republic · Caucasus

Georgia

1991 CE – present · capital Tbilisi

The independent republic of Georgia on the Black Sea, heir of ancient Kartli and Colchis, whose path since 1991 has been shaped by conflict with Russia and Western ambitions.

Origins

Georgia declared independence from the Soviet Union on 9 April 1991, two years after the Tbilisi massacre, restoring the legacy of the Democratic Republic of Georgia. Zviad Gamsakhurdia became president, but he was ousted in a civil war in the winter of 1991-1992, and Eduard Shevardnadze returned to lead the country.

Rule and society

Wars in South Ossetia and Abkhazia in 1991-1993 left both regions outside Tbilisi's control. The 2003 Rose Revolution brought Mikheil Saakashvili to power, who fought corruption and sought NATO and EU membership. The 2008 war with Russia ended with Moscow recognising both breakaway regions. Georgia's economy rests on transit, agriculture, wine and tourism.

To the present

The Georgian Dream party, founded by Bidzina Ivanishvili, has governed since 2012. Georgia gained EU candidate status in 2023, but disputes over democracy and relations with Russia brought mass protests in 2024.

Lineage

Georgian SSR 1921 CE – 1991 CESoviet Union 1922 CE – 1991 CEGeorgia

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Georgia. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/georgia
MLA
“Georgia.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/georgia. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Georgia.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/georgia.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Georgia’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/georgia (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻