Map of Georgia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Georgia was absorbed into the Russian Empire in the 19th century. Independent for three years (1918-1921) following the Russian revolution it was forcibly incorporated into the USSR until the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. Ethnic separation in Abkhazia and South Ossetia poor governance and Russian military bases deny the government effective control over the entirety of the state's internationally recognized territory. Despite myriad problems progress on market reforms and democratization support the country's goal of greater integration with Western political economic and security institutions.


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Location: Southwestern Asia bordering the Black Sea between Turkey and Russia

Geographic coordinates: 42 00 N 43 30 E

Map reference: Asia

Area
Total: 69,700 km²
Water: 0 km²
Land: 69,700 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries
Total: 1,461 km
Border countries: (4) Armenia 164 km; , Azerbaijan 322 km; , Russia 723 km; , Turkey 252 km

Coastline: 310 km

Maritime claims: NA

Climate: warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast

Terrain: largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhet'is Dablobi (Kolkhida Lowland) opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River Basin in the east; good soils in river valley flood plains foothills of Kolkhida Lowland

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Mt'a Shkhara 5,201 m

Natural resources: forests hydropower manganese deposits iron ore copper minor coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for important tea and citrus growth

Land use
Arable land: 11.21%
Permanent crops: 4.09%
Other: 84.7% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 4,700 km² (1998 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: earthquakes

Geography
Note: strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them


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Population: 4,960,951 (July 2002 est.)
Growth rate: -0.55% (2002 est.)
Below poverty line: 54% (2001 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Georgian
Adjective: Georgian

Ethnic groups: Georgian 70.1% Armenian 8.1% Russian 6.3% Azeri 5.7% Ossetian 3% Abkhaz 1.8% other 5%

Languages
Note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia

Religions: Georgian Orthodox 65% Muslim 11% Russian Orthodox 10% Armenian Apostolic 8% unknown 6%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 19% (male 481,669; female 462,966)
15-64 years: 68.2% (male 1,631,351; female 1,752,230)
65 years and over: 12.8% (male 246,663; female 386,072) (2002 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: -0.55% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 11.48 births/1000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 14.61 deaths/1000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.39 migrant(s)/1000 population (2002 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: air pollution particularly in Rust'avi; heavy pollution of Mtkvari River and the Black Sea; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil pollution from toxic chemicals
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male/female
65 years and over: 0.64 male/female
Total population: 0.91 male/female (2002 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 51.81 deaths/1000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 64.67 years
Female: 68.32 years (2002 est.)
Male: 61.19 years

Total fertility rate: 1.48 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: less than 0.01% (1999 est.)
People living with hivaids: less than 500 (1999 est.)
Deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99%
Male: 100%
Female: 98% (1989 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Georgia
Local short form: Sak'art'velo
Former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic
Local long form: none

Government type: republic

Capital: Tbilisi

Administrative divisions
Note: the administrative centers of the 2 autonomous republics are shown in parentheses

Dependent areas

Independence: 9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day 26 May (1918); note - 26 May 1918 is the date of independence from Soviet Russia 9 April 1991 is the date of independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution: adopted 17 October 1995

Legal system: based on civil law system

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Eduard Amvrosiyevich SHEVARDNADZE (previously elected chairman of the Government Council 10 March 1992; Council has since been disbanded; previously elected chairman of Parliament 11 October 1992; president since 26 November 1995); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Eduard Amvrosiyevich SHEVARDNADZE (previously elected chairman of the Government Council 10 March 1992; Council has since been disbanded; previously elected chairman of Parliament 11 October 1992; president since 26 November 1995); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers
Election results: Eduard SHEVARDNADZE reelected president; percent of vote - Eduard SHEVARDNADZE 80%
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 9 April 2000 (next to be held NA 2005)

Legislative branch
Election results: percent of vote by party - CUG 41.85%, AGUR 25.65%, IWSG 7.8%, all other parties received less than 7% each; seats by party - CUG 130, AGUR 58, IWSG 15, Abkhaz (government-in-exile) deputies 12, independents 17, other 3
Elections: last held 31 October and 14 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2003)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council on the president's recommendation); Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders: Citizen's Union of Georgia or CUG [Zarab ZHVANIA]; Georgian People's Front [Nodar NATADZE]; Georgian United Communist Party or UCPG [Panteleimon GIORGADZE]; Greens [Giorgi GACHECHILADZE]; Industry Will Save Georgia or IWSG [Georgi TOPADZE]; Labor Party [Salva NATELASHVILI]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Irina SARISHVILI-CHANTURIA]; New National Movement [Mikheil SAAKASHVILI]; New Rightists [Levaii GACHECHILADZE]; Republican Party [David BERDZENISHVILI]; 'Revival' Union Party or AGUR [Alsan ABASHIDZE]; Socialist Party or SPG [Irakli MINDELI]; Traditionalists [Akaki ASATIANI]

International organization participation: BSEC CCC CE CIS EAPC EBRD ECE FAO IAEA IBRD ICAO ICFTU IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM ITU OPCW OSCE PFP UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTrO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Levan MIKELADZE
In the us chancery: Suite 300, 1615 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,009
In the us fax: [1] (202) 393-6,060
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 387-2,390
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Richard MILES
From the us embassy: #25 Atoneli Street, T'bilisi 380,026
From the us mailing address: use embassy street address
From the us telephone: [995] (32) 989-967/68
From the us fax: [995] (32) 933-759

Flag description: maroon field with small rectangle in upper hoist side corner; rectangle divided horizontally with black on top white below

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Georgia's main economic activities include the cultivation of agricultural products such as citrus fruits tea hazelnuts and grapes; mining of manganese and copper; and output of a small industrial sector producing alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages metals machinery and chemicals. The country imports the bulk of its energy needs including natural gas and oil products. Its only sizable internal energy resource is hydropower. Despite the severe damage the economy has suffered due to civil strife Georgia with the help of the IMF and World Bank has made substantial economic gains since 1995 achieving positive GDP growth and curtailing inflation. However the Georgian government suffers from limited resources due to a chronic failure to collect tax revenues. Georgia also suffers from energy shortages; it privatized the T'bilisi distribution network in 1998 but collection rates are low making the venture unprofitable. The country is pinning its hopes for long-term growth on its role as a transit state for pipelines and trade. The start of construction on the Baku-T'bilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the Baku-T'bilisi-Erzerum gas pipeline will bring much-needed investment and job opportunities in 2003.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 4% (2002 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,100 (2001 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 20%
Industry: 25%
Services: 55% (2002 est.)

Agriculture products: citrus grapes tea vegetables potatoes; livestock

Industries: steel aircraft machine tools electrical appliances mining (manganese) chemicals wood products wine

Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2000)

Labor force: 2.1 million (2001 est.)
By occupation industry: 20%
By occupation agriculture: 40%
By occupation services: 40% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 17% (2001 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 54% (2001 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2%
Highest 10: 28% (1996)

Distribution of family income gini index: 37 (1996)

Budget
Revenues: $499 million
Expenditures: $554 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 5.2% (2002 est.)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $515 million (2002 est.)
Commodities: scrap metal machinery chemicals; fuel reexports; citrus fruits tea wine
Partners: Russia 23.0% Turkey 21.5% Azerbaijan 3.3% US 3.0% Germany 2.5% (2001)

Imports: $750 million (2002 est.)
Commodities: fuels machinery and parts transport equipment grain and other foods pharmaceuticals
Partners: Turkey 15.3% Russia 13.3% Azerbaijan 10.7% Germany 10.1% US 4.1% (2001)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $1.7 billion (2001)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: lari per US dollar - 2.1888 (January 2002) 2.0730 (2001) 1.9762 (2000) 2.0245 (1999) 1.3898 (1998) 1.2975 (1997)


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Electricity
Production: 7.404 billion kWh (2000)
Production by source fossil fuel: 21%
Production by source hydro: 79%
Production by source other: 0% (2000)
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Consumption: 7.886 billion kWh (2000)
Exports: 200 million kWh (2000)
Imports: 1.2 billion kWh (2000)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 620,000 (1997)
Mobile cellular: 185,500 (2000)

Telephone system
General assessment: NA
Domestic: local - T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi have cellular telephone networks; urban telephone density is about 20 per 100 people; rural telephone density is about 4 per 100 people; intercity facilities include a fiber-optic line between T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi; nationwide pager service is available
International: Georgia and Russia are working on a fiber-optic line between P'ot'i and Sochi (Russia); present international service is available by microwave, landline, and satellite through the Moscow switch; international electronic mail and telex service are available

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .ge
Service providers isps: 6 (2000)
Users: 25,000 (2002)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $23 million (FY00)
Percent of gdp: 0.59% (FY00)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 31 (2001)
With paved runways total: 16
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 8
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With paved runways under 914 m: 3 (2002)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways total: 15
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 6 (2002)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4

Heliports

Pipelines: crude oil 370 km; refined products 300 km; natural gas 440 km (1992)

Railways
Total: 1,583 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines
Broad gauge: 1,546 km 1.520-m gauge
Narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (2000 est.)

Roadways

Waterways: none

Merchant marine
Total: 64 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 210,620 GRT/288,565 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 46, container 5, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 1
Note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belize 1, Bulgaria 1, Cyprus 1, Ecuador 1, Egypt 4, Gibraltar 1, Greece 5, Jordan 1, Latvia 1, Liberia 1, Malta 1, Panama 9, Romania 8, Russia 4, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Saudi Arabia 2, Syria 5, Turkey 2, Ukraine 7, United Arab Emirates 11, United Kingdom 1, United States 1 (2002 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: Chechen and other insurgents transit Pankisi Gorge to infiltrate Akhmeti region; boundary with Russia has been largely delimited but not demarcated; several small strategic segments remain in dispute

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy mostly for domestic consumption; used as transshipment point for opiates via Central Asia to Western Europe and Russia