Georgia

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. Russian troops remain garrisoned at four military bases and as peacekeepers in the separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The country continues to move toward a market economy and greater integration with Western institutions.

• 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

• 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

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

0-14 years:

20% (male 517,829; female 497,155)

15-64 years:

67% (male 1,630,814; female 1,755,323)

65 years and over:

13% (male 238,090; female 380,327) (2000 est.)

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.63 male(s)/female

total population:

0.91 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

noun:

Georgian(s)

adjective:

Georgian

conventional long form:

none

conventional short form:

Georgia

local long form:

none

local short form:

Sak'art'velo

former:

Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic

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

elections:

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 5 November 1995 (next to be held 9 April 2000)

election results:

Eduard SHEVARDNADZE elected president; percent of vote - Eduard SHEVARDNADZE 74%

• Citizen's Union of Georgia or CUG [Eduard SHEVARDNADZE];
• Georgian United Communist Party or UCPG [Panteleimon GIORGADZE, chairman];
• Greens Party [Giorgi GACHECHILADZE];
• Industry Will Save Georgia or IWSG [Georgi Topadze];
• Labor Party [Shalva NATELASHVILI];
• National Democratic Party or NDP [Irina SARISHVILI-CHANTURIA];
• National Independent Party or NIP [Irakli TSERETELI, chairman];
• People's Party [Mamuka GIORGADZE];
• Socialist Party or SPG [Vakhtang RCHEULISHVILI];
• Union for "Revival" Party or AGUR [Alsan ABASHIDZE];
• Union of Traditionalists or UGT [Akaki ASATIANI];
• United Republican Party or URP [Nodar NATADZE, chairman]

• Georgian refugees from Abkhazia (Abkhaz faction in Georgian Parliament);
• separatist elements in the breakaway region of Abkhazia;
• supporters of the late ousted President Zviad GAMSAKHURDYA remain a source of opposition

chief of mission:

Ambassador Tedo JAPARIDZE

chancery:

Suite 300, 1615 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone:

[1] (202) 387-2390

FAX:

[1] (202) 393-4537

chief of mission:

Ambassador Kenneth S. YALOWITZ

embassy:

#25 Antoneli Street, T'bilisi 380026

mailing address:

use embassy street address

telephone:

[995] (32) 989-967

FAX:

[995] (32) 933-759

lowest 10%:

NA%

highest 10%:

NA%

• citrus fruits, tea, wine, other agricultural products;
• diverse types of machinery and metals;
• chemicals;
• fuel reexports;
• textiles

domestic:

• local - T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi have cellular telephone networks with about 10,000 customers total;
• urban areas 20 telephones/100 people;
• rural areas 4 telephones/100 people;
• intercity - a fiber-optic line connects T'bilisi to K'ut'aisi (Georgia's second largest city);
• nationwide pager service

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 available

total:

1,583 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines

broad gauge:

1,583 km 1.520-m gauge (1993)

total:

20,700 km

paved:

19,354 km

unpaved:

1,346 km (1996 est.)

total:

17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 103,080 GRT/158,803 DWT

ships by type:

cargo 10, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 6 (1999 est.)

• a CIS peacekeeping force consisting 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

• 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 [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]