Timeline: Georgia

A chronology of key events:

1801-04 - Most of present-day Georgia becomes part of the Russian Empire.

Tbilisi has seen the passage of Persians, Arabs, Turks, Russians Founded in fifth century Population: 1.4 million

1918 - Independent Georgian state declared.

1921 - Red Army invades. Georgia declared a Soviet Socialist Republic.

1922 - Georgia, as part of the Transcaucasian Soviet Federative Republic, becomes a founder member of the Soviet Union.

1936 - Transcaucasian Soviet Federative Republic dissolved and Georgia becomes a full republic of the Soviet Union.

1972 - Eduard Shevardnadze appointed head of the Georgian Communist Party.

1989 April - Soviet troops kill 19 pro-independence demonstrators in Tbilisi.

1989 - Demands for more autonomy in the South Ossetia region lead to violent clashes between Georgians and Ossetians. Russian peacekeepers are deployed.

1990 - Nationalist coalition wins multi-party parliamentary elections; former dissident Zviad Gamsakhurdia becomes chairman of parliament.

1990 - 1991 - Growing South Ossetian independence aspirations bring further violence between separatist and Georgian forces. Hundreds die and tens of thousands flee their homes.

Independence

1991 - Georgian parliament declares secession from the Soviet Union after independence is overwhelmingly supported in a referendum.

Clashes in Tbilisi preceded the coup that ousted Gamsakhurdia

Gamsakhurdia is elected president by more than 85% of the votes cast.

1992 January - Gamsakhurdia is deposed after fighting in central Tbilisi between government troops and opposition militias.

South Ossetians vote in favour of independence in an unrecognized referendum.

1992 March - Shevardnadze is appointed head of the newly formed State Council.

Abkhazia crisis

1992 August - Fighting breaks out in Abkhazia between Georgian government troops and separatist forces.

1992 October - Shevardnadze is directly elected chairman of parliament.

10,000 died as Abkhazia tried to break away from Georgia Regions and territories: Abkhazia 2003: Georgia's forgotten conflict

1993

September - Georgian troops driven out of Abkhazia by separatist forces.

1993 October - Insurrection by Gamsakhurdia supporters in western Georgia is suppressed after Georgia agrees to join the CIS and receives help from Russian troops.

1994 - Georgian government and Abkhaz separatists sign a ceasefire agreement, paving the way for the deployment of a Russian peacekeeping force in the region.

New constitution adopted which provides for a strong executive presidency. New currency, the lari, introduced.

1995 November - Shevardnadze wins elections to the restored post of president.

1997 Death penalty abolished.

2000 April - Shevardnadze re-elected president.

2001 March - Georgia and the separatist region of Abkhazia sign an accord pledging not to use force against each other.

2001 June/July - Russia hands over Vaziani military base to Georgia.

Tension with Russia

2001 October - Clashes in Abkhazia between Abkhaz troops and Georgian paramilitaries backed by fighters from the North Caucasus. The tension is heightened as Russia accuses Georgia of harbouring Chechen rebels, a charge dismissed by Georgia.

Eduard Shevardnadze resigned after "Rose Revolution" Profile: Eduard Shevardnadze Yesterday's man rues defeat

2001 November - Demonstrations following raid by security forces on privately-owned Rustavi-2 TV station, known for its criticism of Shevardnadze and of government's failure to tackle corruption. Shevardnadze responds by sacking government.

2002 April/May - US special forces arrive to train and equip Georgian forces for counterterrorist operations.

2002 September - Row over Russian accusations that Georgia is harbouring Chechen militants in Pankisi Gorge. Russian President Putin warns of military action if Georgia fails to deal with them.

2002 October - Row with Russia defused after Georgian leader promises to work with Moscow to fight Chechen rebels. Antiterrorist operation ends with several suspected guerrillas killed, dozens of Chechens detained and several extradited to Russia.

2003 May - Work begins on laying Georgian section of oil pipeline to run from Baku in Azerbaijan through Georgia to Ceyhan in Turkey.

Shevardnadze ousted

2003 November - Shevardnadze is toppled in a bloodless "Rose Revolution" triggered by opposition allegations of irregularities in parliamentary elections.

2004 January - Mikhail Saakashvili wins presidential election.

2004 March - Amid rising tension with the leadership of the autonomous region of Ajaria, Tbilisi briefly imposes sanctions and closes the border.

Mr Saakashvili's National Movement-Democratic Front wins overwhelming majority of seats in parliament in re-run of parliamentary elections.

2004 May - Ajarian leader Aslan Abashidze claims Georgian forces about to invade and blows up bridges connecting the region with the rest of Georgia.

President Saakashvili orders Mr Abashidze to comply with Georgian constitution and disarm his forces or face removal.

Aslan Abashidze resigns and leaves Georgia.

South Ossetia, Abkhazia troubles

Late PM Zurab Zhvania, once tipped to become president Zurab Zhvania: Architect of revolution

2004 May - South Ossetia holds parliamentary elections, unrecognised by Tbilisi.

2004 June - Georgia's decision to beef up its anti-smuggling operation in South Ossetia prompts sharp a response from the local leadership and is criticised by Russia.

2004 August - Several deaths are reported in clashes between Georgian and South Ossetian forces. After saying it has captured key positions which it promises to hand over to joint peacekeepers, Georgia pulls back its forces.

2004 October - Abkhaz presidential elections, not recognised by Tbilisi, end in chaos. Abkhaz court upholds declaration of Sergei Bagapsh as winner but, after protests, orders election rerun. Tensions run high between supporters of Mr Bagapsh and those of his rival, Raul Khadzhimba, who is said to be favoured by Moscow.

The Russian military presence has long been a source of tension 2005: First Russian troops quit Georgia

2005 January - Sergei Bagapsh wins rerun of Abkhaz presidential elections after doing a deal with his rival, Raul Khadzhimba, who becomes vice president.

President Saakashvili unveils proposals on autonomy within Georgia for South Ossetia whose leadership rejects them, repeating demand for full independence. Georgian leader says similar proposals can only be considered for Abkhazia if Georgian refugees who fled fighting in 1993 are allowed to return.

2005 February - Three police officers killed by car bomb in Gori, west of Tbilisi and close to South Ossetia.

Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania is found dead in a Tbilisi flat, apparently from gas poisoning. Zurab Noghaideli, hitherto finance minister, becomes premier.

Georgia has centuries-old tradition of winemaking

2005

May - Large crowds in Tbilisi greet President George W Bush, the first US leader to visit Georgia, who proclaims the country a "beacon of liberty".

Georgian policeman and four Ossetians killed in shooting incident in South Ossetia.

2005 July - Russia starts to withdraw its troops from two Soviet-era bases under the terms of a deal reached in May. The pull-out is due to be completed by late 2008.

Pipeline blasts

2006 January - Explosions on Russian side of border damage gas pipeline, cutting supplies during freezing weather. A near-simultaneous blast disrupts electricity supplies from Russia. Russia says it suspects North Caucasus insurgents but President Saakashvili accuses Moscow of sabotage.

Russian pipeline blasts left Georgians in the cold 2006: Russia blamed for 'gas sabotage' 2006: Russia resumes Georgia gas flow

Georgia receives gas from Iran via recently-repaired pipeline running through Azerbaijan.

2006 March - At least seven die in prison rioting near Tbilisi when police move in to stop attempted mass breakout.

Tbilisi protests at Russian decision to suspend imports of Georgian wine on health grounds, saying the move is politically motivated.

2006 May - Russia announces ban on imports of Georgian mineral water on health grounds. Again, Tbilisi protests that the action is politically motivated.

2006 May-June - Tensions with Russia rise again as Georgia demands that Russian peacekeepers arriving on rotation in South Ossetia have visas.

2006 July - Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline formally opened after Caspian oil starts flowing along it.

Parliament demands withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers from South Ossetia and Abkhazia, calling for them to be replaced by international forces.

Arrest of Russians on spy charges sparked fury in Moscow 2006: High stakes in Georgia standoff

At least one person dies in Georgian operation to disarm local militia led by Emzar Kvitsiani in remote Kodori gorge, the only part of Abkhazia still under Tbilisi's partial control. Georgia announces plan to establish Abkhazia government-in-exile in gorge.

2006 September - Relations with Russia deteriorate when a Georgian military helicopter carrying Defence Minister Okruashvili is fired on over South Ossetia.

Agreement reached on holding talks with Nato on closer relations.

2006 September-October - Russian army officers detained on spying charges. Russia imposes sanctions, cuts transport links and expels hundreds of Georgians.

2006 November - South Ossetians vote in favour of independence in an unrecognised referendum.

2007 August - Georgia accuses Russia of twice violating its air space, which Moscow denies.

Anti-Saakashvili protests

2007 September - Former defence minister Irakli Okruashvili accuses Mr Saakashvili of corruption and plotting a murder. The allegations spark a wave of protests.

2007 November - State of emergency declared. Riot police battle protesters demanding president's resignation.

Russia says it has withdrawn last troops based in Georgia since 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, but retains a presence in the breakaway provinces.

2007 December - Human Rights Watch criticises government for using "excessive" force against protesters in November. International Crisis Group warns of growing authoritarianism.

2008 January - Saakashvili re-elected in snap election.

2008 March - Separatist government in Abkhazia asks United Nations to recognise independence.

2008 April - NATO summit in Bucharest defers decision on Georgia's application to join Membership Programme until December.

2008 April - Russia says it will step up ties with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, prompting Georgia to accuse Moscow of planning the republics' "de facto annexation".

2008 May - Ruling party wins landslide victory in parliamentary election. Opposition says election was rigged and threatens to boycott new parliament.

Russia sends 300 unarmed troops to Abkhazia, saying they are needed for railway repairs. Georgia accuses Russia of planning military intervention.

2008 June - Abkhazia cuts all contact with Georgian government, accusing it of being behind recent series of blasts in breakaway republic. Georgia denies having any role.

Russian intervention

2008 August - Tensions between Georgia and Russia escalate into a full-blown military conflict after Georgia tries to retake South Ossetia by force after a series of lower-level clashes with Russian-backed rebels.

Russia launches a counter-attack, ejecting Georgian troops from both South Ossetia and Abkhazia. After more than a week of hostilities, the two sides sign a French-brokered peace agreement, but Russia subsequently recognises the two breakaway regions as independent states - a move that draws protests from Georgia and the West.

Russia also continues to maintain a military presence in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

2008 October - Nino Burjanadze, a former ally of President Saakashvili, announces a new opposition group Democratic Movement-United Georgia, saying the authorities were not capable of dealing with "threats" to the country, and calls for early elections. Mr Saakashvili dismisses Prime Minister Gurgenidze the same day.

2008 November - Grigol Mgaloblishvili becomes prime minister.

2009 January - Mr Mgaloblishvili steps down on health grounds.

2009 February - Nika Gilauri becomes prime minister.

2009 April - Opposition launches "national disobedience campaign" in effort to persuade President Saakashvili to resign.

2009 May - Georgian authorities say they quelled a mutiny by a tank battalion at the Mukhrovani army base, describing it as part of a Russia-linked coup against President Saakashvili. Russia denies any involvement.

Nato military exercises begin in Georgia amid condemnation from Russia.