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 until the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. An attempt by the incumbent Georgian government to manipulate national 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. Progress on market reforms and democratization has been made in the years since independence, but this progress has been complicated by two civil conflicts in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. These two territories remain outside the control of the central government and are ruled by de facto, unrecognized governments, supported by Russia. Russian-led peacekeeping operations continue in both regions. The Georgian Government put forward a new peace initiative for the peaceful resolution of the status of South Ossetia in 2005.
Location
Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia
Geographic coordinates
42 00 N, 43 30 E
Map references
Asia
Area
total
69,700 sq km
land
69,700 sq km
water
0 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than South Carolina
Land boundaries
total
1,461 km
border countries
Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km, Turkey 252 km
Coastline
310 km
Maritime claims
territorial 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; good soils in river valley flood plains, foothills of Kolkhida Lowland
Elevation extremes
lowest point
Black Sea 0 m
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
11.51%
permanent crops
3.79%
other
84.7% (2005)
Irrigated land
4,690 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards
earthquakes
Environment - current issues
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
Geography - note
strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them
Population
4,646,003 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
16.7% (male 413,506/female 364,407)
15-64 years
66.6% (male 1,489,081/female 1,605,021)
65 years and over
16.7% (male 311,098/female 462,890) (2007 est.)
Median age
total
38 years
male
35.5 years
female
40.4 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate
-0.329% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
10.54 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
9.37 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
-4.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.14 male(s)/female
under 15 years
1.135 male(s)/female
15-64 years
0.928 male(s)/female
65 years and over
0.672 male(s)/female
total population
0.91 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total
17.36 deaths/1,000 live births
male
19.42 deaths/1,000 live births
female
15.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population
76.3 years
male
73 years
female
80.07 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.42 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
3,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
less than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality
noun
Georgian(s)
adjective
Georgian
Ethnic groups
Georgian 83.8%, Azeri 6.5%, Armenian 5.7%, Russian 1.5%, other 2.5% (2002 census)
Religions
Orthodox Christian 83.9%, Muslim 9.9%, Armenian-Gregorian 3.9%, Catholic 0.8%, other 0.8%, none 0.7% (2002 census)
Languages
Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, other 7%
note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia
Literacy
definition
age 15 and over can read and write
total population
100%
male
100%
female
100% (2004 est.)
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
Government type
republic
Capital
name
T'bilisi
geographic coordinates
41 43 N, 44 49 E
time difference
UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
autonomous republics: Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri Respublika (Sokhumi), Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika (Bat'umi)
note: the administrative centers of the two autonomous republics are shown in parentheses
Independence
9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)
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
adopted 24 August 1995
Legal system
based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
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 (eligible for a second term); election last held 4 January 2004 (next to be held in late 2008)
election results
Mikheil SAAKASHVILI elected president; percent of vote - Mikheil SAAKASHVILI 96.3%, Temur SHASHIASHVILI 1.9%
Legislative branch
unicameral Supreme Council (commonly referred to as Parliament) or Umaghiesi Sabcho (235 seats; 150 members elected by proportional representation, 75 from single-seat constiturncies, and 10 represent displaced persons from Abkhazia; to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held in spring 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - National Movement-Democratic Front 67.6%, Rightist Opposition 7.6%, other parties 24.8%; seats by party - National Movement-Democratic Front 135, Rightist Opposition 15
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council on the president's or chairman of the Supreme Court's recommendation); Constitutional Court; first and second instance courts
Political parties and leaders
Burjanadze-Democrats [Nino BURJANADZE]; Georgian People's Front [Nodar NATADZE]; Georgian United Communist Party or UCPG [Panteleimon GIORGADZE]; Georgia's Way Party [Salome ZOURABICHVILI]; Greens [Giorgi GACHECHILADZE]; Industry Will Save Georgia (Industrialists) or IWSG [Georgi TOPADZE]; Labor Party [Shalva NATELASHVILI]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Bachuki KARDAVA]; National Movement Democratic Front [Mikheil SAAKASHVILI] (bloc composed of National Movement and Burjanadze-Democrats); National Movement [Mikheil SAAKASHVILI]; New Rights [David GAMKRELIDZE]; Republican Party [David USUPASHVILI]; Rightist Opposition [David GAMKRELIDZE] (bloc composed of Industrialists and New Right Party); Socialist Party or SPG [Irakli MINDELI]; Traditionalists [Akaki ASATIANI]; Union of National Forces-Conservatives [Koba DAVITASHVILI and Zviad DZIDZIGURI]
Political pressure groups and leaders
Georgian independent deputies from Abkhaz government in exile; separatists in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia
1101 15th Street NW, Suite 602, Washington, DC 20005
telephone
[1] (202) 387-2390
FAX
[1] (202) 393-4537
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission
Ambassador John F. TEFFT
embassy
11 George Balanchine Street, T'bilisi 0131
mailing address
7060 T'bilisi Place, Washington, DC 20521-7060
telephone
[995] (32) 27-70-00
FAX
[995] (32) 53-23-10
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
Economy - overview
Georgia's main economic activities include the cultivation of agricultural products such as grapes, citrus fruits, and hazelnuts; 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. It has sizeable but underdeveloped hydropower capacity. 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 2000, achieving positive GDP growth and curtailing inflation. Georgia had suffered from a chronic failure to collect tax revenues; however, the new government is making progress and has reformed the tax code, improved tax administration, increased tax enforcement, and cracked down on corruption. Due to concerted reform efforts, collection rates have improved considerably to roughly 60%, both in T'bilisi and throughout the regions. In addition, the reinvigorated privatization process has met with success, supplementing government expenditures on infrastructure, defense, and poverty reduction. Despite customs and financial (tax) enforcement improvements, smuggling remains a drain on the economy. Georgia also suffers from energy shortages due to aging and badly maintained infrastructure, as well as poor management. Continued reform in the management of state-owned power entities is essential to successful privatization and onward sustainability in this sector. 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. Nevertheless, high energy prices have compounded the pressure on the country's inefficient energy sector. Restructuring the sector and finding energy supply alternatives to Russia remain major challenges.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$17.88 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$5.234 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
8% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$3,800 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
17.7%
industry
27.5%
services
54.8% (2006 est.)
Labor force
2.04 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture
40%
industry
20%
services
40% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate
12.6% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line
54% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
2.3%
highest 10%
27.9% (1996)
Distribution of family income - Gini index
38 (2003)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
10% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed)
30% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget
revenues
$1.726 billion
expenditures
$1.879 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)
UK 21.5%, Turkey 16.9%, US 5.8%, Spain 5.8%, Azerbaijan 5.6%, Turkmenistan 5.1% (2006)
Imports
$3.32 billion (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities
fuels, machinery and parts, transport equipment, grain and other foods, pharmaceuticals
Imports - partners
Russia 17%, Turkey 12.3%, US 7.9%, Azerbaijan 7.8%, Ukraine 7.4%, Germany 7.1%, Italy 4.9% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$492 million (2006 est.)
Debt - external
$2.04 billion (2004)
Economic aid - recipient
ODA, $150 million (2000 est.)
Currency (code)
lari (GEL)
Currency code
GEL
Exchange rates
lari per US dollar - 1.78 (2006), 1.8127 (2005), 1.9167 (2004), 2.1457 (2003), 2.1957 (2002)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use
683,200 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular
1.459 million (2005)
Telephone system
general assessment
NA
domestic
local - T'bilisi, K'ut'aisi, and Batumi 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
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
Radio broadcast stations
AM 7, FM 12, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios
3.02 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations
12 (plus repeaters) (1998)
Televisions
2.57 million (1997)
Internet country code
.ge
Internet hosts
10,752 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
6 (2000)
Internet users
175,600 (2005)
Airports
23 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways
total
19
over 3,047 m
1
2,438 to 3,047 m
7
1,524 to 2,437 m
5
914 to 1,523 m
4
under 914 m
2 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total
4
1,524 to 2,437 m
1
914 to 1,523 m
2
under 914 m
1 (2006)
Heliports
3 (2006)
Pipelines
gas 1,349 km; oil 1,010 km (2006)
Railways
total
1,612 km
broad gauge
1,575 km 1.520-m gauge (1,575 electrified)
narrow gauge
37 km 0.912-m gauge (37 electrified) (2005)
Roadways
total
20,247 km
paved
7,973 km
unpaved
12,274 km (2004)
Merchant marine
total
222 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,059,386 GRT/1,538,746 DWT
by type
bulk carrier 27, cargo 176, container 4, liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned
188 (Albania 1, Azerbaijan 2, Belgium 1, China 2, Cyprus 1, Ecuador 1, Egypt 8, Germany 1, Greece 8, Indonesia 1, South Korea 1, Lebanon 7, Monaco 13, Romania 11, Russia 28, Slovakia 1, Slovenia 1, Syria 43, Turkey 30, UAE 1, UK 4, Ukraine 22) (2006)
Ports and terminals
Bat'umi, P'ot'i
Transportation - note
transportation network is in poor condition resulting from ethnic conflict, criminal activities, and fuel shortages; network lacks maintenance and repair
Military branches
Georgian Armed Forces: Land Forces (includes National Guard), Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces (2006)
Military service age and obligation
18 to 34 years of age for compulsory and voluntary active duty military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2005)
Manpower available for military service
males age 18-49
1,038,736
females age 18-49
1,105,910 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 18-49
827,281
females age 18-49
903,791 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually
males age 18-49
38,857
females age 18-49
38,238 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
0.59% (2005 est.)
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
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 scattered throughout the former Soviet Union seek to return to Georgia; boundary with Armenia remains undemarcated; ethnic Armenian groups in Javakheti region of Georgia seek greater autonomy from the Georgian government; Azerbaijan and Georgia continue to discuss the alignment of their boundary at certain crossing areas
Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs: 220,000-240,000 (displaced from Abkhazia and South Ossetia) (2006)
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
