One of the hidden gems in Europe, Georgia (often confused with the state in the US of the same name) is a hidden gem! With not many tourists visiting the place yearly, the natural beauty of the place still remains untouched.
The cross of St. George (patron saint of Georgia) stands in red at the center of the flag, on a white background that represents peace! In each of the four quadrants created by this big cross, the four smaller crosses represent Christianity and sacrifice.
The native people of Georgia, the Georgians, call their country "Sakartvelo" which means 'the land where Kartveli live'. Kartveli is the inhabitants of the Kartli region in the central part of Georgia.
Georgians practice Orthodox Christianity that was adopted as their national religion in 326 AD. Most Georgians follow Eastern Orthodox Christianity.
The Georgian Jews are known to be the oldest communities in the world! There are about 3000 Jews currently residing in the country.
One of the four Kartvelian languages, Georgian script has only three alphabets - Asomtavruli, Nuskhuri and Mkhedruli. However, the modern form of the script uses Mkhedruli form that has about 33 letters and no capital letters!
The Georgian script doesn't make use of any gender - that means there is no 'he' or 'she' used in the script. All objects and people are addressed as 'that'.
Georgians are known for their hospitality! They love to share their drink and their food that mainly consists of fruits, vegetables and meats like lamb, pork and beef. Walnuts are widely used in their dishes.
Known to be the birthplace of wine, Georgia's traditional winemaking technique that is being used since 8 BC, is listed in UNESCO's culture heritage section.
A clay jar known as 'qvevri' is filled with grape juice and sealed with a wooden lid, which is later buried underground to ferment. With minimal human interaction, the winemaking process is completed!
One can easily spot red deers, jackals, wild goats, wild sheep, bears, and wolves in the Caucasus mountains.
About 100 species of mammals, 50 species of reptiles and around 330 species of birds are inhabitants of Georgia.
Human remains have been found in the country, which are dated to some 1.8 million years back!
With about 10 meters of snowfall every year, the place is a haven for snowboarders and skiers! The 2014 Winter Olympics were held here due to the heavy snow cover.
The terrain in the country is varied, providing immense tourism opportunities. From ski resorts to ancient caves and from medieval architectures to beach resorts, apart from trekking and climbing spots, Georgia has it all!
The ancient capital city of Mtskheta, is a popular tourist destination, due to its huge cathedral complex of Bagrati and Gelati!
The world's deepest cave, the Veryovkina Cave is hidden in the Gagra Mountain range. The cave is about 7,257 feet deep and it takes about 27 days to reach to the bottom of the cave!