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ГРУЗИЯ

Georgia

ГЕОГРАФИЯ

Geography

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Географическое расположение

Geographical Location

Georgia is a country in Transcaucasia. Georgia borders the Black Sea, Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkey. The country is largely mountainous, with over a third of its territory covered by brushwood or forests. The capital, Tbilisi, is located in Eastern Georgia, in the Southern Caucasus. Georgia is a small country of 69,700 square kilometers. This makes it slightly smaller than South Carolina. There is a variety of landscapes within Georgia from the shores of the Black Sea to the peaks of the Caucasian Mountains.

Топография

Topography

The topography of Georgia can be divided into Three Bands, running east to west. The northern band is the Great Caucasus mountain range. The southern area of the Caucasus mountains combines into the second band, which consists of central lowlands on a large structural depression. The Kolkhet’is Dablobi or Kolkhida Lowland is an almost stagnant swamp with a thick layer of river deposits. In central Georgia lies the inner high plateau known as the Kartli Plain. The Southern band of Georgi is full of the ranges and plateaus of the Lesser Caucasus. Georgia is known for its high seismicity, with the most active areas for seismic activity and earthquakes to be in the south. The Mtkvari River Basin in the east allows for rich soils. 

Климат

Climate

Georgia’s climate is relatively mild. The Caucasus mountains protect Georgia from the cold air of the north, and the warm moist air of the Black Sea influences most of the climate. Western Georgia, near the Black Sea, has a humid, subtropical, maritime climate. Eastern Georgia’s climate can be moderately humid to a dry subtropical. The climate of the South Georgian mountains is very arid. The highlands of Georgia have cool summers and cold winters with little snow.

КУЛЬТУРА

Culture

Всемирные Наследии

World Heritage Sites

The Gelati Monastery was founded in 1106 in the west of Georgia on the southern slopes of the Northern Caucasus Mountains. The monastery reflects the ‘golden age’ of medieval Georgia. This period was a time of political and economic strength and growth. Construction began in 1106 under King David IV “The Builder”. The main church was finished in 1130 and over the centuries more churches were added. The interior is decorated with mural paintings and mosaics from the 12th to 17th centuries. The Monastery was a center for science and education throughout the years and is home to many priceless icons and artifacts. The academy was one of the first institutions of higher education founded in the Middle Ages. The Gelati complex was placed on the UNESCO World Heritage in 1994. In 2006 the monastery was named an unmovable monument of Georgian cultural heritage.

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The Monuments of Mtskheta are examples of medieval religious architecture in the Caucasus. The Churches are in Central- Eastern Georgia, where the Aragvi and Mtkvari Rivers meet. The Site includes the Jvari Monastery, Svetitskhoveli Cathedral and the Samtavro Monastery. Mtskheta was the ancient capital of Kartli, and the location that Christianity was declared the official religion of Georgia in 337. Local history states that a wooden cross was erected over a pagan sanctuary on a rocky hilltop overlooking Mtskheta and symbolized the fall of paganism and beginning of Christianity in Georgia. To this day, it is the headquarters of the Georgia Orthodox and Apostolic Church. The monastery and cathedral contain the remains of ancient buildings and ancient wall paintings.  The Svetitskhoveli Cathedral is in the center of town and includes the cathedral, palace and gates of Katolikos Melichizedek dating from the 11th century. Svetitskhoveli is the principal Georgian church and seat of the archbishop. The Samtavro Monastery church was originally built in the 4th century and has had many restorations. The Monument contain archeological remains that tell the rich history of Georgia. The Jvari Monastery church, built in the 6th century is still the most sacred place in Georgia because it was constructed on top of the site of the wooden cross. The exterior is decorated with amazing relief sculptures. The monuments were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 1994.

The Upper Svaneti region of the Caucasus has medieval-type villages and tower houses in a gorgeous mountain setting. The medieval village of Chazhashi still contains over 200 houses, which were used as dwellings and defense against invaders. This region has been preserved due to its geographical isolation. The property is located between the Caucasus and Svaneti mountain ranges in the upper Inguri river Basin. There are several small villages that form a community, and the most notable feature is the abundant towers. The region is inhabited by the Svan people. The property was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.

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РЕГИОНЫ

Regions

Регионы

Regions

The administrative-territorial divisions of Ukraine are comprised of three levels. The first and broadest level includes 24 regions, the Republic of Crimea, and two cities (Kyiv and Sevastopol) with special status. The highest populated region is Donetsk, with over four million inhabitants, followed by the Dnipropetrovsk region and the city of Kyiv. Located in the north-central Ukraine, Kyiv serves as the country’s capital, as well as its political, scientific, and cultural center. Due to its historical significance in Kievan Rus, it is referred to as the “Mother of Russian Cities.”  

ЯЗЫК

Language

Языки

Languages

Historically, Ukraine has been considered equally Ukrainian/Russian bilingual. Ukrainian is the language of the state, mostly spoken in the west and center of the country. Russian is more heavily spoken in the south and the east, where the districts of Crimea, Sevastopol, Odessa, and Donetsk are located. Minority languages such as Crimean and its variants (Krymchak, Karaim, Urum) are also spoken, though many of them are endangered. The map above shows native language data: yellow represents areas in which Ukrainian strongly predominates, light green represents areas in which Ukrainian predominates to a lesser extent, and dark green represents areas dominated by native Russian speakers. All Ukrainian citizens have the right to declare their own native language, and freely use any language they wish.  

That being said, in recent years Ukraine has enacted a series of language legislation designed to favor the use of Ukrainian. In 2022, a law was passed requiring all print media to be published in or made available in Ukrainian. In 2019, a set of laws instituted a requirement of Ukrainian language proficiency for those seeking citizenship, as well as a requirement that Ukrainian be spoken in official contexts by political leaders, deputies, judges, prosecutors, etc. Additionally, these stipulations applied to public life: for instance, the use of Ukrainian in legal proceedings was mandated, as was the availability of Ukrainian movie dubbing. While Russian has not been restricted in any formal capacity, war-related hostility has fueled efforts to solidify Ukrainian’s precedence.  

ИСТОЧНИКИ

Resources

Авторы - Authors

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Карли Бризентайн - Carleigh Brisendine

Емили Фейгл - Emily Fegel

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