Full History Of Georgia (country) In Timeline From 1905

1 day ago : Georgia faces external pressure amid calls for unity and regional security role.

Kavelashvili warned of external pressure on Georgia and its regional security role. The President highlighted external forces' blackmail attempting to escalate tensions and the importance of national unity and unique culture facing global challenges.

1905: Culmination of Revolts and Strikes

In 1905, revolts and strikes by peasants and workers in Georgia culminated in the Revolution of 1905.

1917: Restoration of autocephaly

The autocephaly of the Georgian Orthodox Church was restored in 1917.

May 1918: Declaration of Independence

On 26 May 1918, Georgia declared independence and became an ally of the German Empire.

1918: Georgian-Armenian War and Georgian expansion

In 1918, the Georgian-Armenian War erupted over disputed provinces. Also, in 1918, Georgian general Giorgi Mazniashvili led an attack against the White Army to claim the Black Sea coastline for Georgia.

1918: Establishment of Georgian-language educational institutions

In 1918, the creation of the First Georgian Republic permitted the establishment of modern, Georgian-language educational institutions such as Tbilisi State Medical University and Tbilisi State University.

1919: Georgian expansion

In 1919, Georgian general Giorgi Mazniashvili led an attack against the White Army to claim the Black Sea coastline for Georgia.

1920: Soviet Russia Recognizes Georgia's Independence

In 1920, Soviet Russia recognized Georgia's independence with the Treaty of Moscow.

February 1921: Red Army Advances into Georgia

In February 1921, during the Russian Civil War, the Red Army advanced into Georgia, bringing the local Bolsheviks to power and defeating the Georgian army.

1921: Red Army Attack

In 1921, the Red Army attacked Georgia and effectively discarded the Treaty of Moscow.

1922: Annexation into the Soviet Union

In 1922, Georgia was formally annexed into the Soviet Union.

1924: Stalin Becomes Leader of Soviet Union

In 1924, Joseph Stalin became the de facto leader of the Soviet Union.

1926: Georgian Jewish and German Communities

According to the 1926 census there were 27,728 Jews and 11,394 Germans in Georgia.

1928: Start of Industrialization

Starting in 1928 with the first five-year plan, Georgia began to industrialize and became a major center for textile goods.

1932: Georgia's Industrialization

By 1932, Georgia became a major center for textile goods.

1936: Start of the Great Purge

Between 1936 and 1938, Stalin's Great Purge led to the execution or imprisonment of thousands of Georgian dissidents.

1938: End of the Great Purge

Between 1936 and 1938, Stalin's Great Purge led to the execution or imprisonment of thousands of Georgian dissidents.

June 1941: Axis Invasion of the Soviet Union

In June 1941, Germany led an Axis invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II.

1942: Fall Blau Offensive

In 1942, the Axis launched the Fall Blau offensive to take control of Caucasian oil fields and munitions factories but were stopped before reaching Georgian borders.

1944: Relocation of Meskhetian Turks

In 1944, Meskhetian Turks were forcibly relocated from Georgia.

March 1953: Death of Joseph Stalin

Joseph Stalin, the de facto leader of the Soviet Union, died on 5 March 1953.

1962: Dinamo Tbilisi won the EuroLeague

Dinamo Tbilisi won the prestigious EuroLeague basketball competition in 1962.

August 1977: Georgian folk song sent to space

On August 20, 1977, the Georgian folk song "Chakrulo" was included on the Voyager Golden Records that were sent into space on Voyager 2.

1978: Georgian Demonstrations

1978 Georgian demonstrations saw the return of mass anti-Soviet protests, but this time government backed down.

1978: Rustavi International Motorpark built

Rustavi International Motorpark was originally built in 1978.

1986: Beginning of Perestroika

With the beginning of perestroika in 1986, the Georgian Soviet leadership proved incapable of handling the changes.

1988: Mass Protests for Independence

Starting in 1988, mass protests erupted in Georgia in favour of independence, led by Georgian nationalists.

April 1989: Suppression of Demonstration

In April 1989, Soviet forces brutally suppressed a large peaceful demonstration in Tbilisi, discrediting Soviet rule.

1989: GDP comparison

By 1994, Georgia's gross domestic product had shrunk to a quarter of that of 1989 due to economic collapse, civil war, and military conflicts.

1989: Recognition by the Ecumenical Patriarchate

In 1989, the Georgian Orthodox Church was fully recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.

1989: Ethnic groups in Georgia

The 1989 census recorded 341,000 ethnic Russians, or 6.3 percent of the population, 52,000 Ukrainians and 100,000 Greeks in Georgia.

October 1990: First Multi-Party Elections

In October 1990, the first multi-party elections were held in Soviet Georgia, with the Round Table—Free Georgia coalition securing victory.

1990: South Ossetia's autonomous status revoked

In 1990, South Ossetia's autonomous status was revoked by Georgia.

1990: Population decline due to emigration

The population of Georgia, including the breakaway regions, declined by more than 1 million due to net emigration in the period 1990–2010.

April 1991: Secession from the Soviet Union

In April 1991, Georgia seceded from the Soviet Union as the independence movement grew rapidly.

April 1991: Declaration of Independence

On 9 April 1991, the Supreme Council of Georgia declared independence shortly before the collapse of the Soviet Union.

August 1991: Recognition of Georgia by Romania

In August 1991, Romania became the first country to recognize Georgia's independence.

December 1991: Coup d'état against Gamsakhurdia

From December 1991 to January 1992, Gamsakhurdia was deposed in a bloody coup d'état, leading to a civil war.

1991: Tense relations between Georgia and separatists

After tense relations between Georgia and separatists in Abkhazia and South Ossetia ever since the dissolution of the Soviet Union (1991), relations between Russia and Georgia severely deteriorated into the April 2008 Russo-Georgian diplomatic crisis.

1991: Georgia transitions to a free market economy

Since the fall of the USSR in 1991, Georgia embarked on a major structural reform designed to transition to a free market economy.

January 1992: Coup d'état against Gamsakhurdia

From December 1991 to January 1992, Gamsakhurdia was deposed in a bloody coup d'état, leading to a civil war.

March 1992: Shevardnadze as Head of Government

In March 1992, Eduard Shevardnadze was named as the head of Georgia's new government.

1992: War in Abkhazia

During the War in Abkhazia (1992–1993), roughly 230,000 to 250,000 Georgians were expelled from Abkhazia by Abkhaz separatists and North Caucasian militants.

December 1993: End of Civil War

The bitter civil war in Georgia, which began after the coup d'état against Gamsakhurdia, lasted until December 1993.

1993: Georgians leave Abkhazia

At least 160,000 Georgians left Abkhazia after the breakout of hostilities in 1993.

1994: GDP shrinks to a quarter of 1989 levels

By 1994, Georgia's gross domestic product had shrunk to a quarter of that of 1989 due to economic collapse, civil war, and military conflicts.

1994: Economic Crisis

In 1994, Georgia was facing an economic crisis, with severe shortages of basics such as bread, water, electricity and heat.

1994: Demographic data retro-projected

With the support of the UNFPA, the demographic data for the period 1994–2014 has been retro-projected in Georgia.

1995: Birth-death deficits

From 1995 to 2010, Georgia experienced birth-death deficits, contributing to population decline.

1995: Shevardnadze as President

In 1995, Eduard Shevardnadze was elected as president of Georgia.

1995: Adoption of the Georgian Constitution

In 1995, the Georgian Constitution was adopted, defining the official English-language name of the country as "Georgia".

1999: Abkhazia declares independence

In 1999, Abkhazia, officially autonomous within Georgia, declared independence.

1999: Adapted Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty

The Adapted Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty was adopted during the 1999 Istanbul summit which required Russia to vacate Gudauta base in Abkhazia.

2000: Migrants from Georgia to Russia

According to United Nations data, the number of migrants from Georgia to Russia totalled 625,000 by 2000.

2000: Improvement of Georgia's HDI score

Between 2000 and 2019, Georgia's HDI score improved by 17.7%.

2000: Shevardnadze Re-election

In 2000, Shevardnadze won re-election as President of Georgia.

2001: Poverty rate

As of 2001, 54 percent of the population lived below the national poverty line.

2002: 2002 census inflated

Consecutive research estimated the 2002 census to be inflated by 8 to 9 percent, which affected the annually updated population estimates in subsequent years.

2002: Concordat of 2002

The special status of the Georgian Orthodox Church is officially recognized in the Constitution of Georgia and the Concordat of 2002, although religious institutions are separate from the state.

November 2003: Rose Revolution

In November 2003, Shevardnadze was deposed by the Rose Revolution after allegations of fraud in the parliamentary elections.

2003: Reforms after the Rose Revolution

Following the Rose Revolution in 2003, a series of reforms were launched to strengthen Georgia's military and economic capabilities and reorient its foreign policy westwards.

August 2004: Submission of Individual Partnership Action Plan to NATO

In August 2004, Georgia officially submitted its Individual Partnership Action Plan to NATO.

October 2004: NATO approves Georgia's Individual Partnership Action Plan

On October 29, 2004, the North Atlantic Council of NATO approved Georgia's Individual Partnership Action Plan, marking the country's move to the second stage of Euro-Atlantic Integration.

2004: Emergency dispatch service introduced

In 2004, Georgia introduced a 0–2–2 emergency dispatch service, currently 1–1–2.

2004: Saakashvili Elected President

In 2004, Mikheil Saakashvili was elected as President of Georgia.

2004: Flat income tax introduced

In 2004, the Saakashvili administration introduced a flat income tax as part of reforms aimed at improving tax collection.

2004: Adjara Crisis

In 2004, the new government's efforts to reassert Georgian authority in the southwestern autonomous republic of Adjara led to a major crisis.

2004: Georgian Railways undergo fleet-renewal

Since 2004, the Georgian Railways have been undergoing a rolling programme of fleet-renewal and managerial restructuring, aimed at making the service provided more efficient and comfortable for passengers.

2004: Modernization of the education system

Since 2004, the education system of Georgia has undergone sweeping modernization.

March 2005: Partnership for Peace liaison officer agreement in force

In March 2005, the agreement on the appointment of a Partnership for Peace (PfP) liaison officer between Georgia and NATO came into force, assigning a liaison officer for the South Caucasus to Georgia.

May 2005: Bilateral Agreement with Russia

In May 2005, Georgia and Russia reached a bilateral agreement by which Russian military bases in Batumi and Akhalkalaki were withdrawn.

2005: Georgia ratifies Framework Convention

In 2005, Georgia ratified the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.

2005: Traffic police force fired

In 2005, President Mikheil Saakashvili fired the entire traffic police force of the Georgian National Police due to corruption and a new force was built around new recruits.

2005: Introduction of new Patruli force

In the summer of 2005, the new Patruli force was introduced to replace the traffic police due to widespread corruption.

March 2006: IPAP implementation interim assessment team visit

On 6–9 March 2006, the IPAP implementation interim assessment team arrived in Tbilisi.

April 2006: Assessment report discussion at NATO Headquarters

On April 13, 2006, the assessment report on the implementation of the Individual Partnership Action Plan was discussed at NATO Headquarters.

October 2006: Georgia and EU sign agreement on European Neighbourhood Policy

On 2 October 2006, Georgia and the European Union signed a joint statement on the agreed text of the Georgia–European Union Action Plan within the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP).

November 2006: EU–Georgia Cooperation Council session

On 14 November 2006, the Georgia–European Union Action Plan was formally approved at the EU–Georgia Cooperation Council session in Brussels.

2006: Poverty decreases

By 2006 poverty decreased to 34 per cent.

2006: Referendum in South Ossetia votes for independence

In 2006, an unrecognized referendum in South Ossetia resulted in a vote for independence.

2006: Russian embargo of Georgian wine

Political tensions with Russia contributed to the 2006 Russian embargo of Georgian wine, after Russia claimed Georgia produced counterfeit wine.

2006: Countries changing appellation to variants of Georgia

Since 2006, Israel, Japan, South Korea and Hungary officially changed their appellation of the country to variants of the English Georgia.

December 2007: Russian Withdrawal from Military Bases

By December 2007, Russia withdrew all personnel and equipment from military bases in Batumi and Akhalkalaki, while failing to withdraw from the Gudauta base in Abkhazia.

2007: Georgia's real GDP growth

In 2007, Georgia's real GDP growth rate reached 12 per cent, making it one of the fastest-growing economies in Eastern Europe.

April 2008: Russo-Georgian Diplomatic Crisis

In April 2008, relations between Russia and Georgia severely deteriorated into the Russo-Georgian diplomatic crisis.

August 2008: Bomb explosion and shelling

In August 2008, a car transporting Georgian peacekeepers was targeted by a bomb, and South Ossetian separatists began shelling Georgian villages, leading to periodic return fire from Georgian servicemen.

August 2008: Ceasefire agreement

On August 12, 2008, a ceasefire agreement was negotiated by French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Russia then recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as separate republics on August 26, 2008, leading Georgia to sever diplomatic ties with Russia.

August 2008: Ceasefire announcement and advance on Tskhinvali

On August 7, 2008, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili declared a unilateral ceasefire and sought peace talks, but attacks on Georgian villages continued, prompting Georgian troops to advance towards Tskhinvali. According to reports, regular Russian Army units had already entered South Ossetian territory before Georgia's military action in August 2008.

August 2008: Russian invasion of Georgia

On August 8, 2008, Russia accused Georgia of aggression and initiated a large-scale land, air, and sea invasion under the guise of a "peace enforcement" operation, while Abkhaz forces opened a second front on August 9, 2008. By August 10, 2008, Russian forces had seized Tskhinvali and occupied Georgian cities beyond the disputed territories.

August 2008: Russo-Georgian War

The Russo-Georgian War, from 1–16 August 2008, resulted in parts of Abkhazia and South Ossetia being under control of Russian-backed separatists.

2008: Return of Meskhetian Turks

As of 2008, only a tiny fraction of the Meskhetian Turks who were forcibly relocated in 1944 had returned to Georgia.

2008: Saakashvili's belief in European democracy

In 2008, Mikheil Saakashvili believed that Georgia was "on the road to becoming a European democracy."

2008: Transgender people allowed to change gender marker

Since 2008 transgender people in Georgia had been allowed to change their gender marker following sex reassignment surgery.

2008: Russo-Georgian War

The 2008 South Ossetia war led to Russia recognizing the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which Georgia considers occupied territories.

2009: Naval forces merged into Coast Guard

In 2009, Georgia's naval forces were merged into the Coast Guard, which falls under the Internal Affairs Minister.

2009: Georgia-NATO Interparliamentary Council created

In 2009, the Georgia-NATO Interparliamentary Council was created within the NATO Parliamentary Assembly to discuss Georgia-NATO cooperation.

2010: Population registration system becomes reliable

Around 2010, parts of the population registration system from birth to death in Georgia became reliable again.

2010: Transparency International names Georgia corruption-buster

In 2010, Transparency International (TI) named Georgia "the best corruption-buster in the world."

2010: Ethnic Georgians living in Russia

The 2010 Russian census recorded about 158,000 ethnic Georgians living in Russia.

May 2011: Government disperses protesters

On 26 May 2011, the Georgian government came under criticism for its alleged use of excessive force when it dispersed protesters led by Nino Burjanadze with tear gas and rubber bullets.

2011: Georgia designated as an "aspirant country" by NATO

In 2011, the North Atlantic Council designated Georgia as an "aspirant country".

2011: Georgia qualified for the EuroBasket tournament

The Georgia national basketball team has qualified for the EuroBasket tournament five consecutive times since its first appearance in 2011.

2012: Gross primary enrollment ratio

Gross primary enrollment ratio was 117 percent for the period of 2012–2014, the 2nd highest in Europe after Sweden.

2012: Constitutional reforms and parliamentary elections

In 2012, Georgia implemented constitutional reforms to shift to a parliamentary democracy, transferring executive powers from the President to the Prime Minister. The transition was set to begin with the 2012 parliamentary elections and conclude with the 2013 presidential elections.

2012: World Bank calls Georgia a "unique success" in fighting corruption

In 2012, the World Bank called Georgia a "unique success" of the world in fighting corruption.

2012: Democratic improvement surrounding transfer of power

In their 2022 report, Freedom House listed Georgia as "partly free", recognizing a trajectory of democratic improvement surrounding the 2012–13 transfer of power but observing a process of democratic backslide in later years of the Georgian Dream rule.

2012: Rustavi International Motorpark re-opened

Rustavi International Motorpark was re-opened in 2012 after total reconstruction.

2012: Stagnation in corruption fighting efforts

Since 2012 stagnation in corruption fighting efforts can be observed, according to Transparency International.

2012: Georgian Dream party victory

The 2012 Georgian parliamentary election saw the defeat of the United National Movement and the victory of the Georgian Dream party, marking the first peaceful electoral transfer of power in Georgia.

October 2013: Presidential election

In October 2013, Giorgi Margvelashvili, nominated by Georgian Dream, won the presidential election, succeeding Mikheil Saakashvili and further consolidating the power of Georgian Dream.

2013: Georgia in the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan

In 2013, Georgia had 1,560 troops in the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, being the largest contributor among non-NATO countries and in per capita terms at that time.

2013: Winemaking method added to UNESCO list

In 2013, UNESCO added the ancient traditional Georgian winemaking method using the Kvevri clay jars to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.

June 2014: EU and Georgia sign Association Agreement

In June 2014, the EU and Georgia signed an Association Agreement.

October 2014: Previous Census

In October 2014, the previous census recorded the population of Georgia to be 3,713,804.

2014: Georgia's Economic Improvement

By 2014, according to the US Department of State, Georgia moved "from a near-failed state in 2003 to a relatively well-functioning market economy".

2014: Gross primary enrollment ratio

Gross primary enrollment ratio was 117 percent for the period of 2012–2014, the 2nd highest in Europe after Sweden.

2014: Immigrants in Georgia

In 2014 there were 184 thousand immigrants in Georgia with most of them hailing from Russia (51.6%), Greece (8.3%), Ukraine (8.11%), Germany (4.3%), and Armenia (3.8%).

2014: Religious Minorities

Religious minorities of Georgia include Muslims (10.7 percent), Armenian Christians (2.9 percent) and Roman Catholics (0.5 percent) according to the 2014 census.

2014: Substantial NATO–Georgia Package (SNGP)

Since 2014, Georgia–NATO relations are guided by the Substantial NATO–Georgia Package (SNGP), including the NATO–Georgia Joint Training and Evaluation Centre.

2014: Unemployment decreasing

Since 2014, unemployment has been gradually decreasing each year but remained in double digits and worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2014: Population gap found in 2014 census

The 2014 census, carried out in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), found a population gap of approximately 700,000 compared to the 2014 data from the National Statistical Office of Georgia, Geostat.

2014: Politicization of media

The political struggle for control over the public broadcaster has left it without a direction in 2014.

2015: Poverty and income statistics

By 2015 poverty decreased to 10.1 per cent. In 2015, the average monthly income of a household was 1,022.3₾ (about $426). Georgia's nominal GDP at US$13.98 billion.

2015: Network Readiness Index

Georgia ranked number 60 in the 2015 Network Readiness Index.

2015: Georgia's imports and exports account for 50% and 21% of GDP

In 2015, Georgia's imports and exports account for 50% and 21% of GDP respectively. Georgia's main imports are vehicles, ores, fossil fuels and pharmaceuticals. Main exports are ores, ferro-alloys, vehicles, wines, mineral waters and fertilizers.

July 2016: Association Agreement enters into force

On 1 July 2016, the Association Agreement between the EU and Georgia entered into force.

December 2016: EU and Georgia reach agreement on visa liberalization

On 13 December 2016, the EU and Georgia reached an agreement on visa liberalization for Georgian citizens.

2016: Accredited higher education institutions

As of 2016, 75 higher education institutions are accredited by the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia.

2016: Georgia's economy devoted to services

As of 2016, Georgia's economy is becoming more devoted to services (representing 59.4 per cent of GDP), moving away from the agricultural sector (6.1 per cent).

2016: Network Readiness Index

Georgia ranked number 58 overall in the 2016 NRI ranking.

2016: Georgian Dream wins parliamentary elections

Georgian Dream won the 2016 parliamentary elections, achieving a constitutional supermajority of 115 out of 150 seats.

2016: Accusations of greatly benefitting the ruling party

In 2016 protesters alleged that the mixed proportional-majoritarian voting system greatly benefited the ruling party.

2016: Tourism brings billions to Georgia

In 2016, tourism became an increasingly significant part of the Georgian economy, with over 2.7 million tourists bringing approximately US$2.16 billion to the country.

2016: Transparency International Corruption Perception Index

Since 2016 the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index hovers around 56 out of 100 points. In comparison, that places Georgia in the top 50 out of 180 countries, among Central European and Mediterranean EU member states.

February 2017: Council adopts regulation on visa liberalization

On 27 February 2017, the Council adopted a regulation on visa liberalization for Georgians travelling to the EU for a period of stay of 90 days in any 180-day period.

October 2017: Opening of the Kars–Tbilisi–Baku railway

On October 30, 2017, the economically important Kars–Tbilisi–Baku railway was opened, connecting much of the Caucasus with Turkey by standard gauge railway.

2017: Support for NATO membership

In 2017, a poll revealed that the majority of Georgians and politicians in Georgia support the push for NATO membership.

2017: Council of Europe reports on clientelistic system

In its 2017 report, the Council of Europe observed indications of a "clientelistic system" in Georgia, where resources may be allocated to generate loyalty and support for the leadership.

2018: Forest Landscape Integrity Index score

In 2018, Georgia had a Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 7.79/10, ranking it 31st globally out of 172 countries.

2018: Saakashvili convicted in absentia

In 2018, Mikheil Saakashvili, who had left Georgia shortly after the 2013 election, was convicted in absentia on corruption charges and abuse of power, which he denied. He continued to chair the United National Movement party from abroad.

2018: Russian tourists visit Georgia

In 2018, more than 1.4 million tourists from Russia visited Georgia.

2018: Constitutional Court legalizes cannabis consumption

In 2018, the Constitutional Court of Georgia ruled that "consumption of marijuana is an action protected by the right to free personality", effectively legalizing cannabis consumption.

2018: Zurabishvili wins presidential election

In the 2018 presidential election, the Georgian Dream party backed independent Salome Zurabishvili, who won in the second round and became the first woman in Georgia to hold the office in full capacity. This was the last direct election of a Georgian president.

2018: Reversal of democratisation trend

The reversal of a democratisation trend that started in 2018 saw gradual deteriorations until 2023.

September 2019: Lavrov's statement on NATO expansion

In September 2019, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that "NATO approaching our borders is a threat to Russia," and that Georgian membership in NATO excluding Abkhazia and South Ossetia would undermine Russia's relations with NATO.

2019: Survey finds unemployment

A perception of economic stagnation led to a 2019 survey of 1,500 residents finding unemployment was considered a significant problem by 73% of respondents, with 49% reporting their income had decreased over the prior year.

2019: Migrants from Georgia to Russia decline

According to United Nations data, the number of migrants from Georgia to Russia totalled 450,000 by 2019, declining from 625,000 in 2000.

2019: Georgia ranked 61st on the Human Development Index

In 2019, Georgia ranked 61st on the Human Development Index (HDI).

2019: Protests erupt over Russian MP's visit

In 2019, protests erupted over the visit of Russian MP Sergei Gavrilov and his participation in the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy. Protesters demanded electoral reform.

2019: Record high in international arrivals

In 2019, the number of international arrivals to Georgia reached a record high of 9.3 million people, with foreign exchange income in the year's first three-quarters amounting to over US$3 billion.

2020: Georgia improves its position to 6th in the world

By 2020 Georgia further improved its position to 6th in the world in terms of ease of doing business.

2020: Lithuania adopts Sakartvelas

In 2020, Lithuania became the first country in the world to adopt Sakartvelas in all official communications.

2020: Amended electoral system adopted

In 2020, after international mediation, an amended electoral system was adopted for the parliamentary elections, leading to nine parties being elected. Georgian Dream secured 48 percent of the votes.

2020: Salome Zourabichvili in opposition

Salome Zourabichvili went into opposition to the ruling party during the 2020–2021 Georgian political crisis.

April 2021: EU brokered agreement

In April 2021, a political crisis was temporarily resolved by an EU brokered agreement, from which both the ruling Georgian Dream and the opposition United National Movement withdrew a few months later.

2021: Georgia ranked 12th in the world for economic freedom

As of 2021, Georgia ranked 12th in the world for economic freedom.

2021: Georgia's military budget

As of 2021, Georgia's military budget was 900₾ ($280) million, of which newly two-thirds is allocated for maintaining defence forces readiness and potency development.

2021: Population decline

In 2021, the population of Georgia declined by 40,000, reversing the trend towards stabilization of the last decade.

2021: Salome Zourabichvili in opposition

Salome Zourabichvili went into opposition to the ruling party during the 2020–2021 Georgian political crisis.

March 2022: Georgia applies for EU membership

In March 2022, specifically on 3 March 2022, Georgia applied for EU membership following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

2022: Russian invasion of Ukraine and EU membership application

During the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Georgia provided diplomatic and humanitarian support but did not impose sanctions on Russia. Georgia applied for EU membership alongside Ukraine and Moldova but was given conditions to meet before receiving candidate status.

2022: Freedom House report: Partly Free

In their 2022 report, Freedom House listed Georgia as "partly free", recognizing a trajectory of democratic improvement surrounding the 2012–13 transfer of power but observing a process of democratic backslide in later years of the Georgian Dream rule.

March 2023: Attempt to adopt the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence

In March 2023, Georgian Dream attempted to adopt the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence, requiring NGOs to register as "agents of foreign influence" if they receive over 20% of their funding from abroad. The discussions were amidst protests and pressure from international bodies.

December 2023: Georgia granted EU Candidate status

In December 2023, Georgia was granted EU Candidate status by the European Council.

2023: Democracy Index classification

In the 2023 Democracy Index, the Economist Intelligence Unit classified Georgia as a "hybrid regime", denoting an incomplete democratic transition.

2023: Rapid democratic erosion

The reversal of a democratisation trend that started in 2018 saw gradual deteriorations until 2023 when rapid democratic erosion set in.

February 2024: Irakli Kobakhidze as Prime Minister

Since February 2024, the post of the Prime Minister has been occupied by Irakli Kobakhidze, whose legitimacy is also disputed.

April 2024: Introduction of a similar bill

In April 2024, a similar bill to the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence was introduced and adopted the next month.

October 2024: Political crisis and protests after parliamentary elections

In October 2024, alleged irregularities and fraud in the Georgian parliamentary elections led to a political crisis and protests.

October 2024: Deep political crisis

Since October 2024, Georgia has been immersed in a deep political crisis.

November 2024: EU accession process paused until 2028

In November 2024, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze declared the country's EU accession process would be paused until 2028, leading to protests.

November 2024: Census indicates population increase

Preliminary results of the November 2024 census indicates that the population of Georgia is approximately 3,914,000.

2024: Legislation passed to remove protections from LGBT people

In 2024, a bill was passed in Georgia seeking to remove many protections from LGBT people, drawing condemnation from the European Union and human rights organizations.

2024: Criteria set for EU accession talks

In December 2023, when Georgia was granted EU-candidate status, criteria such as free and fair 2024 parliamentary elections, were set for moving ahead to the actual accession talks.

2024: Georgia's Global Hunger Index Score

In the 2024 Global Hunger Index, Georgia has a GHI score of less than 5, indicating a low level of hunger.

2024: Plummeting score in Democracy Index

In the annual Democracy Index of the V-Dem Institute, the reversal of a democratisation trend which started in 2018 and saw gradual deteriorations until 2023 resulted in a plummeting score in 2024.

2025: Disputed Presidency

As of 2025, the Presidency in Georgia is disputed between Salome Zourabichvili and Mikheil Kavelashvili, following the widely disputed 2024 Georgian presidential election.

2025: Tourism goals

Georgia plans to host 11 million visitors by 2025, with annual revenues reaching US$6.6 billion.

2025: Global Innovation Index

Georgia was ranked 56th in the Global Innovation Index in 2025.

2025: Classified as electoral autocracy

In 2025, the annual Democracy Index of the V-Dem Institute classified Georgia for the first time as an electoral autocracy, noting the country showed one of the biggest drops on the list and its largest one-year decline.

2028: EU accession process paused until 2028