Georgia borders Russia, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan. The area of the Caucasus is considered a borderline between Europe and Asia, and Georgia is part of the Council of Europe. In antiquity, Western Georgia was called Colchis. Eastern Georgia was known as Iberia, but it shouldn't be confused with the Iberian peninsula (Spain, Portugal).

Georgia has been a site of human habitation for the last 2,000,000 years. Remains of Homo erectus have been located. More extensive human settlement started c. 200,000 BC. The transition from foraging and hunting societies to farming and animal herding ones, seems to have taken place c. 5000 BC. The local Shulaveri-Shomu culture is one of the earliest known Neolithic cultures. Archaeologists have found evidence of early domestication of cattle and pigs in the area.