1996 Edition

Description

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

Location

42 00 N, 43 30 E -- Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly larger than South Carolina

land area

69,700 sq km

total area

69,700 sq km

Climate

warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast

Coastline

310 km

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

international agreements

party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

natural hazards

NA

Geographic coordinates

42 00 N, 43 30 E

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

4,660 sq km (1990)

Land boundaries

border countries

Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km, Turkey 252 km

total

1,461 km

Land use

arable land

11%

forest and woodland

38%

meadows and pastures

29%

other

18%

permanent crops

4%

Location

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

Map references

Commonwealth of Independent States

Maritime claims

NA

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; 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

highest point

Mt'a Mqinvartsveri (Gora Kazbek) 5,048 m

lowest point

Black Sea 0 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 22% (male 595,524; female 571,207) 15-64 years: 66% (male 1,643,506; female 1,784,286) 65 years and over: 12% (male 229,910; female 395,377) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

12.81 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

12.21 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

22.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, other 7%

Life expectancy at birth

female

72.98 years (1996 est.)

male

63.43 years

total population

68.09 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.)

female

98%

male

100%

total population

99%

Nationality

adjective

Georgian

noun

Georgian(s)

Net migration rate

-10.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

5,219,810 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

-1.02% (1996 est.)

Religions

Christian Orthodox 75% (Georgian Orthodox 65%, Russian Orthodox 10%), Muslim 11%, Armenian Apostolic 8%, unknown 6%

Sex ratio

all ages

0.9 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

1.69 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

2 autonomous republics (avtomnoy respubliki, singular - avtom respublika); Abkhazia (Sokhumi), Ajaria (Bat'umi)

note

the administrative centers of the autonomous republics are included in parentheses; there are no oblasts - the rayons around T'bilisi are under direct republic jurisdiction

Capital

T'bilisi

Constitution

adopted 17 October 1995

Data code

GG

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

(temporary) Suite 424, 1511 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20005

chief of mission

Ambassador Tedo JAPARIDZE

telephone

[1] (202) 393-5959

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet of Ministers

chief of state and 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); presidential election last held 5 November 1995 (next to be held NA April 2001); results - Eduard SHEVARDNADZE 74%; president's term to last five years

FAX

[1] (202) 393-6060

[7] (8832) 93-37-59

Flag

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

Georgian Parliament

elections last held 5 November 1995 (next to be held NA November 2000); results - CUG 24%, NDP 8%, All Georgia Revival Union 7%, all other parties received less than 5% each; seats - (235 total) number of seats by party NA

Independence

9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Legal system

based on civil law system

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

conventional long form

Republic of Georgia

conventional short form

Georgia

former

Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic

local long form

Sak'art'velos Respublika

local short form

Sak'art'velo

National holiday

Independence Day, 26 May (1991)

Other political or pressure groups

supporters of ousted President Zviad GAMSAKHURDIA (deceased 1 January 1994) remain a source of opposition; separatist elements in the breakaway region of Abkhazia

Political parties and leaders

Citizens Union of Georgia (CUG), Eduard SHEVARDNADZE, Zurab ZHVANIA, general secretary; National Democratic Party (NDP), Irina SARISHVILI-CHANTARIA; United Republican Party, umbrella organization for parties including the GPF and the Charter 1991 Party, Notar NATADZE, chairman; Georgian Popular Front (GPF), Nodar NATADZE, chairman; Charter 1991 Party, Tedo PAATASHVILI; Georgian Social Democratic Party (GSDP), Guram MUCHAIDZE, secretary general; All Georgia Union for Revival, Alsan ABASHIDZE; Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Irakli SHENGELAYA; Democratic Georgia Union (DGU), Avtandil MARGIANI; National Independence Party (NIP), Irakliy TSERETELI, chairman; Georgian Monarchists' Party (GMP), Temur ZHORZHOLIANI; Greens Party; Agrarian Party of Georgia (APG), Roin LIPARTELIANI; United Communist Party of Georgia (UCP), Panteleimon GIORGADZE, chairman

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission

Ambassador William H. COURTNEY

embassy

#25 Antoneli Street, T'bilisi 380026

mailing address

use embassy street address

telephone

[7] (8832) 98-99-67, 93-38-03

Agriculture

citrus, grapes, tea, vegetables, potatoes; small livestock sector

Budget

expenditures

$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

revenues

$NA

Currency

lari introduced September 1995 replacing the coupon

Economic aid

note

commitments, 1992-95, $1,200 million ($675 million disbursements)

recipient

ODA, $28 million (1993)

Economic overview

Georgia's economy has traditionally revolved around Black Sea tourism; cultivation of citrus fruits, tea, and grapes; mining of manganese and copper; and 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. Since 1991 the economy has sustained severe damage from civil strife. Georgia has been suffering from acute energy shortages, as it is having problems paying for even minimal imports. Georgia is pinning its hopes for long-term recovery largely on reestablishing trade ties with Russia and on developing international transportation through the key Black Sea ports of P'ot'i and Bat'umi. Statistical estimates on Georgia are subject to a particularly wide margin of error, even compared with other FSU countries. The GDP estimate below probably does not reflect much of its grass roots economic activity. GDP is supplemented by considerable EU and US humanitarian aid.

Electricity

capacity

4,410,000 kW

consumption per capita

1,526 kWh (1993)

production

9.1 billion kWh

Exchange rates

laris per US$1 - 1.24 (end December 1995)

Exports

$140 million (c.i.f., 1995)

commodities

citrus fruits, tea, wine, other agricultural products; diverse types of machinery; ferrous and nonferrous metals; textiles; chemicals; fuel re-exports

partners

Russia, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan

External debt

$1.2 billion (of which $135 million to Russia) (1995 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $6.2 billion (1995 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

70.4%

industry

10.2%

services

19.4% (1993 est.)

GDP per capita

$1,080 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

-11% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

illicit cultivator of cannabis and opium poppy; mostly for domestic consumption; used as transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe

Imports

$250 million (f.o.b., 1995)

commodities

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

partners

Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey; note - EU and US send humanitarian food shipments

Industrial production growth rate

-10% (1995)

Industries

steel, aircraft, machine tools, foundry equipment, electric locomotives, tower cranes, electric welding equipment, machinery for food preparation and meat packing, electric motors, process control equipment, trucks, tractors, textiles, shoes, chemicals, wood products, wine

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.2% monthly average (first half 1995 est.)

Labor force

2.763 million

by occupation

industry and construction 31%, agriculture and forestry 25%, other 44% (1990)

Unemployment rate

officially less than 5% but real unemployment may be more than 20%, with even larger numbers of underemployed workers

Branches

Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $60 million to $65 million, NA% of GDP (1995)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

1,288,291

males fit for military service

1,021,632

males reach military age (18) annually

40,654 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

Radios

NA

Telephone system

poor service; 339,000 unsatisfied applications for telephones (December 1990 est.)

domestic

NA

international

landline to CIS members and Turkey; satellite earth station - 1 Eutelsat; leased connections with other countries via the Moscow international gateway switch; international electronic mail and telex service available

Telephones

672,000 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations

3

Televisions

NA Defense

Airports

total

28

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

4

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

7

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

1

with paved runways over 3 047 m

1

with paved runways under 914 m

1

with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

1

with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

1

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

5

with unpaved runways over 3 047 m

1

with unpaved runways under 914 m

6 (1994 est.)

Highways

paved

31,200 km

total

35,100 km

unpaved

3,900 km (1990 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

bulk 8, cargo 2, oil tanker 12, short-sea passenger 1 (1995 est.)

total

23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 307,765 GRT/483,567 DWT

Pipelines

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

Ports

Bat'umi, P'ot'i, Sokhumi

Railways

broad gauge

1,570 km 1.520-m gauge (1990)

total

1,570 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines

Transportation note

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