The roots of the Georgian people extend deep in history; their cultural heritage is equally ancient and rich.  During the medieval period a powerful Georgian kingdom existed, reaching its height between the 10th and 13th centuries.  After a long period of Turkish and Persian domination, Georgia was annexed by the Russian Empire in the 19th century.  An independent Georgian state existed from 1918 to 1921, when it was incorporated into the Soviet Union.  In 1936 Georgia became a constituent (union) republic and continued as such until the collapse of the Soviet Union.  During the Soviet period the Georgian economy was modernized and diversified.  One of the most independence-minded republics, Georgia declared sovereignty on 19^th Nov. 1989, and independence on 9^th April 1991.

The 1990s were a period of instability and civil unrest in Georgia, as the first post-independence government was overthrown and separatist movements emerged in South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

The most recent census in 2014 showed that most of the population in Georgia practiced Eastern Orthodox Christianity, primarily in the Georgian Orthodox Church, whose faithful make up 83.4% of the population.  Around 2.9% of the population followed the Armenian Apostolic Church (Oriental Orthodoxy), almost all of which are ethnic Armenians. Adherents of Islam made up 10.7% of the population and are mainly found in the Adjara and Kvemo Kartliregions and as a sizeable minority in Tbilisi.  Catholics of the Armenian and Latin churches made up around 0.8% of the population and were mainly found in the south of Georgia and a small number in Tbilisi.  Protestants also made up less than 1%. There was also a sizeable Jewish community in Tbilisi served by two synagogues.  A 2015 study estimates some 1,300 Christian believers from a Muslim background in the country, most of them belonging to some form of Protestantism.

The Georgian Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice.  Citizens generally do not interfere with traditional religious groups; however, there have been reports of violence and discrimination against non-traditional religious groups.

In 2023, the country was scored 2 out of 4 for religious freedom.  It was noted that religious minorities have reported discrimination and that members of the clergy have been surveyed by the SSS.

The Bible was first translated into the Georgian language as early as the 5^th century.  The Vani Gospels (Vani Four Gospels; Georgian: ვანის ოთხთავი, Vanis otkhtavi) is an illuminated manuscript of the gospels in the Georgian Nuskhuri script dating from the end of the 12thearly 13th centuries.  Recently a new translation was completed by the Institute for Bible Translation.

The Georgian Bible, in use until a few years ago, was an ancient translation.  The two recent translations (1990s) are the standard Bibles today, but due to their popularity, there is a great need to print more.  A children’s Bible is also available.  The Bible Society projects are a welcome success in inter-confessional ministry; they also produce a Bible magazine and run a Bible shop.  Their desire to distribute Scriptures in Abkhazia and South Ossetia has often been disrupted by the conflicts and instability there.