Georgia was a comparably privileged republic within the Soviet Union due to its agriculture and industry, and the tourist areas on the Black Sea and in the Caucasus mountains. However, knowledge of Georgia was very limited in the Western world until the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Thereafter, the three-year civil war produced a decade of political instability with a long-lasting financial, economic and social crisis. About 1.5 million Georgians have emigrated since 1991, some starting businesses with Georgian products, others opening Georgian restaurants, thus raising interest in Georgia, a country known for its hospitality, wine and cuisine. Today, Georgia has again become an attractive destination for tourism to its historical treasures and unspoiled mountain areas with national parks.