Eastern European Nation Looks to Become Member of NATO

In November 2013, Giorgi Margvelashvili assumed the presidency of Georgia, an eastern European country that borders the Black Sea.  In 1921, Georgia was invaded by the Soviet Red Army.  A year after the Russian invasion, Georgia was incorporated by the Soviet Union.  After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, Georgia became an independent nation.

The United States has an interest in the economic prospects of Georgia.  The U.S. invested in the building of an oil pipeline from Azerbaijan to Turkey.  Part of the oil pipeline goes through Georgia.  Georgian military forces have also received training from U.S. armed forces and Georgia sent troops to fight in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.  
The election of Margvelashvili is important because Georgia has aspirations to eventually join NATO and also the European Union.  In recent years, Georgia has been dependent on Russia for its energy supply.  In 2008, Georgia fought a five-day war against Russia over the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.    
Facts about Georgia:
Population: 4,935,880 (July 2014)
Area: 26,911 sq. miles (slightly smaller than South Carolina)
Capital: Tbilisi
GDP – per capita: $6,100 (2013, in U.S. dollars)
Sources: www.bbc.com, www.cia.gov

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