Georgia Culture, Map, Flag, Tourist Places

Georgia occupies the central and eastern parts of the Caucasus. Its neighbours are the Russian Federation (to the north), Azerbaijan (east), Armenia (south) and Turkey (to the southeast). It is a mountainous country, with the northern boundary running along the Great Caucasian Range and the southern boundary hitting the mountains of the Minor Caucasus. Between these two ranges, plains extend west to the 330km (205mi) coastline of the Black Sea.

In spite of its relatively small size, Georgia is covered with a huge variety of flora, a result of the combination of western and eastern climates. The mountain ranges trap the weather within Georgia, contributing to the geographical and environmental isolation of the ecological systems and producing a high level of endemic variety. Forests constitute 38% of the country's territory and cover 2.7 million hectares (6.6 million acres) of the land mass. Georgia has about 100 species of animals, over 330 species of birds, 48 species of reptiles, 11 species of amphibians and about 160 species of fish.

The climate varies greatly, given Georgia's size, and covers different zones ranging from humid subtropical areas to regions containing snow and glaciers. A subtropical climate prevails in western Georgia (Cholkci), while a more moderate subtropical climate with considerably less rain is characteristic of the east. Tbilisi (a name which is derived from Tbili, the local word for warm) has an average winter temperature of 1°C (34°F) in January, but lives up to its name in summer: it enjoys an often balmy 25°C (77°F) in July.

Georgia doesn't exactly offer peak and off-peak travel seasons, so travellers can take their pick about when to head there. Travel is less restricted in summer - there's not much snow - so mid-year is a good option. If you like to see locals celebrate, then check out Independence Day in late May, or Tbilisi Festival day in late October (when the wineries are most active).

It is a tradition in Georgia to mark the anniversaries of the founding of cities and towns with festivals, and Tbilisi has the biggest of them all. The festival of Tbilisi, Tbilisoba, is celebrated every year on the last Sunday of October. Being autumn, it is the time of harvest and wine-making, and many Georgian weddings also occur at this time. Traditional music and dancing concerts are given in the open air on festival day.