Georgians

Georgians
John Wagner · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Native name	საქართველო
Capital	Tbilisi
Largest city	Tbilisi
Official language	Georgian language
Population	~3.7 million (2020s)
Area km2	69,700
Currency	Georgian lari

Georgians

Georgians are an indigenous people of the South Caucasus concentrated in the country of Georgia with communities across Russia, Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Greece, United States, Germany and Israel. Their identity has been shaped by centuries of interaction with neighboring polities such as the Byzantine Empire, Sasanian Empire, Ottoman Empire, Safavid dynasty, and the Russian Empire, and by participation in events including the Battle of Didgori, the Treaty of Georgievsk, the Red Army invasion of Georgia (1921), and the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The population practices diverse religions and speaks the Georgian language and related Kartvelian tongues.

Etymology and Name

The ethnonym used in most scholarly literature derives from medieval foreign exonyms such as the Persian "Gurj" and the Byzantine Greek "Γεωργιανοί", while the native endonym "ქართული" (kartveli) and the country name "საქართველო" (Sakartvelo) are linked to the central province of Kartli, referenced in sources like the Kartlis Tskhovreba. Historical mentions appear in classical works concerning Colchis and Iberia (ancient kingdom), and in the accounts of travelers including Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta.

History

Archaeological and textual records show continuity from the ancient kingdoms of Colchis and Iberia (ancient kingdom) through the medieval principalities of Kartli, Kakheti, Imereti, Mingrelia, and Guria. The Christianization under Nino of Cappadocia and the establishment of the Georgian Orthodox Church were pivotal; later epochs saw cultural florescence during the reign of David IV of Georgia and Queen Tamar of Georgia. From the late medieval period Georgians contended with incursions and influence from the Seljuk Empire, Mongol Empire, Ottoman Empire, and Safavid dynasty. The 18th-century treaty with Russia culminated in annexation by the Russian Empire and subsequent incorporation into the Transcaucasian SFSR and the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic. Independence movements culminated in the restoration of sovereignty after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the Russo-Georgian tensions culminating in the Russo-Georgian War (2008).

Geography and Demographics

Ethnic populations are concentrated in regions historically known as Kartli, Kakheti, Imereti, Samegrelo, Adjara, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti and Samtskhe–Javakheti. The topography ranges from the Greater Caucasus peaks along the border with Russia to plains along the Black Sea and river valleys of the Kura (Mtkvari) River. Urban centers include Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi, and Rustavi. Demographic shifts reflect migration to Russia, Turkey, and Western Europe, and return and remnant communities in Armenia and Azerbaijan. Minority groups inhabiting Georgia include Armenians in Georgia, Azerbaijanis in Georgia, Abkhazians, and Ossetians.

Language and Dialects

The primary language family is Kartvelian; the Georgian language (ქართული) serves as the literary standard and is written in the Mkhedruli script codified in periods including the reign of King Vakhtang I Gorgasali. Related languages and dialect clusters include Mingrelian language, Laz language, and Svan language, each with regional varieties such as Imeretian dialect and Kartlian dialect. Historical literary traditions appear in texts like the Martyrdom of Saint Shushanik and the The Knight in the Panther's Skin by Shota Rustaveli. Language policy and revival efforts intensified during the 19th and 20th centuries in dialogues involving figures such as Ilia Chavchavadze.

Culture (Religion, Customs, Arts)

Religious life is dominated by the Georgian Orthodox Church alongside communities of Georgian Catholics, Sunni Islam in Georgia especially in Adjara, and Judaism in historic communities such as those of Tbilisi and Kartsakhi. Rituals and calendar observances include celebrations at monasteries like Jvari Monastery and Gelati Monastery, and pilgrimage to sites connected to Saint Nino. Folk traditions such as polyphonic singing exemplified by ensembles and performers influenced modern composers like Zakharia Paliashvili and contemporary musicians including Nino Katamadze. Culinary traditions feature dishes and practices associated with khachapuri, khinkali, supra feasting led by a tamada, and vintages from Kakheti and regions celebrated by vintners influenced by ancient qvevri techniques now recognized alongside producers in France and Italy.

Society and Economy

Social structures historically centered on noble houses including the Bagrationi dynasty and on ecclesiastical institutions like the Georgian Orthodox Church and monastic centers at Vardzia. Modern institutions include the Parliament of Georgia and ministries located in Tbilisi; economic activities emphasize sectors such as viticulture in Kakheti, tourism along the Black Sea coast in Adjara, metallurgical enterprises in Rustavi, and IT services linked to firms operating with partners in European Union markets. International cooperation and aid involve organizations such as the European Union and NATO, while migration patterns connect diasporas in United States, Greece, Israel, and Germany.

Notable Georgians and Diaspora

Prominent historical and contemporary figures associated with Georgian heritage include monarchs and statesmen like David IV of Georgia and Queen Tamar of Georgia; cultural figures such as poet Shota Rustaveli, writer Ilia Chavchavadze, and composer Zakharia Paliashvili; religious leaders including Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II; scientists and scholars like Nikolay Baratashvili and Alexander Tchumburidze; and modern politicians and public figures such as Mikheil Saakashvili, Eduard Shevardnadze, Salome Zourabichvili, and Giorgi Margvelashvili. Internationally known artists and athletes of Georgian origin include Serj Tankian (diaspora), Khatia Buniatishvili, Nana Mouskouri (of Pontic and regional connections), Lasha Talakhadze, Alexander Kartveli (engineer), and film figures like Otar Iosseliani. Diaspora communities maintain cultural centers and associations across Istanbul, Moscow, New York City, Athens, Jerusalem, Berlin, and Paris.