World Facts

conventional long form: none
Capital: T'bilisi
Type of Government: republic-
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)
Age Structure: 0-14 years: 18% (male 444,779/female 398,162)
Agriculture: citrus, grapes, tea, hazelnuts, vegetables; livestock
Airports: 30 (2004 est.)
With Paved Runways: total: 19
With Unpaved Runways:
Area: total: 69,700 sq km. slightly smaller than South Carolina
Background: 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 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.
Birth rate: 10.25 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget: revenues: $872.5 million
Coastline: 310 km-
Climate: warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast
Communications:
Constitution: adopted 24 August 1995
Currency: lari (GEL)
Current account balance: $-439.3 million (2005 est.)
Death rate: 9.09 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external: $1.9 billion (2003)-
Dependency status: -
Dependent areas:
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John F. TEFFT
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Levan MIKELADZE
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 cannot resolve the alignment of their boundary at certain crossing areas
Distribution of family income: 36.9 (2001)-
Economic aid - donor:
Economic aid - recipient: ODA $150 million (2000 est.)
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. Georgia had suffered from a chronic failure to collect tax revenues, however, the new government is making progress in reforming the tax code, enforcing taxes, and cracking down on corruption. In addition, the privatisation process has taken off, permitting the government to boost expenditures on infrastructure, defence and poverty reduction. Smuggling is a perennial drain on the economy. 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. Nevertheless, high energy prices in 2006 will compound the pressure on the country's inefficient energy sector. Restructuring the sector and finding energy supply alternatives to Russia remains a major challenge.
Electricity - consumption:
Electricity - exports:
Electricity - imports:
Electricity - production:
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
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
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
Ethnic groups: Georgian 83.8%, Azeri 6.5%, Armenian 5.7%, Russian 1.5%, other 2.5% (2002 census)
Exchange rates: lari per US dollar - 1.82 (2005), 1.9167 (2004), 2.1457 (2003), 2.1957 (2002), 2.073 (2001)
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
Exports: $1.4 billion (2005 est.)
Exports - partners: Turkey 18.3%, Turkmenistan 17.8%, Russia 16.2%, Armenia 8.4%, UK 4.9% (2004)
Fiscal year: calendar year
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
GDP (official exchange rate): $5.135 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (purchasing power parity): $16.13 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 16%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 10% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates: 42 00 N, 43 30 E
Geography - note: strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them-
Government - note:
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 3,000 (2003 est.)
Heliports: 3 (2005 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3%
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
Imports: $2.5 billion (2005 est.)
Imports - partners: Russia 14%, Turkey 11%, UK 9.3%, Azerbaijan 8.5%, Germany 8.2%, Ukraine 7.7%, US 6% (2004)
Independence: 9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2000)
Industries: steel, aircraft, machine tools, electrical appliances, mining (manganese and copper), chemicals, wood products, wine
Infant mortality rate: total: 18.59 deaths/1,000 live births
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8% (2005 est.)
International organization participation: ACCT (observer), BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, 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
Internet country code: .ge
Internet hosts: 5,160 (2004)
Internet users: 150,500 (2003)
Investment (gross fixed): 24.6% of GDP (2005 est.)
Irrigated land: 4,700 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council on the president's recommendation); Constitutional Court; first and second instance courts
Labor force: 2.1 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
Land boundaries: total: 1,461 km
Land use: arable land: 11.44%
Languages: Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, other 7%
Legal system: based on civil law system
Legislative branch:
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.88 years
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Location: Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia-
Major infectious diseases:
Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 1,038,736 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 827,281 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually: males: 38,857 (2005 est.)
Map references: Asia
Maritime claims: NA
Median age: total: 37.36 years
Merchant marine: total: 175 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 855,908 GRT/1,288,812 DWT
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
Military branches: Ground Forces (includes National Guard), Air and Air Defense Forces, Maritime Defense Force, Interior Forces
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $23 million (FY00)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.59% (FY00)
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)
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
Nationality: noun: Georgian(s)-
Natural gas - consumption: -
Natural gas - exports: -
Natural gas - imports:
Natural gas - production: -
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Natural hazards: earthquakes
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
Net migration rate: -4.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption: 13,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports: NA (2001)
Oil - imports: NA (2001)
Oil - production: 1,982 bbl/day (2003)-
Oil - proved reserves: -
People - note:
Political parties and leaders: Burjanadze-Democrats [Nino BURJANADZE]; Georgian People's Front [Nodar NATADZE]; Georgian United Communist Party or UCPG [Panteleimon GIORGADZE]; 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 Right [David GAMKRELIDZE]; Republican Party [David BERDZENISHVILI]; 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; supporters of the late ousted President Zviad GAMSAKHURDYA
Population: 4,677,401 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line: 54% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.35% (2005 est.)
Ports and terminals: Bat'umi, P'ot'i-
Public debt:
Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 12, shortwave 4 (1998)
Railways: total: 1,612 km (1,612 km electrified)
Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 260,000 (displaced from Abkhazia and South Ossetia) (2004)
Religions: Orthodox Christian 83.9%, Armenian-Gregorian 3.9%, Catholic 0.8%, Muslim 9.9%, other 0.8%, none 0.7% (2002 census)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $350.1 million (2005 est.)
Roadways: total: 20,247 km
Sex ratio:
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system: general assessment: NA
Telephones - main lines in use: 650,500 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 522,300 (2003)
Television broadcast stations: 12 (plus repeaters) (1998)
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
Total fertility rate: 1.41 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Transportation - note: transportation network is in poor condition resulting from ethnic conflict, criminal activities, and fuel shortages; network lacks maintenance and repair
Unemployment rate: 17% (2001 est.)-
Waterways: