Statistical information Georgia 2016

Georgia in the World
top of pageBackground:
The region of present day Georgia contained the ancient kingdoms of Colchis and Kartli-Iberia. The area came under Roman influence in the first centuries A.D. and Christianity became the state religion in the 330s. Domination by Persians Arabs and Turks was followed by a Georgian golden age (11th-13th centuries) that was cut short by the Mongol invasion of 1236. Subsequently the Ottoman and Persian empires competed for influence in the region. 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 in 1921 and regained its independence when the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991.
Mounting public discontent over rampant corruption and ineffective government services followed by an attempt by the incumbent Georgian Government to manipulate parliamentary elections in November 2003 touched off widespread protests that led to the resignation of Eduard SHEVARDNADZE president since 1995. In the aftermath of that popular movement which became known as the 'Rose Revolution' new elections in early 2004 swept Mikheil SAAKASHVILI into power along with his United National Movement (UNM) party. Progress on market reforms and democratization has been made in the years since independence but this progress has been complicated by Russian assistance and support to the separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Periodic flare-ups in tension and violence culminated in a five-day conflict in August 2008 between Russia and Georgia including the invasion of large portions of undisputed Georgian territory. Russian troops pledged to pull back from most occupied Georgian territory but in late August 2008 Russia unilaterally recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and Russian military forces remain in those regions.
Billionaire philanthropist Bidzina IVANISHVILI's unexpected entry into politics in October 2011 brought the divided opposition together under his Georgian Dream coalition which won a majority of seats in the October 2012 parliamentary elections and removed UNM from power. Conceding defeat SAAKASHVILI named IVANISHVILI as prime minister and allowed Georgian Dream to create a new government. Georgian Dream's Giorgi MARGVELASHVILI was inaugurated as president on 17 November 2013 ending a tense year of power-sharing between SAAKASHVILI and IVANISHVILI. IVANISHVILI voluntarily resigned from office after the presidential succession and Georgia's legislature on 20 November 2013 confirmed Irakli GARIBASHVILI as his replacement. These changes in leadership represent unique examples of a former Soviet state that emerged to conduct democratic and peaceful government transitions of power. Popular and government support for integration with the West is high in Georgia. Joining the EU and NATO are among the country's top foreign policy goals.
top of pageLocation: Southwestern Asia bordering the Black Sea between Turkey and Russia with a sliver of land north of the Caucasus extending into Europe; note - Georgia views itself as part of Europe; geopolitically it can be classified as falling within Europe the Middle East or both
Geographic coordinates: 42 00 N 43 30 E
Map reference:
AsiaAreaTotal: 69,700 km²
Land: 69,700 km²
Water: 0 km²
Rank: 121
Comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina; slightly larger than West Virginia
Land boundariesTotal: 1814 km
Border countries: (4) Armenia 219 km;
Azerbaijan 428 km;
Russia 894 km;
Turkey 273 kmCoastline: 310 km
Maritime claimsTerritorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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; fertile soils in river valley flood plains and foothills of Kolkhida Lowland
ElevationMean elevation: 1432 m
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m: highest point: Mt'a Shkhara 5,201 m
Natural resources: timber hydropower manganese deposits iron ore copper minor coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for important tea and citrus growth
Land useAgricultural land: 35.5%
arable land: 5.8%
permanent crops: 1.8%
permanent pasture: 27.9%
Forest: 39.4%
Other: 25.1%
Irrigated land: 4,330 km² (2012)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: earthquakes
GeographyNote: strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them
top of pagePopulationDistribution: settlement coincides closely to the central valley with emphasis on the capital city of Tbilisi in the east; smaller urban agglomerations dot the Black Sea coast with Bat'umi being the largest: 4,928,052 (July 2016 est.)
Rank: 123
Growth rate: -0.05% (2016 est.)
Growth rate rank: 206
Below poverty line: 9.2% (2010 est.)
NationalityNoun: Georgian
Adjective: Georgian
Ethnic groups: Georgian 86.8% Azeri 6.3% Armenian 4.5% other 2.3% (2014 est.)
Languages: Georgian (official) 87.6% Azeri 6.2% Armenian 3.9% Russian 1.2% other 1%
Note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia
Religions: Orthodox (official) 83.4% Muslim 10.7% Armenian Apostolic 2.9% other 1.2% (includes Catholic Jehovah's Witness Yazidi Protestant Jewish) none 0.5% unspecified/no answer 1.2% (2014 est.)
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years: 17.91%
15-24 years: 12.61%
25-54 years: 40.93%
55-64 years: 12.77%
65 years and over: 15.77% (2016 est.)
Dependency ratiosTotal dependency ratio: 45.7%
Youth dependency ratio: 25.2%
Elderly dependency ratio: 20.4%
Potential support ratio: 4.9%
Median ageTotal: 38 years
Male: 35.1 years
Female: 40.7 years
Rank: 61
Population growth rate: -0.05% (2016 est.)
Rank: 206
Birth rate: 12.5 births/1000 population (2016 est.)
Rank: 158
Death rate: 10.9 deaths/1000 population (2016 est.)
Rank: 33
Net migration rate: -2.2 migrant(s)/1000 population (2016 est.)
Rank: 170
Population distribution: settlement coincides closely to the central valley with emphasis on the capital city of Tbilisi in the east; smaller urban agglomerations dot the Black Sea coast with Bat'umi being the largest
UrbanizationUrban population: 53.6% of total population
Rate of urbanization: -0.1% annual rate of change
Major urban areasPopulation: TBILISI (capital) 1.147 million (2015)
EnvironmentCurrent 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 pollutantsSex ratioAt birth: 1.08 male/female
0-14 years: 1.11 male/female
15-24 years: 1.11 male/female
25-54 years: 0.95 male/female
55-64 years: 0.81 male/female
65 years and over: 0.64 male/female
Total population: 0.92 male/female
Mothers mean age at first birth: 24.4
Note: data do not cover Abkhazia and South Ossetia
Maternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rateTotal: 15.6 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 17.8 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 13.4 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 100
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 76.2 years
Male: 72.1 years
Female: 80.6 years
Rank: 88
Total fertility rate: 1.76 children born/woman (2016 est.)
Rank: 159
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 53.4%
Note: percent of women aged 15-44
Drinking water source:
urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
Current health expenditurePhysicians density: 4.27 physicians/1000 population (2013)
Hospital bed density: 2.6 beds/1000 population (2012)
Sanitation facility access:
urban: 95.2% of population
rural: 75.9% of population
total: 86.3% of population
urban: 4.8% of population
rural: 24.1% of population
total: 13.7% of population (2015 est.)
Hiv/AidsAdult prevalence rate: 0.39% (2015 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 86
People living with hivaids: 9,600 (2015 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 106
Deaths: 200 (2015 est.)
Deaths rank: 119
Major infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rate: 22.1% (2014)
Rank: 82
Alcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweight: 1.1% (2009)
Rank: 131
Education expenditures: 2% of GDP (2012)
Rank: 167
LiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99.8%
Male: 99.8%
Female: 99.7%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationTotal: 15 years
Male: 15 years
Female: 15 years
Youth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Georgia
Local long form: none
Local short form: Sak'art'velo
Former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic
Etymology: the Western name may derive from the Persian designation 'gurgan' meaning 'Land of the wolves'; the native name 'Sak'art'velo' means 'Land of the Kartvelians' and refers to the core central Georgian region of Kartli
Government type: semi-presidential republic
CapitalName: TbilisiGeographic coordinates: 41 41 N 44 50 E
Time difference: UTC+4
Administrative divisions: 9 regions (mkharebi singular - mkhare) 1 city (kalaki) and 2 autonomous republics (avtomnoy respubliki singular - avtom respublika)
Regions: Guria Imereti Kakheti Kvemo Kartli Mtskheta Mtianeti Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti Samtskhe-Javakheti Shida Kartli; note - the breakaway region of South Ossetia consists of the northern part of Shida Kartli eastern slivers of the Imereti region and Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti and part of western Mtskheta-Mtianeti
City: Tbilisi
Autonomous republics: Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri Respublika Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika (Bat'umi)
Note 1: the administrative centers of the two autonomous republics are shown in parentheses
Note 2: the United States recognizes the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia to be part of Georgia
Dependent areasIndependence: 9 April 1991 (from the Soviet Union); notable earlier date: A.D. 1008 (Georgia unified under King BAGRAT III)
National holiday: Independence Day 26 May (1918); note - 26 May 1918 was the date of independence from Soviet Russia 9 April 1991 was the date of independence from the Soviet Union
Constitution: previous 1921 1978 (based on 1977 Soviet Union constitution); latest approved 24 August 1995 effective 17 October 1995; amended several times last in 2013 (2016)
Legal system: civil law system
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
CitizenshipCitizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Georgia
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief of state: President Giorgi MARGVELASHVILI
Head of government: Prime Minister Giorgi KVIRIKASHVILI ; First Deputy Prime Minister Dimitry KUMSISHVILI
Cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers
Electionsappointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term ; election last held on 27 October 2013 (next to be held in October 2018); prime minister nominated by Parliament appointed by the president
Election results: Giorgi MARGVELASHVILI elected president; percent of vote - Giorgi MARGVELASHVILI 62.1% Davit BAKRADZE (UNM) 21.7% Nino BURJANADZE 10.2% other 6%
Legislative branchDescription: unicameral Parliament or Sakartvelos Parlamenti
Elections: last held on 8 October and 30 October 2012
Election results: percent of vote by party - Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia 48.7% ENM 27.1% Alliance of Patriots 5% other 19.2%; seats by party - Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia 115 ENM 27 Alliance of Patriots 6 IWSG 1 independent 1
Judicial branchHighest court: Supreme Court ; Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges); note - the Abkhazian and Ajarian Autonomous republics each have a supreme court and a hierarchy of lower courts
Note: Supreme Court judges nominated by the president and appointed by the Parliament; judges serve not less than 10-year terms; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the president following candidate selection by the Justice Council of Georgia a 12-member consultative body of high-level judges and presidential and parliamentary appointees; judges appointed for 10-year terms
Judge selection and term of office: Courts of Appeal; regional and district courts
Subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; regional and district courts
Political parties and leaders:
National Forum [Kakhaber SHARTAVA]
New Rights [Pikria CHIKHRADZE]
Our Georgia-Free Democrats (OGFD) [Irakli ALASANIA]
Republican Party [Khatuna SAMNIDZE]
United Democratic Movement [Nino BURJANADZE]
United National Movement or ENM [Davit BAKRADZE]
International organization participation: ADB BSEC CD CE CPLP (associate) EAPC EBRD FAO G-11 GCTU GUAM IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC (national committees) ICCt ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO (correspondent) ITSO ITU ITUC (NGOs) MIGA OAS (observer) OIF (observer) OPCW OSCE PFP SELEC (observer) UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNWTO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Archil GEGESHIDZE
In the us chancery: 1824 R Street NW Washington DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] 387-2,390
In the us FAX: [1] 387-0864
In the us consulate general: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Ian C. KELLY
From the us embassy: 11 George Balanchine Street T'bilisi 0131
From the us mailing address: 7,060 T'bilisi Place Washington DC 20,521-7,060
From the us telephone: [995] 227-70-00
From the us FAX: [995] 253-23-10
Flag description: white rectangle with a central red cross extending to all four sides of the flag; each of the four quadrants displays a small red bolnur-katskhuri cross; sometimes referred to as the Five-Cross Flag; although adopted as the official Georgian flag in 2004 the five-cross design appears to date back to the 14th century
National symbols: Saint George lion; national colors: red white
National anthemName: 'Tavisupleba'
Lyrics and music: Davit MAGRADSE/Zakaria PALIASHVILI
Note: adopted 2004; after the Rose Revolution a new anthem with music based on the operas 'Abesalom da Eteri' and 'Daisi' was adopted
National heritagetop of pageEconomy overview:
Georgia's main economic activities include cultivation of agricultural products such as grapes citrus fruits and hazelnuts; mining of manganese copper and gold; and producing alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages metals machinery and chemicals in small-scale industries. The country imports nearly all of its needed supplies of natural gas and oil products. It has sizeable hydropower capacity that now provides most of its energy needs.
Georgia has overcome the chronic energy shortages and gas supply interruptions of the past by renovating hydropower plants and by increasingly relying on natural gas imports from Azerbaijan instead of from Russia. Construction of the Baku-T'bilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline the South Caucasus gas pipeline and the Kars-Akhalkalaki railroad are part of a strategy to capitalize on Georgia's strategic location between Europe and Asia and develop its role as a transit point for gas oil and other goods. The expansion of the South Caucasus pipeline as part of the Shah Deniz II Southern Gas Corridor project will result in a $2 billion foreign investment in Georgia the largest ever in the country. Gas from Shah Deniz II is expected to begin flowing in 2019.
Georgia's economy sustained GDP growth of more than 10% in 2006-07 based on strong inflows of foreign investment and robust government spending. However GDP growth slowed following the August 2008 conflict with Russia and sunk to negative 4% in 2009 as foreign direct investment and workers' remittances declined in the wake of the global financial crisis. The economy rebounded in 2010-13 but FDI inflows the engine of Georgian economic growth prior to the 2008 conflict have not recovered fully. Unemployment has also remained high.
The country is pinning its hopes for renewed growth on a determined effort to continue to liberalize the economy by reducing regulation taxes and corruption in order to attract foreign investment with a focus on hydropower agriculture tourism and textiles production. Georgia has historically suffered from a chronic failure to collect tax revenues; however since 2004 the government has simplified the tax code improved tax administration increased tax enforcement and cracked down on petty corruption leading to higher revenues. The government has received high marks from the World Bank for its anti-corruption efforts. Since 2012 the Georgian Dream-led government has continued the previous administration's low-regulation low-tax free market policies while modestly increasing social spending strengthening anti-trust policy and amending the labor code to comply with International Labor Standards. The government published its 2020 Economic Development Strategy in early 2014 and former Prime Minister Bidzina IVANISHVILI launched the Georgian Co-Investment Fund a $6 billion private equity fund that will invest in tourism agriculture logistics energy infrastructure and manufacturing. In mid-2014 Georgia signed an association agreement with the EU paving the way to free trade and visa-free travel.
Real gdp purchasing power parity:
$35.6 billion (2015 est.)
$34.65 billion (2014 est.)
$33.12 billion (2013 est.)
Note: data are in 2015 US dollars
Rank: 120
Real gdp growth rate:
2.8% (2015 est.)
4.6% (2014 est.)
3.4% (2013 est.)
Rank: 111
Real gdp per capita:
$9,600 (2015 est.)
$9,300 (2014 est.)
$8,800 (2013 est.)
Note: data are in 2015 US dollars
Rank: 139
Gross national saving:
19.6% of GDP (2015 est.)
18.7% of GDP (2014 est.)
18.5% of GDP (2013 est.)
Rank: 85
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useHousehold consumption: 71.2%
Government consumption: 16.5%
Investment in fixed capital: 28.5%
Investment in inventories: 3.7%
Exports of goods and services: 45%
Imports of goods and services: -64.9%
Gdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 9.2%
Industry: 22.1%
Services: 68.7%
Agriculture products: citrus grapes tea hazelnuts vegetables; livestock
Industries: steel machine tools electrical appliances mining (manganese copper gold) chemicals wood products wine
Industrial production growth rate: 3.2% (2015 est.)
Rank: 70
Labor force: 1.959 million (2011 est.)
Rank: 123
By occupation agriculture: 55.6%
By occupation industry: 8.9%
By occupation services: 35.5%
Unemployment rate:
12% (2015 est.)
12.4% (2014 est.)
Rank: 135
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty line: 9.2% (2010 est.)
Gini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareLowest 10: 2%
Highest 10: 31.3%
Distribution of family income gini index:
46 (2011)
37.1 (1996)
Rank: 35
BudgetRevenues: $3.966 billion
Expenditures: $4.142 billion
Surplus or deficit: -1.3% of GDP (2015 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 67
Taxes and other revenues: 28.3% of GDP (2015 est.)
Rank: 93
Public debt:
41.4% of GDP (2015 est.)
35.4% of GDP (2014 est.)
Note: data cover general government debt and includes debt instruments issued by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities; Georgia does not maintain intra-governmental debt or social funds
Rank: 110
RevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer prices:
4% (2015 est.)
3.1% (2014 est.)
Rank: 154
Central bank discount rate:
3.75% (15 January 2013)
5.25% (31 December 2012)
Note: this is the Refinancing Rate the key monetary policy rate of the National Bank of Georgia
Rank: 99
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
12.49% (31 December 2015 est.)
11.91% (31 December 2014 est.)
Rank: 63
Stock of narrow money:
$2.063 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$2.388 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
Rank: 128
Stock of broad money:
$4.72 billion (31 September 2012 est.)
$4.249 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 133
Stock of domestic credit:
$6.946 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$7.51 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
Rank: 114
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$943.4 million (31 December 2012 est.)
$795.7 million (31 December 2011 est.)
$1.06 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
Rank: 107
Current account balance:
-$1.627 billion (2015 est.)
-$1.745 billion (2014 est.)
Rank: 140
Exports:
$3.043 billion (2015 est.)
$3.995 billion (2014 est.)
Rank: 125
Commodities: vehicles ferro-alloys fertilizers nuts scrap metal gold copper ores
Partners: Azerbaijan 10.9% Bulgaria 9.7% Turkey 8.4% Armenia 8.2% Russia 7.4% China 5.7% US 4.7% Uzbekistan 4.4% (2015)
Imports:
$7.363 billion (2015 est.)
$8.29 billion (2014 est.)
Rank: 110
Commodities: fuels vehicles machinery and parts grain and other foods pharmaceuticals
Partners: Turkey 17.2% Russia 8.1% China 7.6% Azerbaijan 7% Ireland 5.9% Ukraine 5.9% Germany 5.6% (2015)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.521 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$2.699 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
Rank: 110
Debt external:
$13.31 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$13.91 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
Rank: 101
Stock of direct foreign investment at home:
$12.64 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$12.9 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
Rank: 90
Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:
$1.773 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$1.868 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
Rank: 80
Exchange rates:
laris (GEL) per US dollar -
2.2694 (2015 est.)
1.7657 (2014 est.)
1.7657 (2013 est.)
1.65 (2012 est.)
1.6865 (2011 est.)
top of pageElectricityAccess electrification total population: 100%
Production: 10 billion kWh (2014 est.)
Production rank: 99
Consumption: 9.8 billion kWh (2014 est.)
Consumption rank: 95
Exports: 600 million kWh (2014 est.)
Exports rank: 66
Imports: 900 million kWh (2014 est.)
Imports rank: 72
Installed generating capacity: 4.2 million kW (2014 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 77
Generation sources fossil fuels: 39.2% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 166
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 97
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 60.8% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 35
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 176
CoalPetroleumPetroleum total petroleum production: 799.5 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 94
Crude oil exports: 1120 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 85
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 195
Crude oil proven reserves: 35 million bbl (1 January 2016 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 82
Crude oilRefined petroleumProducts production: 0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products production rank: 186
Products consumption: 20,000 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products consumption rank: 127
Products exports: 257.6 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products exports rank: 123
Products imports: 22,830 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products imports rank: 108
Natural gasProduction: 5.663 million m³ (2011 est.)
Production rank: 191
Consumption: 2.18 billion m³ (2014 est.)
Consumption rank: 79
Exports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 104
Imports: 2.18 billion m³ (2014 est.)
Imports rank: 49
Proven reserves: 8.495 billion m³ (1 January 2016 es)
Proven reserves rank: 83
Carbon dioxide emissionsFrom consumption of energy: 7 million Mt (2013 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 121
Energy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesFixed lines total subscriptions: 950,167
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 19
Fixed lines rank: 73
Mobile cellular total: 5.551 million
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 113
Mobile cellular rank: 114
Telephone systemGeneral assessment: fixed-line telecommunications network has limited coverage outside Tbilisi; multiple mobile-cellular providers provide services to an increasing subscribership throughout the country
Domestic: cellular telephone networks cover the entire country; mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 110 per 100 persons; intercity facilities include a fiber-optic line between T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi
International: country code - 995; the Georgia-Russia fiber-optic submarine cable provides connectivity to Russia; international service is available by microwave landline and satellite through the Moscow switch; international electronic mail and telex service are available
Broadcast media: 1 public broadcaster in Tbilisi 1 state-owned broadcaster in Ajaria Autonomous Republic; 8 privately owned TV stations; state-run public broadcaster operates 2 TV stations; dozens of cable TV operators several major commercial TV stations and several dozen private radio stations; state-run public broadcaster operates 2 radio stations (2012)
InternetCountry code: .ge
Users total: 2.227 million
Users percent of population: 45.2%
Users rank: 91
Broadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expenditures:
2.26% of GDP (2014)
2.7% of GDP (2013)
2.88% of GDP (2012)
3.25% of GDP (2011)
2.88% of GDP (2010)
Rank: 27
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligation: 18 to 34 years of age for compulsory and voluntary active duty military service; conscript service obligation is 18 months (2012)
Space programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemNumber of registered air carriers: 5
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 13
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 232,263
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 185,040 mt-km
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 4L (2016)
Airports: 22 (2013)
Rank: 135
With paved runways total: 18
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 7
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5
With paved runways under 914 m: 2
With unpaved runways total: 4
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 1
Heliports: 2 (2013)
Pipelines: gas 1596 km; oil 1175 km (2013)
RailwaysTotal: 1363 km
Broad gauge: 1326 km 1.520-m gauge
Narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (2014)
Rank: 81
RoadwaysTotal: 19,109 km
Paved: 19,109 km (2010)
Rank: 113
WaterwaysMerchant marineTotal: 142
By type: bulk carrier 13 cargo 114 chemical tanker 1 container 1 liquefied gas 1 passenger/cargo 1 petroleum tanker 3 refrigerated cargo 1 roll on/roll off 5 vehicle carrier 2
Foreign owned: 95
Registered in other countries: 1 (2010)
Rank: 40
Ports and terminalsMajor seaport: Black Sea - Bat'umi P'ot'i
Georgia - Transnational issues 2016
top of pageDisputes international: Russia's military support and subsequent recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia independence in 2008 continue to sour relations with Georgia
Refugees and internally displaced personsIDPs: 268,416 (2015)
Stateless persons: 627
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