Eduard Shevardnadze
President

(pronounced "ed-WARD sheh-vard-NAHD-zeh")

"Only after we have shown the civilized world our determination to build a democratic society will the West begin actively to help us. The situation is grave. It is a question of saving this nation."

Georgia borders Russia to the north, Armenia and Azerbaijan to the southeast, Turkey to the southwest, and the Black Sea to the west. Its land area is 66,700 sq km (26,807 sq mi). The capital of Georgia is Tbilisi ("tbee-LEE-see").

Georgia's population was estimated at 4,960,951 in 2002. About 70% of the population is ethnically Georgian, 8% Armenian, 6% Russian, 6% Azerbaijani, 3% Ossetian, 2% Abkhazian, and the remainder made up of other ethnic groups. Abkhazians and Ajars have autonomous regions within Georgia despite the fact that they make up a minority of the population in the regions. The predominant church is the Georgian Orthodox Church, in which 65% of the population...