Published October 9, 2012 By Elizaveta Egorova and Felipe Umaña Briefing CCPPR12GE Report available in PDF and Flash formats

The Republic of Georgia unilaterally declared itself an independent state in 1918, but was forcefully annexed as a part of the Soviet Union three years later. On April 9, 1991 it regained independence after the collapse of the USSR. Since then, Georgian-Russian relations have remained tense, largely over the status of the autonomous regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Conflict over the regions flared in 1991 and still remain unresolved, with the conflict intensifying as recently as 2008 during the five-day Russo-Georgian war.

Recently, Georgia has demonstrated significant socio-economic and political gains. After a severe economic crisis and the war with Russia in 2008, Georgia has moved towards ample recovery and has shown signs of stability. The country’s foreign policy relations and the overall political image internationally have also improved. Relations with the U.S. (particularly through NATO) and the European Union have likewise grown as the government under Mikheil Saakashvili has increased diplomacy with the West. However, the somewhat unexpected 2012 victory of Bidzina Ivanishvili’s Georgia Dream party in legislative elections may lead to increased political divisions ahead.

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Latest Update: 2012-10 Elizaveta Egorova and Felipe Umaña
Previous Update: 2011-07 Kristen Blandford

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