers of regions that remained partly autonomous organized rebellions on various occasions. [169] Since 2014, GeorgiaNATO relations are guided by the Substantial NATOGeorgia Package (SNGP), which includes the NATOGeorgia Joint Training and Evaluation Centre and facilitation of multi-national and regional military drills. Georgia's flag has an important meaning and symbolism. [citation needed], Georgian ecclesiastic art is one of the most notable aspects of Georgian Christian architecture, which combines the classical dome style with the original basilica style, forming what is known as the Georgian cross-dome style. [226] The wettest periods generally occur during spring and autumn, while winter and summer months tend to be the driest. [225] Historically, the western portion of Georgia was known as Colchis while the eastern plateau was called Iberia.[226]. [328] Georgian culture enjoyed a renaissance and golden age of classical literature, arts, philosophy, architecture and science in the 11th century. Russian rule offered the Georgians security from external threats, but it was also often heavy-handed and insensitive. In general, the forests in eastern Georgia occur between 5002,000 metres (1,6406,562ft) above sea level, with the alpine zone extending from 2,0002,300 to 3,0003,500 metres (6,5627,546 to 9,84311,483ft). Against the expectations of the then ruling United National Movement (UNM) of president Mikheil Saakashvili, the 6-party opposition coalition around newly found Georgian Dream won the parliamentary elections in October 2012, bringing an end to nine years of UNM rule and marking the first peaceful, electoral, transfer of power in Georgia. [228], Much of western Georgia lies within the northern periphery of the humid subtropical zone with annual precipitation ranging from 1,0002,500mm (3998in), reaching a maximum during the Autumn months. South Ossetia is officially known by Georgia as the Tskinvali region, as it views "South Ossetia" as implying political bonds with Russian North Ossetia. [170], In September 2019, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that "NATO approaching our borders is a threat to Russia. Burkhard Herbote, tourism Hero. why were chinese railroad workers called jakes . President Saakashvili acknowledged the defeat of his party on the following day. [81], On 26 May, Zviad Gamsakhurdia was elected as the first President of independent Georgia. But the nonprofit organization was accused in Georgia courts of being a communist front, and King's inner circle considered it radical. And that is who Joe Biden is," the Georgia Republican said during an interview on. Thereafter, the kingdom declined and eventually disintegrated under the hegemony of various regional powers, including the Mongols, the Turks, and various dynasties of Persia. [351] Counterfeiting problems stem from mislabelling by foreign producers and falsified Georgian Wine labels on wines produced outside of Georgia and imported into Russia under the auspices of being Georgian produced. Since 2004 the Georgian Railways have been undergoing a rolling programme of fleet-renewal and managerial restructuring which is aimed at making the service provided more efficient and comfortable for passengers. [28][29] Archaeological finds and references in ancient sources also reveal elements of early political and state formations characterized by advanced metallurgy and goldsmith techniques that date back to the 7th century BC and beyond. Its economy is growing at 5 percent per year, and the country ranks ahead of the United States in economic . [153] Georgia also maintains political, economic, and military relations with France,[154] Germany,[155] Israel,[156] Japan,[157] South Korea,[158] Sri Lanka,[159] Turkey,[160] Ukraine,[161] the United States,[162] and many other countries. [120][121] Since the war, Georgia has maintained that Abkhazia and South Ossetia are occupied Georgian territories. [18][19] This term itself might have been established through the ancient Iranian appellation of the near-Caspian region, which was referred to as Gorgan ("land of the wolves").[18][20]. [222], Georgia is a mountainous country situated almost entirely in the South Caucasus, while some slivers of the country are situated north of the Caucasus Watershed in the North Caucasus. [98] Abkhaz forces opened a second front on 9 August by attacking the Kodori Gorge held by Georgia. The country covers an area of 69,700 square kilometres (26,900sqmi), and has a population of 3.7 million people. . This period also brought social and economic change to Georgia, with new social classes emerging: the emancipation of the serfs freed many peasants but did little to alleviate their poverty; the growth of capitalism created an urban working class in Georgia. 9 min read. It is unicameral and has 150 members, known as deputies, of whom 30 are elected by plurality to represent single-member districts, and 120 are chosen to represent parties by proportional representation. [250][251], As of 2001, 54 per cent of the population lived below the national poverty line but by 2006 poverty decreased to 34 per cent and by 2015 to 10.1 per cent. "[24] Before the 1995 constitution came into force, the country's official name was the Republic of Georgia (Georgian: , romanized: Sakartvelos Resp'ublik'a) and it is still sometimes referred to by that name. 1956 - Soviet troops . Georgia national basketball team qualified to EuroBasket during the last three tournaments since 2011. [281][c] The Georgian Jews are one of the oldest Jewish communities in the world. [226], The climate of Georgia is extremely diverse, considering the nation's small size. [353] Wrestling remains a historically important sport of Georgia, and some historians think that the Greco-Roman style of wrestling incorporates many Georgian elements. It was an "official" reason, but instability of economic relations with Russia is well known, as they use the economic ties for political purposes. The opposition made accusations of fraud, which the Georgian Dream denied. Georgia is a representative democracy governed as a unitary parliamentary republic. A communist state, also known as a Marxist-Leninist state, is a one-party state that is administered and governed by a communist party guided by Marxism-Leninism. There are several architectural styles for castles, towers, fortifications and churches. [80] In August 1991, Romania became the first country to recognize Georgia. Despite the revitalization of the Iberian monarchy, remaining Georgian lands were divided among rival authorities, with Tbilisi remaining in Arab hands. [264] In 2019, the number of international arrivals reached a record high of 9.3 million people[265] with foreign exchange income in the year's first three quarters amounting to over US$3 billion. ed., Nasmyth, Peter, I. Gagoshidze "The Achaemenid influence in Iberia" Boreas 19. Its Cold War with the United States (1947-1991) filled most of the 20th century with tension that extended throughout the world. Communist Party of Georgia ( Georgian: , Sakartvelos Komunisturi Partia) is a communist party in Georgia. The Global Coalition To Defeat ISIS U.S. Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority Arms Control and International Security Arms Control and International Security Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation The true total number of fungal species occurring in Georgia, including species not yet recorded, is likely to be far higher, given the generally accepted estimate that only about seven per cent of all fungi worldwide have so far been discovered. [306][c] 0.7 per cent of those recorded in the 2014 census declared themselves to be adherents of other religions, 1.2 per cent refused or did not state their religion and 0.5 per cent declared no religion at all. [351], The most popular sports in Georgia are football, basketball, rugby union, wrestling, judo, and weightlifting. [150], On 1 October 2021, former President Mikheil Saakashvili was arrested on his return from exile. Unified Communist Party of Georgia. Out of the deciduous species of trees, beech, oak, and hornbeam dominate. Georgia: in the mountains of poetry 3rd rev. However, subsequent Iranian and Ottoman invasions further weakened local kingdoms and regions. Cart; vintage milk bottle caps ", "NDI Poll: Economy Still Top Concern for Georgians; Support for NATO and EU Stable", "Substantial NATO-Georgia Package (SNGP)", "Lavrov: If Georgia Joins NATO, Relations Will Be Spoiled", "Russian FM Lavrov supports resumption of flights to Georgia as Georgians 'realised consequences' of June 20", "Europe | Bush praises Georgian democracy", "Visas: Council confirms agreement on visa liberalisation for Georgia", "Visas: Council adopts regulation on visa liberalisation for Georgians", "Georgia's PM Signs Application to Join the EU", "MoD Releases Details on Georgian Troops Wounded in May 13 Helmand Attack", "Georgia deploying 750 soldiers to Afghanistan", "Why Georgia sends troops to Afghanistan", "Georgian Soldier Succumbs to Injuries Suffered in Afghanistan", "Firing of traffic police force stands as a symbol of hope in Georgia | McClatchy", "Georgia's National Police Corruption Project", Building security in the Republic of Georgia, "Remarks by President Saakashvili at the CIS Summit in Tbilisi", "How Georgia Stamped Out Corruption on Campus", "Lessons from Georgia's fight against graft", "Georgia's Fight Against Corruption in Public Services Wins Praise", "Georgia's anti-corruption reforms stall amid political crisis and allegations of state capture", "Alternative report on the implementation by Georgia of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities in the region of Kvemo Kartli Tbilisi, 2008 p. 5859", "US, Britain, call for probe into May 26 events in Georgia", "Georgia: Police Used Excessive Force on Peaceful Protests | Human Rights Watch", "Tbilisi Mayor's Offers Protesters Alternative Venues for Rally", "Georgian Police Say 2 Killed in Protest Dispersal", "Audio, Video Recordings Implicate Protest Leaders to 'Plotting Violence', "Thousands gather for street protests against Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili", "PM Strongly Against of Marijuana Decriminalization", "Fighting back against Georgia's war on drugs", "Georgian Court Abolishes Fines For Marijuana Consumption", "Human Rights in the Occupied Territories of Georgia", "Abkhazia, S. Ossetia Formally Declared Occupied Territory", "The Law of Georgia on Occupied Territories (431-IIs)", 'Caucasus (region and mountains, Eurasia)', "Dramatic Double Sturgeon Discovery in Georgia", "Cybertruffle's Robigalia Observations of fungi and their associated organisms", "An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm", "Anthropogenic modification of forests means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity Supplementary Material", "U.S. Energy Informationa Administration "World Hydroelectricity Installed Capacity", "World Integrates Trade Solution Country Snapshot Georgia", "Briefing note for countries on the 2020 Human Development Report", "Briefing note for countries on the 2020 Human Development Report": Figure 1: Trends in Georgia's HDI component indices 20002019, Flat taxes could be a flash in the pan, IMF research says, "Frequently Asked Questions: I. [180] After its independence from the Soviet Union, Georgia began to develop its own military industry. [27] The earliest evidence of wine to date has been found in Georgia, where 8,000-year old wine jars were uncovered. by Juergen T Steinmetz. [339][340], Georgia is known for its folklore, traditional music, dances, theatre, cinema, and art. [145], On 31 October 2020, the ruling Georgian Dream again led by Bidzina Ivanishvili secured over 48% of votes in the parliamentary election under a different electoral system. [27] In fact, early metallurgy started in Georgia during the 6th millennium BC, associated with the Shulaveri-Shomu culture. Joseph Stalin, an ethnic Georgian born Iosif Vissarionovich Jugashvili ( ) in Gori, was prominent among the Bolsheviks. [220] Georgia considers the regions as occupied by Russia. In turn, this has allowed them to benefit in recent years from increased energy exports from neighbouring Azerbaijan to the European Union, Ukraine, and Turkey. There is also a certified specialist's programme that represents a single-level higher education programme lasting from three to six years. The biggest part, 72% of the military budget is allocated for maintaining defence forces readiness and potency development. The . [146] This led to a new political crisis that was (temporarily) resolved with an EU brokered agreement,[147] from which the Georgian Dream later withdrew. [255] Since 2014, unemployment has been gradually decreasing each year but remained in double digits and worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Various historical regions of Georgia are known for their particular dishes: for example, khinkali (meat dumplings), from eastern mountainous Georgia, and khachapuri, mainly from Imereti, Samegrelo and Adjara. [61] Despite a punitive campaign subsequently launched against Qajar Iran in 1796, this period culminated in the 1801 Russian violation of the Treaty of Georgievsk and annexation of eastern Georgia, followed by the abolition of the royal Bagrationi dynasty, as well as the autocephaly of the Georgian Orthodox Church. In 1992 Burkhard Herbote, a VP for the World Tourism . Total length of roads in Georgia, excluding the occupied territories, is 21,110 kilometres (13,120mi) and railways 1,576km (979mi). [87], Following the Rose Revolution, a series of reforms were launched to strengthen the country's military and economic capabilities, as well as to reorient its foreign policy westwards. [73] The Menshevik Social Democratic Party of Georgia won the parliamentary election and its leader, Noe Zhordania, became prime minister. [231], Slightly more than 6,500 species of fungi, including lichen-forming species, have been recorded from Georgia,[232][233] but this number is far from complete. [281][c] The population declined by 40,000 in 2021, a reversal of the trend towards stabilisation of the last decade and, for the first time since independence, the population was recorded to be below 3.7 million. Cross-dome architecture developed in Georgia during the 9th century; before that, most Georgian churches were basilicas. However, even if Berlin is excluded, the five former East German states still have a higher GDP per capita than any emerging European country, ranging from 27,000 to 32,000 euros in 2018, according to the Pew Research Center. [55] The Mongols were expelled by George V of Georgia (r. 12991302), son of Demetrius II of Georgia (r. 12701289), who was named "Brilliant" for his role in restoring the country's previous strength and Christian culture. [204][205][206][207] While human rights activists maintained that the protests were peaceful, the government pointed out that many protesters were masked and armed with heavy sticks and molotov cocktails. [citation needed] The general landscape of eastern Georgia comprises numerous valleys and gorges that are separated by mountains. [69], In the summer of 1805, Russian troops on the Askerani River near Zagam defeated the Iranian army during the 180413 Russo-Persian War and saved Tbilisi from reconquest now that it was officially part of the Imperial territories. [67], In May 1801, under the oversight of General Carl Heinrich von Knorring, Imperial Russia transferred power in eastern Georgia to the government headed by General Ivan Petrovich Lazarev. [318] The school system is divided into elementary (six years; ages 612), basic (three years; ages 1215), and secondary (three years; ages 1518), or alternatively vocational studies (two years). On 26 May 2012, Saakashvili inaugurated a new Parliament building in the western city of Kutaisi, in an effort to decentralize power and shift some political control closer to Abkhazia. According to the 2014 census, Ethnic Georgians form about 86.8 per cent of the population, while the remainder includes ethnic groups such as Abkhazians, Armenians, Assyrians, Azerbaijanis, Greeks, Jews, Kists, Ossetians, Russians, Ukrainians, Yezidis and others. 3 mins ago. [100] However, escalating assaults against Georgian villages (located in the South Ossetian conflict zone) were soon matched with gunfire from Georgian troops,[101][102] who then proceeded to move in the direction of the capital of the self-proclaimed Republic of South Ossetia (Tskhinvali) on the night of 8 August, reaching its centre in the morning of 8 August. "[172], George W. Bush became the first sitting US president to visit the country. The country's Western orientation soon led to worsening relations with Russia, which culminated in the Russo-Georgian War of 2008, and entrenched Russia occupation of a portion of Georgia. The Lesser Caucasus Mountains partially protect the region from the influence of dry and hot air masses from the south. [citation needed] The overall region can be characterized as being made up of various, interconnected mountain ranges (largely of volcanic origin) and plateaus that do not exceed 3,400 metres (11,155ft) in elevation. [122][123] Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Georgia has topped the list of countries which Russian exiles departed to after the war began; Russians are allowed to stay in Georgia for at least one year without a visa, though many Georgians view the presence of more Russian citizens in Georgia as a security risk.[124]. Iranian elements in Georgian art and archeology", Ethnic tensions: War in the Caucasus is Stalin's legacy, "Georgian World War II hero's remains return home". [215], Georgia contains two official autonomous regions, of which one has declared independence. On 13 April 2006, the discussion of the assessment report on implementation of the Individual Partnership Action Plan was held at NATO Headquarters, within 26+1 format. The climate of the region varies significantly with elevation and while much of the lowland areas of western Georgia are relatively warm throughout the year, the foothills and mountainous areas (including both the Greater and Lesser Caucasus Mountains) experience cool, wet summers and snowy winters (snow cover often exceeds 2 metres or 6feet 7inches in many regions). [253] 2015 calculations place Georgia's nominal GDP at US$13.98billion. The coup was instigated by part of the National Guards and a paramilitary organization called "Mkhedrioni" ("horsemen"). In politics, communist parties have absolute power over governance, and elections are single-party affairs. Other examples of Georgian ecclesiastic architecture can be found outside Georgia: Bachkovo Monastery in Bulgaria (built in 1083 by the Georgian military commander Grigorii Bakuriani), Iviron monastery in Greece (built by Georgians in the 10th century), and the Monastery of the Cross in Jerusalem (built by Georgians in the 9th century). There are two main climatic zones, roughly corresponding to the eastern and western parts of the country. [44][45] The most prosperous period of the Abkhazian kingdom was between 850 and 950. Saakashvili led the country from 2004 to 2013 but was later convicted in absentia on corruption charges and abuse of power, which he denied. [203], The government came under criticism for its alleged use of excessive force on 26 May 2011 when it dispersed protesters led by Nino Burjanadze, among others, with tear gas and rubber bullets after they refused to clear Rustaveli Avenue for an independence day parade despite the expiration of their demonstration permit and despite being offered to choose an alternative venue. [88], The country's newly pro-Western stance, along with accusations of Georgian involvement in the Second Chechen War,[89] resulted in a severe deterioration of relations with Russia, fuelled also by Russia's open assistance and support to the two secessionist areas. GCP, Unified Communist Party of Georgia . [202] Georgia has ratified the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities in 2005. 888 pp., Tbilisi, Academy of Science of the Georgian SSR, 1986, Kirk, P.M., Cannon, P.F., Minter, D.W. and Stalpers, J. For the U.S. state, see. According to the 1926 census there were 27,728 Jews in Georgia. The species number of invertebrates is considered to be very high but data is distributed across a high number of publications. [86] The revolution was led by Mikheil Saakashvili, Zurab Zhvania and Nino Burjanadze, former members and leaders of Shevardnadze's ruling party. The Kingdom of Georgia collapsed into anarchy by 1466 and fragmented into three independent kingdoms and five semi-independent principalities. [citation needed] Three types of polyphony have developed in Georgia: a complex version in Svaneti, a dialogue over a bass background in the Kakheti region, and a three-part partially-improvised version in western Georgia. The Action Plan was formally approved at the EUGeorgia Cooperation Council session on 14 November 2006, in Brussels. [185][186] Over 11,000 Georgian soldiers have been rotated through Afghanistan. Georgia's moderate climate and moist air, influenced by the Black Sea, provide the best conditions for vine cultivation. Georgia was incorporated into the Soviet Union as the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic after 25 February 1921 when the Red Army entered its capital Tbilisi and installed a communist government led by Georgian Bolshevik Filipp Makharadze. As the largest faction, having secured 90 out of 150 seats, Georgian Dream formed the country's next government and continued to govern alone. In the Middle Ages, the unified Kingdom of Georgia emerged and reached its Golden Age during the reign of King David IV and Queen Tamar in the 12th and early 13th centuries. Its root, kartvel-i (-), specifies an inhabitant of the core central-eastern Georgian region of Kartli, or Iberia as it is known in sources of the Eastern Roman Empire. [201], Human rights in Georgia are guaranteed by the country's constitution. [208] Georgian opposition leader Nino Burjanadze said the accusations of planning a coup were baseless, and that the protesters' actions were legitimate. At present, the forest cover generally remains outside of the low-lying areas and is mainly located along the foothills and the mountains. [65][66] The Bagrationi royal family was deported from the kingdom. Michael W. Hughey, Springer, Mar 29, 2016. For much of the 20th century, Georgia's economy was within the Soviet model of command economy. [76] Georgia would remain an unindustrialized periphery of the USSR until the first five-year plan when it became a major centre for textile goods. S. Neil MacFarlane, Centre for International Relations, Queen's University, 1997, "Georgia/Abchasia: Violations of the laws of war and Russia's role in the conflict", "Russia The IngushOssetian conflict in the Prigorodnyi region", "EurasiaNet Eurasia Insight Georgia's Rose Revolution: Momentum and Consolidation", "Russia Hands Over Batumi Military Base to Georgia", Russia's retention of Gudauta base An unfulfilled CFE treaty commitment, "Countdown in the Caucasus: Seven days that brought Russia and Georgia to war", "Georgia calls on EU for independent inquiry into war", "Russia resurgent? Georgia was further weakened by several disastrous invasions by Tamerlane. The Georgian railways represent an important transport artery for the Caucasus, as they make up the largest proportion of a route linking the Black and Caspian Seas.