Georgia

• 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

• 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

• settlement concentrated in the central valley, particularly in the capital city of Tbilisi in the east;
• smaller urban agglomerations dot the Black Sea coast, with Bat'umi being the largest

noun:

Georgian(s)

adjective:

Georgian

total:

38.3 years (2024 est.)

male:

35.9 years

female:

40.6 years

• settlement concentrated in the central valley, particularly in the capital city of Tbilisi in the east;
• smaller urban agglomerations dot the Black Sea coast, with Bat'umi being the largest

at birth:

1.07 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.65 male(s)/female

total population:

0.92 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

21.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

male:

23.6 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

19.7 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

72.8 years (2024 est.)

male:

68.7 years

female:

77.2 years

total:

7.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

1.71 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

3.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

2.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

31.7% (2020 est.)

male:

56.3% (2020 est.)

female:

7.1% (2020 est.)

women married by age 15:

0.3%

women married by age 18:

13.9%

men married by age 18:

0.5% (2018 est.)

• air pollution, particularly in Rust'avi;
• heavy water pollution of Mtkvari River and the Black Sea;
• inadequate supplies of potable water;
• soil pollution from toxic chemicals;
• land and forest degradation;
• biodiversity loss;
• waste management

party to:

Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

urban population:

60.7% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

0.35% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

note: data include Abkhazia and South Ossetia

particulate matter emissions:

19.06 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions:

10.13 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions:

6.05 megatons (2020 est.)

municipal:

610 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial:

340 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural:

710 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

conventional long form:

none

conventional short form:

Georgia

local long form:

Republic of Georgia

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

name:

Tbilisi

geographic coordinates:

41 41 N, 44 50 E

time difference:

UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology:

the name in Georgian means "warm place," referring to the numerous sulfuric hot springs in the area

history:

previous 1921, 1978 (based on 1977 Soviet Union constitution); latest approved 24 August 1995, effective 17 October 1995

amendments:

• proposed as a draft law supported by more than one half of the Parliament membership or by petition of at least 200,000 voters;
• passage requires support by at least three fourths of the Parliament membership in two successive sessions three months apart and the signature and promulgation by the president of Georgia;
• amended several times, last in 2020 (legislative electoral system revised)

citizenship 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

chief of state:

President Salome ZOURABICHVILI (since 16 December 2018)

head of government:

Prime Minister Irakli KOBAKHIDZE (since 8 February 2024)

cabinet:

Cabinet of Ministers

elections/appointments:

• president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term);
• election last held on 28 November 2018 (next to be held in 2024);
• prime minister nominated by Parliament, appointed by the president;
• note - 2017 constitutional amendments made the 2018 election the last where the president was directly elected;
• future presidents will be elected by a 300-member College of Electors;
• in light of these changes, ZOURABICHVILI was allowed a six-year term

election results:

2024: Irakli KOBAKHIDZE approved as prime minister by Parliamentary vote 84-10;

• 2018: Salome ZOURABICHVILI elected president in second round;
• percent of vote in second round - Salome ZOURABICHVILI (independent, backed by Georgian Dream) 59.5%, Grigol VASHADZE (UNM) 40.5%;
• Irakli GARIBASHVILI approved as prime minister by Parliamentary vote 89-2;
• note-resigned on January 29, 2024

note: Irakli GARIBASHVILI resigned on 29 January 2024 to prepare for general elections in October 2024

description:

• unicameral Parliament or Sakartvelos Parlamenti (150 seats statutory, 140 as of October 2024);
• 120 members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by closed, party-list proportional representation vote and 30 directly elected in single-seat constituencies by at least 50% majority vote, with a runoff if needed;
• no party earning less than 40% of total votes may claim a majority;
• members serve 4-year terms)

elections:

last held on 26 October 2024

election results:

• percent of vote by party - Georgian Dream 53.9%, the Coalition for Change 11%, Unity-National Movement 10.2%, Strong Georgia 8.8%, Gakharia for Georgia 7.8%;
• seats by party - Georgian Dream 89, Coalition for Change 19, Unity-National Movement 16, Strong Georgia 14, Gakharia for Georgia 12

highest court(s):

• Supreme Court (consists of 28 judges organized into several specialized judicial chambers; number of judges determined by the president of Georgia);
• Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges);
• note - the Abkhazian and Ajarian Autonomous republics each have a supreme court and a hierarchy of lower courts

judge selection and term of office:

• Supreme Court judges nominated by the High Council of Justice (a 14-member body consisting of the Supreme Court chairperson, common court judges, and appointees of the president of Georgia) and appointed by Parliament;
• judges appointed for life;
• Constitutional Court judges appointed 3 each by the president, by Parliament, and by the Supreme Court judges;
• judges appointed for 10-year terms

subordinate courts:

Courts of Appeal; regional (town) and district courts

• Citizens
• European Socialists
• For Georgia
• Georgian Dream
• Girchi
• Law and Justice
• Lelo for Georgia
• National Democratic Party
• People's Power
• Progress and Freedom
• Republican Party
• State for the People
• Strategy Aghmashenebeli
• United National Movement or UNM
• Victorious Georgia

chief of mission:

Ambassador David ZALKALIANI (since 7 June 2022)

chancery:

1824 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone:

[1] (202) 387-2390

FAX:

[1] (202) 387-0864

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://georgiaembassyusa.org/contact/

consulate(s) general:

New York, San Francisco

chief of mission:

Ambassador Robin L. DUNNIGAN (since 12 October 2023)

embassy:

29 Georgian-American Friendship Avenue, Didi Dighomi, Tbilisi, 0131

mailing address:

7060 Tbilisi Place, Washington, DC 20521-7060

telephone:

[995] (32) 227-70-00

FAX:

[995] (32) 253-23-10

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://ge.usembassy.gov/

• 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 is based on a 14th century banner of the Kingdom of Georgia

name:

"Tavisupleba" (Liberty)

lyrics/music:

Davit MAGRADSE/Zakaria PALIASHVILI (adapted by Joseb KETSCHAKMADSE)

note: adopted 2004; after the Rose Revolution, a new anthem with music based on the operas "Abesalom da Eteri" and "Daisi" was adopted

total World Heritage Sites:

4 (3 cultural, 1 natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales:

• Gelati Monastery (c);
• Historical Monuments of Mtskheta (c);
• Upper Svaneti (c);
• Colchic Rainforests and Wetlands (n)

• main economic activities include cultivation of agricultural products, such as grapes, citrus fruits, and hazelnuts;
• mining of manganese, copper, and gold;
• producing alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages

Fitch rating:

BB (2019)

Moody's rating:

Ba2 (2017)

Standard & Poors rating: BB (2019)

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

agriculture:

6% (2023 est.)

industry:

19% (2023 est.)

services:

61.7% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

total:

30.2% (2023 est.)

male:

28.7% (2023 est.)

female:

32.7% (2023 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

on food:

32.1% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco:

3.4% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

lowest 10%:

2.7% (2021 est.)

highest 10%:

26.2% (2021 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

production:

256,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

consumption:

516,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

exports:

100 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports:

241,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

proven reserves:

900.999 million metric tons (2022 est.)

total petroleum production:

300 bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption:

32,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves:

35 million barrels (2021 est.)

production:

8.76 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

consumption:

2.796 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

imports:

2.787 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

proven reserves:

8.495 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

general assessment:

• the telecom sector has been attempting for many years to overcome the decades of under-investment in its fixed-line infrastructure during the Soviet era;
• concerted efforts to privatize state-owned enterprises and open up the telecom market have been mostly successful, with a large number of operators now competing in both the fixed-line and the mobile segments;
• Georgia’s government moved fast following the collapse of the Soviet Union to liberalize the country’s telecom market;
• this resulted in a relatively high number of operators competing in the under-developed fixed-line segment as well as in the emerging mobile market;
• the mobile and mobile broadband segments have both demonstrated solid growth in 2021;
• this upturn follows a significant contraction in subscriber numbers as well as revenue during 2020 due to the Covid-19 crisis;
• funding has continued to flow into mobile ventures, with the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) preparing for 5G (2024)

domestic:

fixed-line subscriptions 8 per 100, mobile-cellular tele density roughly 156 per 100 persons (2022)

international:

• country code - 995;
• landing points for the Georgia-Russia, Diamond Link Global, and Caucasus Cable System fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Russia, Romania and Bulgaria;
• international service is available by microwave, landline, and satellite through the Moscow switch;
• international electronic mail and telex service are available (2019)

• The Tbilisi-based Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) includes Channel 1, Channel 2, and the Batumi-based Adjara TV, and the State Budget funds all three;
• there are also a number of independent commercial television broadcasters, such as Imedi, Rustavi 2, Pirveli TV, Maestro, Kavkasia, Georgian Dream Studios (GDS), Obiektivi, Mtavari Arkhi, and a small Russian language operator TOK TV;
• Tabula and Post TV are web-based television outlets;
• all of these broadcasters and web-based television outlets, except GDS, carry the news;
• the Georgian Orthodox Church also operates a satellite-based television station called Unanimity;
• there are 26 regional television broadcasters across Georgia that are members of the Georgian Association of Regional Broadcasters and/or the Alliance of Georgian Broadcasters;
• the broadcaster organizations seek to strengthen the regional media's capacities and distribution of regional products: a nationwide digital switchover occurred in 2015;
• there are several dozen private radio stations;
• GPB operates 2 radio stations (2019)

number of registered air carriers:

4 (2020); inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 12

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:

516,034 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:

750,000 (2018) mt-km

total:

1,363 km (2014)

narrow gauge:

37 km (2014) 0.912-m gauge (37 km electrified)

broad gauge:

1,326 km (2014) 1.520-m gauge (1,251 km electrified)

total ports:

3 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

0

small:

1

very small:

2

ports with oil terminals:

2

key ports:

Batumi, Sokhumi, Supsa Marine Terminal

• Georgian Defense Forces (GDF; aka Defense Forces of Georgia or DFG):
  • Ground Forces,
  • Air Force,
  • National Guard,
  • Special Operations Forces,
  • National Guard
  ;
• Ministry of Internal Affairs: Border Police, Coast Guard (includes Georgian naval forces, which were merged with the Coast Guard in 2009) (2024)

note: the Ministry of Internal Affairs also has forces for protecting strategic infrastructure and conducting special operations

• the majority of the military's inventory consists of Soviet-era weapons and equipment, some of which has been upgraded;
• it has smaller quantities of mostly secondhand material from such countries as Israel, Turkey, and the US, as well as some domestically produced equipment;
• Georgia has a small defense industry which produces such items as small arms and light armored vehicles (2024)

• 18-27 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women;
• conscription was abolished in 2016, but reinstated in 2017 for men 18-27 years of age;
• conscript service obligation is 12 months (2024)

note 1: approximately 6-7,000 individuals are called up annually for conscription for service; conscripts serve in the Defense Forces, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, or the Ministry of Corrections

note 2: as of 2022, women made up about 8% of the military's full-time personnel

refugees (country of origin):

26,660 (Ukraine) (as of 30 December 2023)

IDPs:

308,000 (displaced in the 1990s as a result of armed conflict in the breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia; displaced in 2008 by fighting between Georgia and Russia over South Ossetia) (2022)

stateless persons:

530 (2022)

• a transit country for opiates produced in Asia trafficked into Ukraine or Moldova via the Black Sea for other European destinations;
• not a major corridor for synthetic drug smuggling operations;
• domestic synthetic market for ecstasy/MDMA, amphetamines, and cannabis with ecstasy laced with fentanyl the drug of choice