ABSTRACT
Georgia is a mountainous country of 69,700 square kilometers, situated in the western Caucasus, south of the Caucasian Mountains and east of the Black Sea. Georgians speak the Georgian language, which has several dialects in different districts. Georgians are mostly Eastern Orthodox, with a small number of Roman Catholics. Folk-musical traditions in Georgia are well preserved, especially in the mountainous areas. Georgian folk music is traditionally divided into fifteen ethnographic districts clustering in an eastern area and a western area, but they can also be viewed as mountain districts and valley districts. Part singing forms the basis of the Georgian musical system, which maintains no unison-singing tradition in choral performances. In addition to calendric rituals, Georgian folk culture is rich in celebrations that mark an individual's life from birth to death. Georgian culture promoted rural and urban folk theater. Georgian musical instruments reflect indigenous and foreign sources.
