Throughout the centuries Georgia has been a victim of the aggression of powerful neighbors. The nation’s history has been a constant struggle for survival, interspersed with brief interludes of peace.
At the end of the 18th century, King Erekle II, a descendant of the Bagratids who ruled Georgia in the 12th century, forged a vital alliance with Catherine the Great of Russia, who was then presiding over the southward expansion of her empire. The Bagratid line was deposed by the Russians in 1801 after which the whole region was steadily absorbed into the Russian Empire.

A strong Georgian nationalist movement grew up from around this time, the precursor of the irrepressible Georgian nationalism which has shaped the republic’s history during the Soviet and post-Soviet periods. Although Stalin was himself a Georgian – his real name was Djugashvili – the republic suffered terribly during the purges of the 1930s and 40s. Nonetheless, many Georgians continue to this day to idolize their most notorious son.

Stalin’s repressive policies failed to stamp out Georgian nationalism. In a referendum held in April 1991, an overwhelming majority voted in favor of independence from the Soviet Union and a formal declaration of independence was made in May.

Apart from the dire state of the Georgian economy, the country's main problems have been the secessionist revolts in the outlying Georgian provinces of Abkhazia on the Black Sea coast (where Gamsakhurdia was located) and South Ossetia in the north. In 1994, after two years of sporadic fighting, South Ossetia was brought back into the fold, but the Abkhazia problem has proved quite intractable. The only existing mediation effort, on the part of the UN, is at a standstill and Abkhazia is now effectively isolated from the rest of Georgia. The government also faces problems in the Pankisi Gorge region, which is reputed to be a haven for Islamic militants.

Formerly the holiday haunt of the privileged elite of the Soviet Union, Georgia is blessed with stunning scenery, a balmy climate and a rich variety of flora and fauna. Enclosed high valleys, wide basins, health spas with famous mineral waters, caves and waterfalls combine in this land of varied landscapes and striking beauty. With its stone houses built around vine-draped courtyards, and winding streets, the capital, Tbilisi, has a lively, Mediterranean atmosphere. Sukhumi, the capital of Abkhazia in the far northwest of Georgia, was until civil unrest began a relaxed, sunny port/resort, renowned for its beaches fringed with palms and eucalyptus trees, lively open-air cafes and cosmopolitan population.

Geography
Georgia is a mountainous country bordered by the Russian Federation in the north, Turkey in the southeast, Armenia in the south, Azerbaijan in the east and by the Black Sea in the west, which forms a 330km- (206 mile-) long coastline. It includes the two autonomous republics Abkhazia and Ajaria. The state is crossed by the ranges of the Greater Caucasus (highest peak: Mt Kazbek, 5,047m/16,554ft). Enclosed high valleys, wide basins, health spas with famous mineral waters, caves and waterfalls combine in this land of varied landscapes and striking beauty.