The study assesses a possible impact of USAID-funded agricultural projects in Georgia on U.S. commodity production and U.S. jobs and workers rights. USAID's yearly obligation requires confirmation that USAID-funded activities do not impact U.S. jobs and workers rights and do not result in increased competition of Georgian products with similar commodities produced in the U.S.

In October 2007, responding to the problem of very low birthrates in the country, Ilia II. of Georgia, the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, announced that he would personally baptize any third and subsequent child born to Orthodox families from that time onwards. This promise seems to have had a considerable impact on the reproduction behavior of Georgians.

When Armenia entered the Russia-dominated customs union in 2013, fear spread among the Georgian public and policymakers. It looked as if Georgia would be economically squeezed in between Russia and Armenia, the latter being one of Russia’s staunchest allies in the region and, given its geopolitical dependency on Russia, sometimes seen as a little more than a Russian agent.

In September 2014, the cost of cooking one Imeretian khachapuri gained 3.2% relative to August, reaching 3.35 GEL. Importantly, Khachapuri Index added much more than 13.7% in annual terms, suggesting that Georgia is beginning to experience inflation, at least as far as food prices are concerned.

Winemaking is one of the oldest Georgian traditions that have survived to this day. Archaeologists have proved that the history of Georgian wine production reaches back into the past at least 8000 years. Arguably, this makes Georgia the earliest place on earth where wine was produced. And the tradition is alive – today there are not just big wine firms, but it is common among ordinary Georgians to grow grapes and produce their own, homemade wine.