Georgia

Internet country code

.ge

Internet hosts

5,160 (2004)

Internet users

150,500 (2003)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 7, FM 12, shortwave 4 (1998)

Telephone system

general assessment: NA domestic: local - T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi 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

Telephones - main lines in use

650,500 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular

522,300 (2003)

Television broadcast stations

12 (plus repeaters) (1998)

Agriculture - products

citrus, grapes, tea, hazelnuts, vegetables; livestock

Budget

revenues: $603.5 million expenditures: $700.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)

Currency

lari (GEL)

Currency code

GEL

Current account balance

$-365 million (2003)

Debt - external

$1.8 billion (2002)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

37.1 (1996)

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. However, the Georgian Government suffers from limited resources due to a chronic failure to collect tax revenues. Georgia also suffers from energy shortages; it privatized the T'bilisi distribution network in 1998, but collection rates are low, making the venture unprofitable. The country is pinning its hopes for long-term growth on its role as a transit state for pipelines and trade. The start of construction on the Baku-T'bilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the Baku-T'bilisi-Erzerum gas pipeline will bring much-needed investment and job opportunities.

Electricity - consumption

7.611 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

850 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

7.27 billion kWh (2001)

Exchange rates

lari per US dollar - 2.1457 (2003), 2.1957 (2002), 2.073 (2001), 1.9762 (2000), 2.0245 (1999)

Exports

$615 million (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities

scrap metal, machinery, chemicals; fuel reexports; citrus fruits, tea, wine

Exports - partners

Russia 17.7%, Turkey 17.3%, Turkmenistan 12.2%, Armenia 8.6%, Switzerland 6.9%, Ukraine 6.3%, UK 5.9% (2003)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $12.18 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 20.5% industry: 22.6% services: 56.9% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5.5% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 27.9% (1996)

Imports

$1.25 billion (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities

fuels, machinery and parts, transport equipment, grain and other foods, pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners

Russia 14%, UK 12.9%, Turkey 9.9%, Azerbaijan 8.3%, US 8%, Germany 7.3%, Ukraine 7%, France 4.9% (2003)

Industrial production growth rate

3% (2000)

Industries

steel, aircraft, machine tools, electrical appliances, mining (manganese and copper), chemicals, wood products, wine

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.8% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

18% of GDP (2003)

Labor force

2.1 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 40%, industry 20%, services 40% (1999 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

1.16 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

1.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

60 million cu m (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption

31,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

54% (2001 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold

$190.7 million (2003)

Unemployment rate

17% (2001 est.)

Area

total: 69,700 sq km land: 69,700 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Climate

warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast

Coastline

310 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Mt'a Shkhara 5,201 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 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

Irrigated land

4,700 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 1,461 km border countries: Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km, Turkey 252 km

Land use

arable land: 11.44% permanent crops: 3.86% other: 84.7% (2001)

Location

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

Map references

Asia

Maritime claims

No data available

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

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

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) : regions: Guria, Imereti, Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Shida Kartli : cities: Chiat'ura, Gori, K'ut'aisi, P'ot'i, Rust'avi, T'bilisi, Tqibuli, Tsqaltubo, Zugdidi : autonomous republics: Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri Respublika (Sokhumi), Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika (Bat'umi) note: the administrative centers of the 2 autonomous republics are shown in parentheses

Capital

T'bilisi

Constitution

adopted 17 October 1995

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Richard M. MILES embassy: #25 Atoneli Street, T'bilisi 0105 mailing address: 7060 Tbilisi Place, Washington, DC 20521-7060 telephone: [995] (32) 989-967/68 FAX: [995] (32) 933-759

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Levan MIKELADZE chancery: Suite 602, 1101 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 387-4537 FAX: [1] (202) 393-4537

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 ZHVANIA (since 9 February 2004); 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; election last held 4 January 2004 (next to be held NA 2009) election results: Mikheil SAAKASHVILI elected president; percent of vote - Mikheil SAAKASHVILI 96.3%, Temur SHASHIASHVILI 1.9%

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

Government type

republic

Independence

9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)

International organization participation

BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, 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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council on the president's recommendation); Constitutional Court; first and second instance courts

Legal system

based on civil law system

Legislative branch

unicameral Supreme Council (commonly referred to as Parliament) or Umaghiesi Sabcho (235 seats - 150 elected by party lists); members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held spring 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - National Movement-Democrats 67.6%, Rightist Opposition 7.6%, all other parties received less than 7% each; seats by party - National Movement-Democrats 135, Rightist Opposition 15

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

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 [Levaii GACHECHILADZE]; Republican Party [David BERDZENISHVILI]; Rightist Opposition [Davit 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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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.

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 (including National Guard), Air and Air Defense Forces, Maritime Defense Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$23 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

0.59% (FY00)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,156,302 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 906,400 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - military age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 39,570 (2004 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 18.7% (male 461,967; female 416,898) 15-64 years: 65.8% (male 1,480,217; female 1,607,509) 65 years and over: 15.5% (male 290,534; female 436,767) (2004 est.)

Birth rate

10.1 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate

8.98 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

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.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 19.34 deaths/1,000 live births male: 21.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 16.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Languages

Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, other 7% note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.62 years male: 72.35 years female: 79.44 years (2004 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 100% female: 98% (1999 est.)

Median age

total: 37 years male: 34.5 years female: 39.2 years (2004 est.)

Nationality

noun: Georgian(s) adjective: Georgian

Net migration rate

-4.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population

4,693,892 (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.36% (2004 est.)

Religions

Georgian Orthodox 65%, Muslim 11%, Russian Orthodox 10%, Armenian Apostolic 8%, unknown 6%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.16 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.4 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Disputes - international

about a third of the boundary with Russia remains undelimited, and none of it demarcated, with several small, strategic segments remaining in dispute; OSCE observers monitor volatile areas such as the Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti region and the Argun Gorge in Abkhazia; 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 protests Georgian construction at the Red Bridge crossing and several other small segments of boundary, which remain unresolved until delimitation

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs: 260,000 (displaced from Abkhazia and South Ossetia) (2004)

Airports

31 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 17 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2003 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Heliports

2 (2003 est.)

Highways

total: 20,363 km paved: 19,038 km unpaved: 1,325 km (2000)

Merchant marine

total: 144 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 855,908 GRT/1,288,812 DWT by type: bulk 20, cargo 95, chemical tanker 1, container 11, liquefied gas 1, multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea/passenger 1, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: Albania 2, Belize 2, British Virgin Islands 2, Bulgaria 1, Cyprus 5, Ecuador 1, Egypt 3, Estonia 1, Germany 1, Gibraltar 1, Greece 13, Israel 1, Italy 1, Latvia 4, Lebanon 3, Liberia 2, Madagascar 1, Malta 1, Netherlands 2, Norway 1, Panama 8, Romania 6, Russia 10, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4, Saudi Arabia 1, Syria 31, Turkey 10, Ukraine 16, registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)

Pipelines

gas 1,697 km; oil 1,027 km; refined products 232 km (2004)

Ports and harbors

Bat'umi, P'ot'i, Sokhumi

Railways

total: 1,612 km (1,612 km electrified) broad gauge: 1,575 km 1.520-m gauge (1,575 electrified) narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (37 electrified) (2003)

Transportation - note

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