took over in the 1800s. In 1921
Georgia became a republic of the Soviet
Union.
Georgia declared its independence in
1991. The country soon faced rebellions
in several of its regions that continued
into the 21st century.
..More to explore
Tbilisi • Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics
Facts About
GEORGIA
Population
(2006 estimate)
4,651,300
Area
27,086 sq mi
(70,152 sq km)
Capital
Tbilisi
Form of
government
Republic
Major cities
Tbilisi, K’ut’aisi,
Bat’umi, Rust’avi,
Sokhumi
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Georgia, Republic of 103
Geranium
Geraniums are flowering plants that
grow in the wild as well as in gardens.
There are many different types of geranium.
Most have strong fragrances, or
smells. Geraniums are common in mild,
somewhat moist climates in North
America, Europe, and Africa.
Geraniums’ flowers may be round,
ragged, or frilled. The flowers occur in
clusters and come in shades of pink,
deep red, violet, and white.
Many of these plants have been developed
for their pleasant fragrances. When
their leaves are rubbed, they may smell
like mint, fruit, flowers, spice, or even
chocolate. The leaves tend to be thick,
though the leaf shapes vary.
Gerbil
Gerbils are small rodents that are
similar to mice and rats. There are
almost 100 species, or kinds, of gerbil.
They live in Africa and Asia, mainly in
deserts and other dry, sandy areas. For
this reason, gerbils are sometimes called
sand rats. Some kinds also live in
grasslands, farm fields, or forests. The
Mongolian gerbil is a popular
household pet.
Gerbils have soft fur that is usually pale
brown or gray. Their eyes and ears are
large. Most gerbils are about 4 to 6
inches (10 to 15 centimeters) long, not
including the tail. The tail is usually
long and hairy. Many species have long
hind legs used for leaping.
Gerbils live in burrows, which are
underground holes and tunnels that they
dig. Most species come out of their burrows
at night to collect food. A few
kinds are active during the day. Gerbils
mainly eat seeds, roots, nuts, and
insects.
#More to explore
Pet • Rodent
German Measles
#see Rubella.
The geranium is a popular
flower-garden plant.
A hairy-footed pygmy gerbil rests on the
sand of an African desert.
104 Geranium BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Germany
For 45 years afterWorldWar II, the
European country of Germany was
divided into two republics. East Germany
was a Communist country, while
West Germany was a democracy. The
collapse of Communism led to the
reunification of Germany in 1990. Germany’s
capital is Berlin.
Geography
Germany shares borders with Denmark,
Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria,
Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium,
and The Netherlands. Its northern
coasts touch the North and Baltic
seas.
The south contains the Bavarian Alps.
The vast Black Forest, so called for its
thick, dark groves of trees, covers the
southwest. Central Germany is hilly and
forested. The north is a wide, sandy
plain. Germany’s longest river is the
Rhine, which runs along the western
border. Much of Germany has a temperate
climate, with warm summers and
cool, overcast winters.
Plants and Animals
Germany’s main type of tree is pine,
followed by beech and oak. Millions of
trees have been damaged by a form of
pollution known as acid rain. Germany’s
animals include deer, wildcats, hares,
wild boars, badgers, beavers, and foxes.
Birds include thrushes, starlings, sparrows,
owls, woodpeckers, herons, and
falcons.
People
Almost 90 percent of the population is
German. There are small groups of
Turks and other Europeans. German is
the official language. Most Germans are
Christians. The north and east are
largely Protestant, while the south and
A farmhouse stands in the mountains of
Germany’s Black Forest.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Germany 105
west have more Roman Catholics. Many
people follow no religion. Nearly 90
percent of the population lives in urban
areas.
Economy
Services, including health care, education,
and tourism, form the largest part
of Germany’s economy. However, Germany
is one of the top industrial countries
in the world. It produces
automobiles, machinery, chemicals, food
products, electrical equipment, metals,
and other goods. Germany also has
deposits of coal and natural gas.
Although agriculture is a small part of
the economy, German farms generally
produce more grains, milk, and meat
than the country needs. One major crop
is hops, which is used in Germany’s
famous beer industry.
History
During ancient and medieval times hundreds
of Germanic, Celtic, and Slavic
tribes lived in what is now Germany.
The Franks unified the tribes in the
500s. After the death of the Frankish
king Charlemagne in 814, the eastern
part of his empire became Germany.
Germany was made up of loosely connected
states. Many kings of Germany
also ruled the Holy Roman Empire,
which covered much of central Europe.
In the 1500s the German priest Martin
Luther led the Reformation. The movement
criticized Roman Catholicism and
led to the formation of Protestant forms
of Christianity.
The German Empire
The Holy Roman Empire weakened in
the mid-1600s, and the German state of
Prussia rose in importance. In the late
