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The Georgians (ქართველი ერი (Kartveli Eri) or ქართველები (Kartvelebi) in the Georgian language) are a nation or an ethnic group, originating in the Caucasus. The Georgian ethnic group (as a single entity) is one of the oldest ethnic groups in the world. Georgians are a part of the Ibero-Caucasian peoples (იბერიელ-კავკასიელი ხალხები) and are classified in the South Caucasian family both linguistically and culturally. The Georgian language has a rich literary tradition and the Georgian Alphabet is one of the fourteen unique alphabets which exist in the world today.

Origins

Most historians and scholars of Georgia as well as anthropologists, archeologists and linguists tend to agree that the ancestors of modern Georgians inhabited the southern Caucasus and northern Asia Minor since the Neolithic period. Scholars usually refer to them as Proto-Kartvelian tribes. Some European historians of the 19th century (eg, Humboldt, Krettschmer) as well as Georgian scholars (R. Gordeziani, S. Kaukhchishvili and Z. Gamsakhurdia) came to the conclusion that Proto-Kartvelians were closely related linguistically and culturally to the indigenous (pre-Indo-European) peoples of ancient Europe including the Etruscans, Pelasgians and Proto-Basques.

Proto Georgian tribes:

• Tubalcain, associated with a proto-Georgian tribe, mentioned in Bible as an "instructor of every artificer in brass and iron." (Genesis 4:22)

• Mushki (present day Meskhetians), tribe of king Mita, now thought to be none other than the famous King Midas of the golden touch.

• Tubal, proto-Georgian tribe also mentioned in Bible (known as the Meshech in Ezekiel 38:1-43). The Greeks called this tribe the Tiberani, which may have given rise to the name Iberian, by which the classical world knew the eastern Georgians.

• Daiaeni in Assirian sources and Taokhoi in Greek, lived in the northeastern part of Anatolia, a region that ones was part of Georgia. The Georgians of today still refer to this region, which now belongs to present-day Turkey, as Tao-Klarjeti. Some people there still speak Georgian.

Georgian character

Georgians are irreverent, good humored and generally high spirited. A good demonstration of the Georgian character can be seen as a guest in a Georgian home, where you'll be treated like a monarch and fed and watered untill you can take no more. Few things can offend a Georgian, but refusing to drink is one of them. Georgians are proud of their culture, but nationalism is rarely felt. Georgians like to identify with their own regions but they all share sence of strong national statehood.

The Georgians are among the most hospitable people on Earth, with strong traditions of chivalry and codes of personal honour. They believe that guests come from God. Friendship is prized highest among all the virtues. It is celebrated in the great national epic, The Knight in the Panther's Skin, by Shota Rustaveli and which provides an insight into daily life, in which a person's worth is judged not by how much money he has in bank but how many friends he has. The Georgians are proud, passionate, and fiercely individualistic, yet deeply connected with each other through a shared sense of belonging to a greater Georgian family. Women are highly esteemed in society and are accorded a respect endowed with great courtliness. The statue of Mother of Georgia (kartlis deda) that stands in the hills above Tbilisi perhaps best symbolized the national character: in her left hand she holds a bowl of wine with which she greets her friends and in her right is a sword drawn against her enemies.

Population and geographical spread

The total population of Georgians in the world is estimated to be around 6,000,000.

• Around 4 million Georgians live in Georgia (where they comprise 83% of the population),

• In Turkey, Georgians form the majority in parts of Artvin Province east of the Çoruh River in Shavsheti (შავშეთი) region (Upper Machakheli in the north of Borçka district, Imerkhevi in the north of Şavşat district, and Murgul district) and in individual villages along the Çoruh valley of Livana (ლივანა) vicinity in the territory of the ancient Georgian regions of Tao-Klarjeti (Klarjeti (კლარჯეთში) is presently a village renamed officially as Bereket in Ardanuç district), southwards to the district of Yusufeli (Kiskim) in Amier-Tao (ამიერტაო) subregion. They also live as Chveneburi (ჩვენებური) muhajirs in various provinces. The total population of Georgians in Turkey is estimated to be more than 1,500,000.

• Around 200,000 in Russia.

• 50,000-100,000 (numbers are not totally known) in Iran mainly in (Fereydoon Shahr, Najaf Abad, Rahmat Abad, Orji Mahalle, Sadeh)

• More than 50,000 in Azerbaijan especially in the Kakhi, Belokani and Zakatala districts, which are parts of the historical Georgian region Saingilo. These rayons were once part of the Democratic Republic of Georgia and part of Georgia under the Transcaucasian SFSR until 1931 when they were transferred to Azerbaijan. Georgia holds no claims against Azerbaijan over these territories as of present.

• 200,000 in other countries such as (USA, Germany, the Netherlands, France, etc.).

Ethnographic subdivisions

Ethnographic groups of the Georgian people are: Megrels (მეგრელები), Svans (სვანები), Lazs (ლაზები), Imeretians (იმერლები), Guruls (გურულები), Ajarians (აჭარლები), Meskhs (მესხები), Lechkhums (ლეჩხუმელები), Rachvels (რაჭველები), Kartlis (ქართლელები), Kakhetians (კახელები), Khevsurs (ხევსურები), Tushs (თუშები), Pshavs (ფშაველები), Mokhevians (მოხევეები), Ingilos (ინგილოები), Fereydanians (ფერეიდნელები)

Notable Georgians (selection)

See List of Georgians for a more complete listing, including notable people with Irish heritage.

Kings and chieftains

• Parnavaz I of Iberia (3rd century BC), king
• Vakhtang Gorgasali the king of Georgia in the 5th century, founder of capital city-Tbilisi
• Tamar of Georgia (1160-1213), Queen in 1184-1213
• David the Builder (1073-1125), king in 1089-1125

Literature & the arts

• Shota Rustaveli
• Lado Asatiani
• Alexander Chavchavadze
• Ilia Chavchavadze
• Niko Nikoladze
• Vazha-Pshavela
• Galaktion Tabidze
• Titsian Tabidze
• Akaki Tsereteli

Military

• Alexander Chavchavadze
• Kote Abkhazi (1867-1923)
• Geno Adamia (1936-1993)
• Dimitri Amilakhvari (1906-1942), hero of French Resistance during the WW2.
• Pyotr Bagration (1765-1812), general (Russia)
• Kakutsa Cholokashvili (1888-1930)
• Leo Kereselidze (1878-1942)
• Giorgi Kvinitadze (1874-1970)
• Shalva Maglakelidze (1893-1970)
• Giorgi Mazniashvili (1872-1937)
• John Shalikashvili (Poland, 1936- ), general, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (USA)

Music

• Meliton Balanchivadze
• Gia Kancheli
• Jansug Kakhidze
• Zakharia Paliashvili

Actors

• David (Dodo) Abashidze
• Veriko Anjaparidze
• Spartak Bagashvili
• Ushangi Chkheidze
• Kakhi Kavsadze
• Erosi Manjgaladze
• Sesilia Takaishvili
• Nato Vachnadze
• Sergo Zakariadze

Philosophy & religion

• Peter the Iberian (411-491), bishop & philosopher
• Antim Iverianul (Antimoz Iverieli) (1650-1716), Metropolitan of Romania
• St Grigol Peradze
• Ilia II (1932- ), Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia since 1977

Politics

• Mikhail Saakashvili (1967-), President of Georgia from 2004
• Eduard Shevardnadze (1928- ), the former President until-2004
• Zviad Gamsakhurdia (1939-1993), the First President
• Merab Kostava (1939-1989), National Hero

Sports

• Shota Arveladze (1973- ), footballer, AZ Alkmaar and Georgia national team
• Maia Chiburdanidze (1961- ), Women's World Champion in chess (1978-1991)
• Nona Gaprindashvili (1941- ), Women's World Champion in chess (1962-1978)
• Kakhaber Kaladze (1978- ), footballer, AC Milan
• Zaza Pachulia (1984 - ), professional basketball player, Atlanta Hawks, NBA

Gallery of Georgian people

Notes

1. Roger Rosen, Georgia, 2004, p 15.

External links

• "The Bagrationi Royal Dynasty of Georgia" by Dr. Levan Z. Urushadze.- Issued by the International Academy for the Promotion of Historical Studies (IAPHS), 2005
• "Kartuli Idea - The Georgian Idea"

See also

• Chveneburi - Georgians in Turkey
• Culture of Georgia
• Demographics of Georgia
• Demographics of Turkey
• Demographics of Russia
• Georgian language
• Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church
• History of Georgia
• List of Georgians
• Peoples of the Caucasus in Turkey
• Republic of Georgia

• Ancient peoples
• Ethnic groups in Europe
• Georgian society
• Christian people
• European people
• Peoples of Caucasus