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Introduction |
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Background: |
The region of present-day Georgia contained the
ancient kingdoms of Colchis and Cartli-Iberia. The area came under
Roman influence in the first centuries AD and Christianity became
the state religion in the 330s. Domination by Persians, Arabs, and
Turks was followed by a Georgian golden age (11th to the 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 until
the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. Despite myriad problems, some
progress on market reforms and democratization has been made since
then. An attempt by the government to manipulate legislative
elections in November 2003 touched off widespread protests that led
to the resignation of Eduard SHEVARDNADZE, president since 1995. New
elections in early 2004 swept Mikheil SAAKASHVILI into power along
with his National Movement Party. |
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Georgraphy |
Georgia , Caucasus
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Location: |
Eastern Europe or Southwestern Asia, bordering the
Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia |
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Geographic coordinates: |
42 00 N, 43 30 E |
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Map references: |
Eastern Europe |
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Area: |
total: 69,700 sq km
land:
69,700 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
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Area - comparative: |
slightly larger than Latvia; slightly smaller than
Ireland |
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Land boundaries: |
total: 1,461 km
border
countries: Russia 723 km , Azerbaijan 322 km, Turkey 252 km,
Armenia 164 km |
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Coastline: |
Black Sea
310 km |
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Maritime claims: |
NA |
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Climate: |
warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea
coast |
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Terrain: |
largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in
the north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Colkhet'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 Colkhida Lowland |
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Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
highest
point: Mt'a Shkhara 5,201 m |
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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 |
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Land use: |
arable land: 11.44%
permanent
crops: 3.86%
other: 84.7% (2001) |
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Irrigated land: |
4,700 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards: |
earthquakes |
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Environment - current issues:
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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 |
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Environment - 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
signed, but not
ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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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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People |
Georgia |
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Population: |
4,677,401 (July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure: |
0-14 years: 18% (male 444,779/female
398,162)
15-64 years: 65.9% (male 1,480,557/female
1,603,743)
65 years and over: 16% (male 300,859/female
449,301) (2005 est.) |
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Median age: |
total: 37.36 years
male: 34.93
years
female: 39.7 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate: |
-0.35% (2005 est.) |
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Birth rate: |
10.25 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
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Death rate: |
9.09 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
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Net migration rate: |
-4.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
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Sex ratio: |
at birth: 1.16 male(s)/female
under
15 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92
male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate: |
total: 18.59 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 20.71 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 16.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 75.88 years
male: 72.59 years
female: 79.67 years
(2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate: |
1.41 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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less than 0.1% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with
HIV/AIDS: |
3,000 (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
less than 200 (2003 est.) |
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Nationality: |
noun: Georgian(s)
adjective:
Georgian |
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Ethnic groups: |
Georgian 83.8%, Azeri 6.5%, Armenian 5.7%, Russian
1.5%, other 2.5% (2002 census) |
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Religions: |
Orthodox Christian 83.9%, Armenian-Gregorian 3.9%,
Catholic 0.8%, Muslim 9.9%, other 0.8%, none 0.7% (2002 census)
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Language&Languages: |
Georgian 71% is official, Russian 9%, Armenian 7%,
Azeri 6%, other 7%
note: Abkhaz is the official
language in Abkhazia
(notes*Georgian original alphabet & language
belongs to separate original group: few words are known to be given
to world vocabulary – Gh’vino= wine~ vino;
Medicine- from Medea of Colchis) |
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Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and over can read and
write
total population: 99%
male: 100%
female: 98% (1999 est.) |
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Country name: |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Georgia
local long
form: none
local short form: Sak'art'velo
former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic
ancient : Iberian Kingdom |
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Government type: |
republic |
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Capital: |
T'bilisi
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Administrative divisions: |
9 regions (mkharebi, singular - mkhare), 9 cities
(k'alak'ebi, singular - k'alak'i), 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
: cities: Chiat'ura, Gori, K'ut'aisi, P'ot'i, Rust'avi,
T'bilisi, Tqibuli, Tsqaltubo, Zugdidi
: autonomous
republics: Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri Respublika
(Sokhumi), Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika (Bat'umi)
note: the administrative centers of the 2 autonomous
republics are shown in parentheses |
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Independence : |
9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union) |
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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 |
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Constitution: |
adopted 24 August 1995 |
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Legal system: |
based on civil law system |
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Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch: |
chief of state: President Mikheil
SAAKASHVILI (since 25 January 2004); note - the president is both
the chief of state and head of government for the power ministries:
state security (includes interior) and defense
head of
government: President Mikheil SAAKASHVILI (since 25 January
2004); Prime Minister Zurab NOGHAIDELI (since 17 February 2005);
note - the president is the chief of state and head of government
for the power ministries: state security (includes interior) and
defense; the prime minister is head of the remaining ministries of
government
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a
five-year term; election last held 4 January 2004 (next to be held
NA 2009)
election results: Mikheil SAAKASHVILI elected
president; percent of vote - Mikheil SAAKASHVILI 96.3%, Temur
SHASHIASHVILI 1.9% |
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Legislative branch: |
unicameral Supreme Council (commonly referred to as
Parliament) or Umaghiesi Sabcho (235 seats - 150 elected by party
lists); members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year
terms)
elections: last held 28 March 2004 (next to be
held spring 2008)
election results: percent of vote by
party - National Movement-Democrats 67.6%, Rightist Opposition 7.6%,
all other parties received less than 7% each; seats by party -
National Movement-Democrats 135, Rightist Opposition 15 |
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Judicial branch: |
Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council
on the president's recommendation); Constitutional Court; first and
second instance courts |
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Political pressure groups and
leaders: |
Georgian independent deputies from Abkhaz government
in exile; separatists in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South
Ossetia |
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International organization
participation: |
BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
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Flag description: |
white rectangle, in its central portion a red cross
connecting all four sides of the flag; in each of the four corners
is a small red bolnur-katskhuri cross; the five-cross flag appears
to date back to the 14th century |
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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 has suffered
from limited resources due to a chronic failure to collect tax
revenues. Georgia's new government is making progress in reforming
the tax code, enforcing taxes, and cracking down on corruption.
Georgia also suffers from energy shortages; it privatized the
T'bilisi electricity distribution network in 1998, but payment
collection rates remain low, both in T'bilisi and throughout the
regions. The country is pinning its hopes for long-term growth on
its role as a transit state for pipelines and trade. The
construction on the Baku-T'bilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the
Baku-T'bilisi-Erzerum gas pipeline have brought much-needed
investment and job opportunities. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$14.45 billion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate: |
9.5% (2004 est.) |
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GDP - per capita: |
purchasing power parity - $3,100 (2004 est.)
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GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 20.5%
industry:
22.6%
services: 56.9% (2004 est.) |
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Labor force: |
2.1 million (2001 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 40%, industry 20%, services 40% (1999
est.) |
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Unemployment rate: |
17% (2001 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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54% (2001 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by
percentage share: |
lowest 10%: 2.3%
highest 10%:
27.9% (1996) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini
index: |
37.1 (1996) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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5.5% (2004 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed): |
18.5% of GDP (2004 est.) |
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Budget: |
revenues: $671.7 million
expenditures: $804.7 million, including
capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.) |
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Agriculture - products: |
citrus, grapes, tea, hazelnuts, vegetables;
livestock |
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Industries: |
steel, aircraft, machine tools, electrical
appliances, mining (manganese and copper), chemicals, wood products,
wine |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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3% (2000) |
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Electricity - production: |
6.732 billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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6.811 billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports: |
300 million kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - imports: |
850 million kWh (2002) |
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Oil - production: |
2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption: |
31,500 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports: |
NA |
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Oil - imports: |
NA |
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Natural gas - production: |
60 million cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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1.16 billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports: |
0 cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports: |
1.1 billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Current account balance: |
$-632.9 million (2004 est.) |
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Exports: |
$909.4 million (2004 est.) |
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Exports - commodities: |
scrap metal, machinery, chemicals; fuel reexports;
citrus fruits, tea, wine |
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Exports - partners: |
EU&Turkey 18.3%, Turkmenistan 17.8%, Russia
16.2%, Armenia 8.4%, UK 4.9% (2004) |
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Imports: |
$1.806 billion (2004 est.) |
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Imports - commodities: |
fuels, machinery and parts, transport equipment,
grain and other foods, pharmaceuticals |
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Imports - partners: |
Russia 14%, Turkey 11%, UK 9.3%, Azerbaijan 8.5%,
Germany 8.2%, Ukraine 7.7%, US 6% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and
gold: |
$231.4 million (2004 est.) |
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Debt - external: |
$1.8 billion (2002) |
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Economic aid - recipient: |
ODA $150 million (2000 est.) |
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Currency (code): |
lari (GEL) |
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Exchange rates: |
lari per US dollar - 1.9167 (2004), 2.1457 (2003),
2.1957 (2002), 2.073 (2001), 1.9762 (2000) |
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Fiscal year: |
calendar year |
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Comunications |
Georgia |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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650,500 (2003) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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522,300 (2003) |
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Telephone system: |
general assessment: NA
domestic: Georgia has well developed nationwide
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; pager service is available
international:
country code - 995; 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 |
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Radio broadcast stations: |
AM 7, FM 12, shortwave 4 (1998) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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12 (plus repeaters) (1998) |
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Internet country code: |
.ge |
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Internet hosts: |
5,160 (2004) |
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Internet users: |
150,500 (2003) |
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Transportation |
Georgia |
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Railways: |
total: 1,612 km (1,612 km electrified)
broad gauge: 1,575 km 1.520-m gauge (1,575 electrified)
narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (37 electrified)
(2004) |
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Highways: |
total: 20,229 km
paved: 18,914
km
unpaved: 1,315 km (2002) |
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Pipelines: |
gas 1,697 km; oil 1,027 km; refined products 232 km
(2004) |
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Ports and harbors: |
Bat'umi, P'ot'i |
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Merchant marine: |
total: 175 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
855,908 GRT/1,288,812 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 22,
cargo 133, container 3, liquefied gas 1, passenger 1,
passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 6, refrigerated cargo 4, roll
on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: 105
(Albania 1, Azerbaijan 2, Cyprus 2, Egypt 3, Estonia 1, Germany 1,
Greece 4, Israel 1, Lebanon 3, Romania 6, Russia 8, Syria 27, Turkey
14, Ukraine 30, UAE 2)
registered in other countries: 1
(2005) |
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Airports: |
30 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 17
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.) |
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Heliports: |
2 (2004 est.) |
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Transportation - note: |
transportation network is in development; medium
condition; under repair |
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Military |
Georgia |
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Military branches: |
Ground Forces (includes National Guard), Air and Air
Defense Forces, Maritime Defense Force, Interior Forces |
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Military service age and
obligation: |
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary
military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)
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Manpower available for military
service: |
males age 18-49: 1,038,736 (2005 est.)
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males age 18-49: 827,281 (2005 est.)
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Manpower reaching military service age
annually: |
males: 38,857 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar
figure: |
$23 million (FY00) |
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Military expenditures - percent of
GDP: |
0.59% (FY00) |
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Military - note: |
a CIS peacekeeping force of Russian troops is
deployed in the Abkhazia region of Georgia together with a UN
military observer group; a Russian peacekeeping battalion is
deployed in South Ossetia; Latest negotiations project its
withdrawal |
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Transnational issues
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Georgia |
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Disputes - international: |
Russia and Georgia agree on delimiting 80% of their
common border, leaving certain small, strategic segments and the
maritime boundary unresolved; OSCE observers monitor volatile areas
such as the Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti region and the Argun Gorge
in Abkhazia; UN Observer Mission in Georgia has maintained a
peacekeeping force in Georgia since 1993; Meshkheti Turks (Georgian
origin) scattered throughout the former Soviet Union seek to return
to Georgia |
