"There is only one rank in Georgia," John Foster Fraser wrote, "and that is prince." Its Caucasus mountainscapes are magnificent, its food and wine are fit for royalty, and its culture is as lively as any in the known universe.

• TOTAL AREA: 69,700 sq km

• LAND AREA: 69,700 sq km

• WATER AREA: 0 sq km

• POPULATION: 4,661,473

• RELIGIONS: Orthodox Christian 83.9%, Muslim 9.9%, Armenian-Gregorian 3.9%, Catholic 0.8%, other 0.8%, none 0.7% (2002 census)

• LANGUAGES: Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, other 7%

• GOVERNMENT TYPE: Republic

• CAPITAL CITY: T'bilisi

• OFFICIAL CURRENCY: lari (GEL)

• TIME ZONE: GMT/UTC +4