Tbilisi is the capital and largest city of Georgia, situated on the banks of the Kura River. It serves as a major urban center with a population exceeding 1.3 million inhabitants, accounting for nearly one third of the country's total population.
The city was founded in the 5th century CE by Vakhtang I of Iberia and has historically functioned as the capital for various Georgian kingdoms and republics. From 1801 to 1917, while part of the Russian Empire, Tbilisi served as the seat of the Caucasus Viceroyalty, which governed both the northern and southern regions of the Caucasus.