History of Georgia

Georgia is an outstanding and extraordinary country, with a very rich and interesting history of the crucial moments.

Georgia is located in the Caucasus, between two seas - the Caspian and Black. At this point, two outstanding cultures intersect - Western and Eastern. It is through the Caucasus and the territory of modern Georgia in the ancient times was passed Silk Road.

For the first time about the Georgian state is mentioned in the X century. Then, the state united several Georgian principalities. State existed only about 3 centuries. At the beginning of the XVIII century principalities were reunited in an attempt to recreate the state of Georgia, but later many of them were included into the Russian Empire.

Georgia has in a very strategic location, so it has always attracted foreign land invaders.

In the VIII century the Greeks lived on the west Georgia, and later into Georgia from Turkey came Anatolian tribes, which led to the formation of the Iberian country. In 189 BC at today's Georgia lands was formed Armenian state, whose rulers have conquered the majority of areas, ranging from the Caspian Sea to the territory of modern Turkey. The Armenian government also included Georgian principality.

In the VII century in Georgia came Arabs, who created their own state - the Emirate. In 1122, Georgia is completely freed from the Muslim invaders, and at the same time, Armenia was at war with Turkey. Many Armenians fled to Georgia, where they stayed to live. Thus Christianity came to Georgia. Today, more than 90% of the population of Georgia is Christians.

For several centuries the Ottoman Empire and the Persians unsuccessfully attempted to seize Georgian lands. In the XVIII century, Georgia has almost collapsed under the onslaught of the Ottoman yoke, but Catherine the Great sent to the aid of the army of the Russian Empire, which smooth out the land from the of Georgia aggressors. After that Georgia joined the Russian Empire.

In XX century Georgia with Azerbaijan and Armenia declared themselves as independent states. Shortly thereafter, all these states were seized by the Bolsheviks, and they became a part of the Soviet Union.

In 1990, Georgia held its first elections, where were participated several political parties. Georgia gained independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and had all the chances for rapid economic development, but all efforts came to nothing with the beginning of the war in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The situation was stabilized only in the mid-nineties.