Georgia

Republic of GeorgiaSak'art'velos Respublika

republicIndependence 9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Georgia as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 88 fields, one of 34 editions from 1992 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalT'bilisi

Position42 00 N, 43 30 E

Area69,700 sq km

LocationSouthwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between

Populationas each edition published it

5.22 million July 1996 est. · 5.57m in 1992

Population growth% a year

-1.02% 1996 est. · 0.85% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 34.8 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

68.09 years 1996 est. · 72.58 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.69 children per woman 1996 est. · 2.2 in 1992

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

22.5 deaths per 1,000 live births 1996 est. · 34 in 1992

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,080 1995 est. · $1,390 in 1994

GDP real growth% a year

-11% 1995 est. · -35% in 1993

Geography

Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between | Turkey and Russia

14 fields

Land useshare of 69,700 sq km

arable land 11%permanent crops 4%meadows and pastures 29%forest and woodland 38%other 18%irrigated 4,660 sq km (1990)

Area

69,700sq km

land area: 69,700 sq kmcomparative area: slightly larger than South Carolina

Coastline

310km

Maritime claims: NA

Land boundaries

1,461km

border countries: Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km, Turkey 252 km

Location

Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia

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;
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

lowest point:: Black Sea 0 m
highest point:: Mt'a Mqinvartsveri (Gora Kazbek) 5,048 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

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
natural hazards:: NA
international agreements:: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

People

15 fields

Population

5,219,810

(July 1996 est.)growth rate: -1.02% (1996 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1996 est.)

Birth

12.81Death

12.21Net migration

-10.82

Male · female(1996 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years68.09

63.43 · 72.98

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy99%

100% · 98%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Religions

Christian Orthodox 75% (Georgian Orthodox 65%, Russian Orthodox 10%)Muslim 11%Armenian Apostolic 8%unknown 6%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 22% (male 595,524; female 571,207)
15-64 years:: 66% (male 1,643,506; female 1,784,286)
65 years and over:: 12% (male 229,910; female 395,377) (July 1996 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.58 male(s)/female
all ages:: 0.9 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate

22.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Georgian(s)
adjective:: Georgian

Languages

Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, other 7%

Government

Republic

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Name of country

conventional long form:: Republic of Georgia
conventional short form:: Georgia
local long form:: Sak'art'velos Respublika
local short form:: Sak'art'velo
former:: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic

2 autonomous republics (avtomnoy respubliki, singular - avtom respublika); Abkhazia (Sokhumi), Ajaria (Bat'umi) note: the administrative centers of the autonomous republics are included in parentheses; there are no oblasts - the rayons around T'bilisi are under direct republic jurisdiction

Independence

9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday

Independence Day, 26 May (1991)

Constitution

adopted 17 October 1995

Legal system

based on civil law system

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state and 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);
presidential election last held 5 November 1995 (next to be held NA April 2001);
results - Eduard SHEVARDNADZE 74%;
president's term to last five years
cabinet:: Cabinet of Ministers

Legislative branch

unicameral

Georgian Parliament

elections last held 5 November 1995 (next to be held NA November 2000);
results - CUG 24%, NDP 8%, All Georgia Revival Union 7%, all other parties received less than 5% each;
seats - (235 total) number of seats by party NA

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

Citizens Union of Georgia (CUG), Eduard SHEVARDNADZE, Zurab ZHVANIA, general secretary;
National Democratic Party (NDP), Irina SARISHVILI-CHANTARIA;
United Republican Party, umbrella organization for parties including the GPF and the Charter 1991 Party, Notar NATADZE, chairman;
Georgian Popular Front (GPF), Nodar NATADZE, chairman;
Charter 1991 Party, Tedo PAATASHVILI;
Georgian Social Democratic Party (GSDP), Guram MUCHAIDZE, secretary general;
All Georgia Union for Revival, Alsan ABASHIDZE;
Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Irakli SHENGELAYA;
Democratic Georgia Union (DGU), Avtandil MARGIANI;
National Independence Party (NIP), Irakliy TSERETELI, chairman;
Georgian Monarchists' Party (GMP), Temur ZHORZHOLIANI;
Greens Party;
Agrarian Party of Georgia (APG), Roin LIPARTELIANI;
United Communist Party of Georgia (UCP), Panteleimon GIORGADZE, chairman

Other political or pressure groups

supporters of ousted President Zviad GAMSAKHURDIA (deceased 1 January 1994) remain a source of opposition;
separatist elements in the breakaway region of Abkhazia

International organization participation

BSEC, CCC, CIS, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NACC, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Tedo JAPARIDZE
chancery:: (temporary) Suite 424, 1511 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone:: [1] (202) 393-5959

FAX

[1] (202) 393-6060

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador William H. COURTNEY
embassy:: #25 Antoneli Street, T'bilisi 380026
mailing address:: use embassy street address
telephone:: [7] (8832) 98-99-67, 93-38-03

FAX

[7] (8832) 93-37-59

Flag

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

Economy

21 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$1,080

(1995 est.)

Real growth rate

-11%

(1995 est.)industrial production growth: -10% (1995)

Inflation, consumer prices

2.2%monthly average

(first half 1995 est.)

Unemployment rate

officially less than · but real unemployment may be more than 20%, with even larger numbers of underemployed workers

GDP composition by sector(1993 est.)

agriculture 70.4%industry 10.2%services 19.4% (1993 est.)

Installed generating capacity, 4,410,000 kW

Electricity production

9.1 billionElectricity consumption per capita

1,526 (1993)

Economic overview

Georgia's economy has traditionally revolved around Black Sea tourism; cultivation of citrus fruits, tea, and grapes; mining of manganese and copper; and a small industrial sector producing wine, metals, machinery, chemicals, and textiles. The country imports the bulk of its energy needs, including natural gas and oil products.

Its only sizable internal energy resource is hydropower. Since 1991 the economy has sustained severe damage from civil strife. Georgia has been suffering from acute energy shortages, as it is having problems paying for even minimal imports. Georgia is pinning its hopes for long-term recovery largely on reestablishing trade ties with Russia and on developing international transportation through the key Black Sea ports of P'ot'i and Bat'umi.

Statistical estimates on Georgia are subject to a particularly wide margin of error, even compared with other FSU countries. The GDP estimate below probably does not reflect much of its grass roots economic activity. GDP is supplemented by considerable EU and US humanitarian aid.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $6.2 billion (1995 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)

Labor force

2.763 million; by occupation: industry and construction 31%, agriculture and forestry 25%, other 44% (1990)

Budget

revenues:: $NA
expenditures:: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries

steel, aircraft, machine tools, foundry equipment, electric locomotives, tower cranes, electric welding equipment, machinery for food preparation and meat packing, electric motors, process control equipment, trucks, tractors, textiles, shoes, chemicals, wood products, wine

Agriculture

citrus, grapes, tea, vegetables, potatoes; small livestock sector

Illicit drugs

illicit cultivator of cannabis and opium poppy;
mostly for domestic consumption;
used as transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe

Exports

$140 million (c.i.f., 1995)

commodities:: citrus fruits, tea, wine, other agricultural products;
diverse types of machinery;
ferrous and nonferrous metals;
textiles;
chemicals;
fuel re-exports
partners:: Russia, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan

Imports

$250 million (f.o.b., 1995)

commodities:: fuel, grain and other foods, machinery and parts, transport equipment
partners:: Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey; note - EU and US send humanitarian food shipments

External debt

$1.2 billion (of which $135 million to Russia) (1995 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $28 million (1993) note: commitments, 1992-95, $1,200 million ($675 million disbursements)

Currency

lari introduced September 1995 replacing the coupon

Exchange rates

laris per US$1 - 1.24 (end December 1995)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 28 in all

over 3 047 m

2 438 to 3 047 m

1 524 to 2 437 m

914 to 1 523 m

under 914 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

35,100Railways

1,570

Highways: paved: 31,200 km · unpaved: 3,900 km (1990 est.) · Railways: ; does not include industrial lines · broad gauge: 1,570 km 1.520-m gauge (1990)

Railways

total:: 1,570 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines
broad gauge:: 1,570 km 1.520-m gauge (1990)

Highways

total:: 35,100 km
paved:: 31,200 km
unpaved:: 3,900 km (1990 est.)

Pipelines

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

Ports

Bat'umi, P'ot'i, Sokhumi

Merchant marine

total:: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 307,765 GRT/483,567 DWT
ships by type:: bulk 8, cargo 2, oil tanker 12, short-sea passenger 1 (1995 est.)

Transportation note

transportation network is in poor condition and disrupted by ethnic conflict, criminal activities, and fuel shortages; network lacks maintenance and repair

Communications

Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, | Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops)

9 fields

Fixed lines

672,000

(1993 est.)

Telephone system

poor service; 339,000 unsatisfied applications for telephones (December 1990 est.)

domestic:: NA
international:: landline to CIS members and Turkey;
satellite earth station - 1 Eutelsat;
leased connections with other countries via the Moscow international gateway switch;
international electronic mail and telex service available

males age 15-49:: 1,288,291
males fit for military service:: 1,021,632
males reach military age (18) annually:: 40,654 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $60 million to $65 million, NA% of GDP (1995)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Georgia.” The World Factbook 1996. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/georgia/1996.

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