[syn: Georgia, Sakartvelo]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
Georgia
n 1: a state in southeastern United States; one of the
Confederate states during the American Civil War [syn:
Georgia, Empire State of the South, Peach State,
GA]
2: one of the British colonies that formed the United States
3: a republic in Asia Minor on the Black Sea separated from
Russia by the Caucasus mountains; formerly an Asian soviet
but became independent in 1991 [syn: Georgia, Sakartvelo]
CIA World Factbook 2002:
Georgia
Introduction Georgia
--------------------
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.
Ethnic separation in Abkhazia and
South Ossetia, poor governance, and
Russian military bases deny the
government effective control over
the entirety of the state's
internationally recognized
territory. Despite myriad problems,
progress on market reforms and
democratization support the
country's goal of greater
integration with Western political,
economic and security institutions.
Geography Georgia
-----------------
Location: Southwestern Asia, bordering the
Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia
Geographic coordinates: 42 00 N, 43 30 E
Map references: Asia
Area: total: 69,700 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 69,700 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina
Land boundaries: total: 1,461 km
border countries: Armenia 164 km,
Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km,
Turkey 252 km
Coastline: 310 km
Maritime claims: NA
Climate: warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-
like on Black Sea coast
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
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
highest point: Mt'a Mqinvartsveri
5,047 m
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
Land use: arable land: 11.21%
permanent crops: 4.09%
other: 84.71% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 4,700 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: earthquakes
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 party to: Air Pollution,
agreements: 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
Geography - note: strategically located east of the
Black Sea; Georgia controls much of
the Caucasus Mountains and the
routes through them
People Georgia
--------------
Population: 4,960,951 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 19% (male 481,669;
female 462,966)
15-64 years: 68.2% (male 1,631,351;
female 1,752,230)
65 years and over: 12.8% (male
246,663; female 386,072) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.55% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 11.48 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 14.61 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: -2.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2002 est.)
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: 0.64 male(s)/
female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/
female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 51.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.67 years
female: 68.32 years (2002 est.)
male: 61.19 years
Total fertility rate: 1.48 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.01% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ less than 500 (1999 est.)
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Georgian(s)
adjective: Georgian
Ethnic groups: Georgian 70.1%, Armenian 8.1%,
Russian 6.3%, Azeri 5.7%, Ossetian
3%, Abkhaz 1.8%, other 5%
Religions: Georgian Orthodox 65%, Muslim 11%,
Russian Orthodox 10%, Armenian
Apostolic 8%, unknown 6%
Languages: Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%,
Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, other 7%
note: Abkhaz is the official
language in Abkhazia
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 99%
male: 100%
female: 98% (1989 est.)
Government Georgia
------------------
Country name: conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Georgia
local short form: Sak'art'velo
former: Georgian Soviet Socialist
Republic
local long form: none
Government type: republic
Capital: T'bilisi
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); Abkhazia or
Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri
Respublika** (Sokhumi), Ajaria or
Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika**
(Bat'umi), Chiat'ura*, Gori*, Guria,
Imereti, Kakheti, K'ut'aisi*, Kvemo
Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, P'ot'i*,
Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti,
Rust'avi*, Samegrelo and Zemo
Svaneti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Shida
Kartli, T'bilisi*, Tqibuli*,
Tsqaltubo*, Zugdidi*
note: the administrative centers of
the 2 autonomous republics are shown
in parentheses
Independence: 9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)
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
Constitution: adopted 17 October 1995
Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
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
election results: Eduard
SHEVARDNADZE reelected president;
percent of vote - Eduard
SHEVARDNADZE 80%
elections: president elected by
popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 9 April 2000
(next to be held NA 2005)
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)
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 (government-in-exile)
deputies 12, independents 17, other
3
elections: last held 31 October and
14 November 1999 (next to be held NA
2003)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges elected by the
Supreme Council on the president's
recommendation); Constitutional
Court
Political parties and leaders: Citizen's Union of Georgia or CUG
[Zarab ZHVANIA]; Georgian People's
Front [Nodar NATADZE]; Georgian
United Communist Party or UCPG
[Panteleimon GIORGADZE]; Greens
[Giorgi GACHECHILADZE]; Industry
Will Save Georgia or IWSG [Georgi
TOPADZE]; Labor Party [Salva
NATELASHVILI]; National Democratic
Party or NDP [Irina SARISHVILI-
CHANTURIA]; New National Movement
[Mikheil SAAKASHVILI]; New Rightists
[Levaii GACHECHILADZE]; Republican
Party [David BERDZENISHVILI];
"Revival" Union Party or AGUR [Alsan
ABASHIDZE]; Socialist Party or SPG
[Irakli MINDELI]; Traditionalists
[Akaki ASATIANI]
Political pressure groups and Georgian independent deputies from
leaders: 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
International organization BSEC, CCC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE,
participation: FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, OPCW, OSCE,
PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Levan
MIKELADZE
chancery: Suite 300, 1615 New
Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC
20009
FAX: [1] (202) 393-6060
telephone: [1] (202) 387-2390
Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador Richard
US: MILES
embassy: #25 Antoneli Street,
T'bilisi 380026
mailing address: use embassy street
address
telephone: [995] (32) 989-967/68
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
Economy Georgia
---------------
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
recovery on its role as a transit
state for pipelines and trade. The
start of construction on the Baku-
T'bilisi-Ceyhan pipeline in summer
2002 will bring much-needed
investment and job opportunities to
the country.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $15.5
billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 8.4% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,100
(2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25%
industry: 20%
services: 55% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: 54% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: 2.3%
percentage share: highest 10%: 27.9% (1996)
Distribution of family income - Gini 37.1 (1996)
index:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.6% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 2.1 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: industry 20%, agriculture 40%,
services 40% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: 17% (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $499 million
expenditures: $554 million,
including capital expenditures of
$NA (2001 est.)
Industries: steel, aircraft, machine tools,
electrical appliances, mining
(manganese), chemicals, wood
products, wine
Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2000)
Electricity - production: 7.404 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 20.99%
hydro: 79.01%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 7.886 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 200 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 1.2 billion kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: citrus, grapes, tea, vegetables,
potatoes; livestock
Exports: $450 million (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: scrap metal, machinery, chemicals;
fuel reexports; citrus fruits, tea,
wine, other agricultural products
Exports - partners: Turkey 22.3%, Russia 20.6%, Germany
10.4%, Azerbaijan 6.3%, Armenia 4%,
US 2.2% (2000)
Imports: $723 million (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: fuels, machinery and parts,
transport equipment, grain and other
foods, pharmaceuticals
Imports - partners: EU 23.8%, Turkey 16%, Russia 12.8%,
US 10.1%, Germany 7.9% (2000)
Debt - external: $1.7 billion (2001)
Economic aid - recipient: $212.7 million (1995)
Currency: lari (GEL)
Currency code: GEL
Exchange rates: lari per US dollar - 2.1888 (January
2002), 2.0730 (2001), 1.9762 (2000),
2.0245 (1999), 1.3898 (1998), 1.2975
(1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Georgia
----------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 620,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 185,500 (2000)
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
Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 12, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios: 3.02 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 12 (plus repeaters) (1998)
Televisions: 2.57 million (1997)
Internet country code: .ge
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2000)
Internet users: 20,000 (2000)
Transportation Georgia
----------------------
Railways: total: 1,583 km in common carrier
service; does not include industrial
lines
broad gauge: 1,546 km 1.520-m gauge
narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge
(2000 est.)
Highways: total: 33,900 km
paved: 29,500 km (includes some all-
weather gravel-surfaced roads)
unpaved: 4,400 km (these roads are
made of unstabilized earth and are
difficult to negotiate in wet
weather) (1990)
Waterways: none
Pipelines: crude oil 370 km; refined products
300 km; natural gas 440 km (1992)
Ports and harbors: Bat'umi, P'ot'i, Sokhumi
Merchant marine: total: 64 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
totaling 210,620 GRT/288,565 DWT
ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 46,
container 5, petroleum tanker 7,
roll on/roll off 1
note: includes some foreign-owned
ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Belize 1, Bulgaria 1,
Cyprus 1, Ecuador 1, Egypt 4,
Gibraltar 1, Greece 5, Jordan 1,
Latvia 1, Liberia 1, Malta 1, Panama
9, Romania 8, Russia 4, Saint Kitts
and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines 3, Saudi Arabia 2, Syria
5, Turkey 2, Ukraine 7, United Arab
Emirates 11, United Kingdom 1,
United States 1 (2002 est.)
Airports: 31 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 16
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 3 (2001)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 15
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
under 914 m: 6 (2001)
914 to 1,523 m: 4
Transportation - note: transportation network is in poor
condition resulting from ethnic
conflict, criminal activities, and
fuel shortages; network lacks
maintenance and repair
Military Georgia
----------------
Military branches: Ground Forces (includes National
Guard), combined Air and Air Defense
Forces, Naval Forces, Republic
Security and Police Forces (internal
and border troops)
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,300,259 (2002
est.)
Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 1,027,407 (2002
service: est.)
Military manpower - reaching males: 41,561 (2002 est.)
military age annually:
Military expenditures - dollar $23 million (FY00)
figure:
Military expenditures - percent of 0.59% (FY00)
GDP:
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
Transnational Issues Georgia
----------------------------
Disputes - international: Chechen and other insurgents transit
Pankisi Gorge to infiltrate Akhmeti
region; boundary with Russia has
been largely delimited, but not
demarcated; several small, strategic
segments remain in dispute
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