Georgia is located between Europe and Asia, with a population of 4.65 million. The capital and largest city is Tbilisi, with 1.1 million citizens. Georgia has a long history dating back thousands of years and was the first country to produce wine. Georgian culture highly values feasts and toasting traditions centered around wine. The document provides an overview of Georgia's geography, demographics, history, and cultural aspects like ski resorts, cave towns, and the role of wine in Georgian society.

1. HOTEL BOOKING PACKAGES WINE TOURS WEEKEND TRIPS MICE SKI RESORTS
Republic of GEORGIA
The Country of the Golden Flee
Made by Maia Odisharia
7 February 2008

2. GEORGIA
Where Europe
meets Asia
IRAN
MEDITERANEAN SEA

3. Georgia – General Information
• Located between Europe & Asia, between the Black and Caspian Seas,
on the Caucasus mountain chain
• Border countries: Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia
• 69,700 square km, 315km of coastline
• Population (July 2007 est.): 4.65 million
• Capital city (January 2007 est.): Tbilisi with 1.1 million citizens
• 3 autonomous republics: Abkhazia, Adjara, and South Ossetia

4. Georgia – General Information
• Religion: Orthodox Christian 83.9%, Muslim 9.9%, Armenian-Gregorian
3.9%, Catholic 0.8%, other 0.8%, none 0.7%
• Ethnic Groups: Georgian 83.8%, Azeri 6.5%, Armenian 5.7%, Russian 1.5%,
other 2.5% (2002 census)
• Monetary unit: Georgian lari (GEL)
1 GEL = 100 TETRI
1 EUR = 2.238 GEL (July. 08)
• Time zone: GMT +4

5. The Capital
Tbilisi is the capital of Georgia since the V century AD
The name Tbilisi comes from the word “Tbili” that means “worm” and is
connected to the legend about the city…

6. Climate From subtropical climate in the west: City Batumi by the Black Sea cost
To continental climate in the east: City Telavi

7. Ski Resorts
Gudauri 2000 m Bakuriani 1 700 m
110 km from Tbilisi 175 km from Tbilisi
Season lasts from December to May, snow cover during last 3 years: Good

8. Heritage
Fortresses and churches dating from VI century
Gergety Trinity church 2 400 m above sea level, the highest height for
church in Europe
Village Mestia: part of UNESCO
world heritage

9. Heritage
3 Cave Towns dating from II-I century BC to XII century AD

10. History
• History of Georgian tribes begins from II millennium BC
• The first European tourists, the Argonauts, came to Georgia (the home
of Media) and the legend of the Golden Fleece originated here
• One of the two primary routes of Silk Road goes directly through
Georgia
• Relationship between Roman Empery and Georgia begins from I
century BC
• Georgia became Christian country in
375, Georgian church has autocephaly
• Ioseb Jugashvili was born in Gori,
Georgia In 21st December, 1879
later he was known as STALIN

11. Georgia: Where Wine Begins
Georgia is unquestionably the birthplace of wine. Grape seeds have been
found in Caucasian tombs 7000 years old, along with wine implements
such as clay vessels, nowhere else in the world is their evidence of
viniculture so old. Indeed the word "wine" has been traced to our
Georgian word g'vino, which has been in use for far longer than most
modern languages have existed.
Indeed there is no country where wine is more revered
and a wine culture so developed and cherished.
Incredibly there are over 500 indigenous species of
grape (most used for wine) far more than anywhere
else, most of them still completely unknown to the
rest of the world. Here you can taste wildly unique
varieties of wine in a vast array of subtle flavor
ifferences.

12. Georgian Feast: Tamada
Georgia's ancient and venerated tradition of hostility extends to the table
as well. Georgian toasting is a thing apart; it is at the very center of our
culture, nowhere is it so elaborate, eloquent and inclusive. As the night
goes on it inevitably it extends to poetry, psychology and the soaring
heights of philosophy, and then back down to the simple joys of life.
This is a gift shared by one and all in this land of laughter, love, generosity,
food and wine, and guests are always most welcome.
For Georgians Guest is Sent by God

13. Thank You For Your Attention!!!
Country, where first Europeans settled…!*
*http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4418363.stm