CAPITAL TBILISI - POPULATION 4.6 MILLION - AREA 69,700 SQ KM -OFFICIAL LANGUAGE GEORGIAN
Stability issues prevent this nation, once part of the former USSR, assuming its rightful place as a travel great. With bandit-controlled hinterlands and almost nightly power cuts, Georgia doesn't have the infrastructure for large-scale tourism. But it's getting better – funds have been earmarked for restoration projects and visa requirements for many nationalities have been waived. Five-star hotels are cropping up in capital Tbilisi, a city with a reputation for song, dance and a never-ending flow of ghvino (wine). Flights aren't cheap but increasing inclusion on Central Asian overland itineraries will help travelers reach areas such as the snow-crested High Caucasus and ancient capital Mtskheta, which for now remain woefully under visited.
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