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Extensible Markup Language | 1995-06-15 | 5KB | 19 lines

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?> <!DOCTYPE card PUBLIC "-//Apple, Inc.//DTD card V 2.0//EN" "" > <card> <id>19823</id> <filler1>0</filler1> <cantDelete> <false /> </cantDelete> <showPict> <true /> </showPict> <dontSearch> <false /> </dontSearch> <owner>5472</owner> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="stylesheet_3106.css" /> <content> <layer>background</layer> <id>31</id> <text>GEORGIAOfficial name: Sakartvelos Respublica (The Republic of Georgia)Member of: UN, CIS, OSCEArea: 69700 km2 (26900 sq mi)Population: 5493000 (1993 est)Capital: Tbilisi 1283000 (1991 est)Other cities: Kutaisi 238000, Rustavi 162000 (1991 est)Languages: Georgian (70%), Armenian (8%), Russian (6%), Azeri (3%), Ossetian (2%), Greek (2%)Religion: Georgian Orthodox majorityGOVERNMENTThe constitution provides for the election for four years by universal adult suffrage of a 234-member legislature and a President ΓÇô who appoints a Council of Ministers. In 1993 the legislature dissolved itself, having granted emergency powers to the President.GEOGRAPHYThe spine of the Caucasus Mountains forms the northern border of Georgia. The highest peak, Elbrus, reaches 5642 m (18510 ft). A lower range, the Little Caucasus, occupies south Georgia. Central Georgia comprises the Kolkhida lowlands. Climate: Coastal and central Georgia has a moist Mediterranean climate. The rest of Georgia is drier. Climate varies considerably with altitude and aspect.ECONOMYDespite a shortage of cultivable land, Georgia has a diversified agricultural sector including tea, citrus fruit, tobacco, cereals, vines, livestock and vegetables. Natural resources include coal, manganese and plentiful hydroelectric power. Machine building, food processing and chemicals are major industries. The economy was damaged by civil war in 1991 and 1992. Currency: Georgian coupon. (The Russian rouble is also used.)HISTORYGeorgia is the home of an ancient civilization established in the 3rd millennium bc. Georgian states, including Colchis and Iberia, flourished in the 1st millennium bc. Colchis fell to the Greeks before being ruled by Pontus and then Rome (65 bc). Christianity was adopted c. ad 330. From the 4th to the 7th centuries Georgia was fought over by the Byzantine Empire, the Persians and, later, the Arabs. In the 8th century the Bagratid family established several Georgian kingdoms. Bagrat III (975ΓÇô1014) reunited Georgia. His descendant Queen Tamara (1184ΓÇô1213) established an empire that included most of the Caucasian region, but national unity was destroyed by Mongol invasions and dynastic quarrels.From the 16th to the 18th centuries Georgia was disputed by the Ottoman Turks and the Persians. An independent Georgia was reunited in 1762 and sought Russian protection against Turkey and Persia. Russia deposed the Bagratids (1801) and annexed Georgia by degrees (1801ΓÇô78). Following the Russian Revolution (1918), a Georgian republic, allied to Germany, was proclaimed. A British occupation (1918ΓÇô20) in favor of the White Russians failed to win local support, and Georgia was invaded by the Soviet Red Army (1921). Georgia became part of the Soviet Union in 1921 and a separate Union Republic of the USSR in 1936. Following the abortive coup by Communist hardliners in Moscow (1991), Georgia declared independence. Locked into a fierce civil war, Georgia temporarily remained outside the CIS when the USSR was dissolved. A state council ΓÇô led by Eduard Shevardnadze, the former Soviet Foreign Minister ΓÇô replaced a military council in 1992. War erupted in northern Georgia when Abkhazian Muslims attempted secession in 1992. A Russian-brokered ceasefire came into force in 1994.</text> </content> <name>Georgia</name> <script></script> </card>