n.
formerly Tiflis
City (pop., 1998 est.: 1,398,968), capital of the Republic of Georgia on the Kura River .
Founded 0441; AD 458 as the capital of the Georgian kingdom, its strategic position on trade routes between Europe and Asia led to its frequent capture. It endured under successive Persian, Byzantine, Arab, Mongol, and Turkish rulers and came under the control of the Russian Empire 0441; 1801. It was made the capital of the Transcaucasian Federation in 1921, the Georgian S.S.R. in 1936, and the independent Republic of Georgia in 1991. Some ancient structures still exist in the city, which is now a major cultural, educational, research, and industrial centre.