Georgia

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

6 (2000)

Internet country code

.ge

Internet users

20,000 (2000)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 7, FM 12, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios

3.02 million (1997)

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: 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

620,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

30,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

12 (plus repeaters) (1998)

Televisions

2.57 million (1997)

Agriculture - products

citrus, grapes, tea, vegetables, potatoes; livestock

Budget

revenues: $437 million expenditures: $626 million, including capital expenditures of $60 million (1999)

Currency

lari (GEL)

Currency code

GEL

Debt - external

$1.9 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient

$212.7 million (1995)

Economy - overview

Georgia's economy has traditionally revolved around Black Sea tourism; cultivation of citrus fruits, tea, and grapes; mining of manganese and copper; and output of 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. 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, increasing GDP growth and slashing inflation. The Georgian economy continues to experience large budget deficits due to a failure to collect tax revenues. Georgia also still suffers from energy shortages; it privatized the distribution network in 1998, and deliveries are steadily improving. The country is pinning its hopes for long-term recovery on the development of an international transportation corridor through the key Black Sea ports of P'ot'i and Bat'umi. The growing trade deficit, continuing problems with tax evasion and corruption, and political uncertainties cloud the short-term economic picture.

Electricity - consumption

7.117 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports

850 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports

550 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production

7.975 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 20.38% hydro: 79.62% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)

Exchange rates

lari per US dollar - 1.9798 (December 2000), 1.9762 (2000), 2.0245 (1999), 1.3898 (1998), 1.2975 (1997), 1.2628 (1996)

Exports

$372 million (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Russia 19%, Turkey 16%, Azerbaijan 8%, Armenia 6% (1999)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $22.8 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 32% industry: 23% services: 45% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $4,600 (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.9% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$898 million (2000 est.)

Imports - commodities

fuel, grain and other foods, machinery and parts, transport equipment

Imports - partners

EU 22%, Russia 19%, Turkey 12%, US 12% (1999)

Industrial production growth rate

-0.3% (1998 est.)

Industries

steel, aircraft, machine tools, electric locomotives, trucks, tractors, textiles, shoes, chemicals, wood products, wine

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.1% (2000 est.)

Labor force

3.08 million (1997)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Population below poverty line

60% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate

14.9% (1999 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 Mqinvartsveri (Gora Kazbek) 5,048 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

Irrigated land

4,000 sq km (1993 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: 9% permanent crops: 4% permanent pastures: 25% forests and woodland: 34% other: 28% (1993 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Commonwealth of Independent States

Maritime claims

NA

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

53 rayons (raionebi, singular - raioni), 9 cities* (k'alak'ebi, singular - k'alak'i), and 2 autonomous republics** (avtomnoy respubliki, singular - avtom respublika); Abashis, Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri Respublika** (Sokhumi), Adigenis, Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika** (Bat'umi), Akhalgoris, Akhalk'alak'is, Akhalts'ikhis, Akhmetis, Ambrolauris, Aspindzis, Baghdat'is, Bolnisis, Borjomis, Chiat'ura*, Ch'khorotsqus, Ch'okhatauris, Dedop'listsqaros, Dmanisis, Dushet'is, Gardabanis, Gori*, Goris, Gurjaanis, Javis, K'arelis, Kaspis, Kharagaulis, Khashuris, Khobis, Khonis, K'ut'aisi*, Lagodekhis, Lanch'khut'is, Lentekhis, Marneulis, Martvilis, Mestiis, Mts'khet'is, Ninotsmindis, Onis, Ozurget'is, P'ot'i*, Qazbegis, Qvarlis, Rust'avi*, Sach'kheris, Sagarejos, Samtrediis, Senakis, Sighnaghis, T'bilisi*, T'elavis, T'erjolis, T'et'ritsqaros, T'ianet'is, Tqibuli*, Ts'ageris, Tsalenjikhis, Tsalkis, Tsqaltubo*, Vanis, Zestap'onis, Zugdidi*, Zugdidis note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following 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 Kenneth S. YALOWITZ embassy: #25 Antoneli Street, T'bilisi 380026 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [995] (32) 989-967/68

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Tedo JAPARIDZE chancery: Suite 300, 1615 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 387-2390

Executive branch

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 9 April 2000 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: Eduard SHEVARDNADZE reelected president; percent of vote - Eduard SHEVARDNADZE 80%

FAX

[1] (202) 393-4537

FAX

[995] (32) 933-759

Flag description

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

Government type

republic

Independence

9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council on the president's recommendation); Constitutional Court

Legal system

based on civil law system

Legislative branch

unicameral Supreme Council (commonly referred to as Parliament) or Umaghiesi Sabcho (235 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 31 October and 14 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - CUG 41.85%, AGUR 25.65%, IWSG 7.8%, all other parties received less than 7% each; seats by party - CUG 130, AGUR 58, IWSG 15, Abkhaz deputies 12, independents 17, other 3

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

Citizen's Union of Georgia or CUG [Eduard SHEVARDNADZE]; Georgian United Communist Party or UCPG [Panteleimon GIORGADZE, chairman]; Industry Will Save Georgia or IWSG [Georgi TOPADZE]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Irina SARISHVILI-CHANTURIA]; Socialist Party or SPG [Temur GAMTSEMLIDZE]; Union for "Revival" Party or AGUR [Alsan ABASHIDZE]; United Republican Party or URP [Nodar NATADZE, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

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 (but are scheduled to withdraw from two of the bases by July 2001). Despite a badly degraded transportation network - brought on by ethnic conflict, criminal activities, and fuel shortages - the country continues to move toward a market economy and greater integration with Western institutions.

Military - note

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

Military branches

Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force and Air Defense Forces, National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$23 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

0.59% (FY00)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,296,199 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 1,024,574 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 41,561 (2001 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 19.59% (male 498,575; female 478,663) 15-64 years: 67.91% (male 1,632,338; female 1,755,910) 65 years and over: 12.5% (male 241,824; female 381,975) (2001 est.)

Birth rate

11.18 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate

14.58 deaths/1,000 population (2001 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 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

less than 500 (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

52.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 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: 64.57 years male: 61.04 years female: 68.28 years (2001 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 100% female: 98% (1989 est.)

Nationality

noun: Georgian(s) adjective: Georgian

Net migration rate

-2.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Population

4,989,285 (July 2001 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.59% (2001 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

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 (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.45 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Disputes - international

none

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

Airports

31 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 16 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 15 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 6 (2000 est.)

Highways

total: 33,900 km paved: 29,500 km (these roads are said to be hard-surfaced, and include, in addition to conventionally paved roads, some that are surfaced with gravel or other coarse aggregate, making them trafficable in all weather) unpaved: 4,400 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1990)

Merchant marine

total: 37 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 131,316 GRT/190,289 DWT ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 25, chemical tanker 2, container 2, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 1 (2000 est.)

Pipelines

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

Ports and harbors

Bat'umi, P'ot'i, Sokhumi

Railways

total: 1,583 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines broad gauge: 1,583 km 1.520-m gauge (1993)

Transportation - note

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

Waterways

none