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Communications

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

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

Manpower availability [time series]

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.)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

Radios [time series]

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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 - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

672,000 (1993 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

Televisions [time series]

NA Defense

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

lari introduced September 1995 replacing the coupon

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: ODA, $28 million (1993) note: commitments, 1992-95, $1,200 million ($675 million disbursements)

Economic overview [time series]

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 [time series]

capacity: 4,410,000 kW production: 9.1 billion kWh consumption per capita: 1,526 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

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

Exports [time series]

$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

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

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

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

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

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 70.4% industry: 10.2% services: 19.4% (1993 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP per capita) [time series]

$1,080 (1995 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP real growth rate) [time series]

-11% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$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 [time series]

-10% (1995)

Industries [time series]

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) [time series]

2.2% monthly average (first half 1995 est.)

Labor force [time series]

2.763 million by occupation: industry and construction 31%, agriculture and forestry 25%, other 44% (1990)

Unemployment rate [time series]

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

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 69,700 sq km land area: 69,700 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than South Carolina

Climate [time series]

warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast

Coastline [time series]

310 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

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 natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

Geographic coordinates [time series]

42 00 N, 43 30 E

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

4,660 sq km (1990)

Land boundaries [time series]

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

Land use [time series]

arable land: 11% permanent crops: 4% meadows and pastures: 29% forest and woodland: 38% other: 18%

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Commonwealth of Independent States

Maritime claims [time series]

Natural resources [time series]

forests, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper, minor coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for important tea and citrus growth

Terrain [time series]

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 lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Mt'a Mqinvartsveri (Gora Kazbek) 5,048 m

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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 [time series]

T'bilisi

Constitution [time series]

adopted 17 October 1995

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Tedo JAPARIDZE chancery: (temporary) Suite 424, 1511 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 393-5959

Executive branch [time series]

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 cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[1] (202) 393-6060

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[7] (8832) 93-37-59

Flag [time series]

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

Legislative branch (Georgian Parliament) [time series]

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 [time series]

9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)

International organization participation [time series]

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 [time series]

Supreme Court

Legal system [time series]

based on civil law system

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral

Country name (Name of country) [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Georgia conventional short form: Georgia local long form: Sak'art'velos Respublika local short form: Sak'art'velo former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 26 May (1991)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

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 (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

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 [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type of government) [time series]

republic

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

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

People

Age structure [time series]

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 [time series]

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

Death rate [time series]

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

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

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

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 68.09 years male: 63.43 years female: 72.98 years (1996 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: Georgian(s) adjective: Georgian

Net migration rate [time series]

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

Population [time series]

5,219,810 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

-1.02% (1996 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

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 all ages: 0.9 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.69 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

total: 28 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 7 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 4 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 1 with unpaved runways over 3 047 m: 1 with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 5 with unpaved runways under 914 m: 6 (1994 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 35,100 km paved: 31,200 km unpaved: 3,900 km (1990 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 307,765 GRT/483,567 DWT ships by type: bulk 8, cargo 2, oil tanker 12, short-sea passenger 1 (1995 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

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

Ports [time series]

Bat'umi, P'ot'i, Sokhumi

Railways [time series]

total: 1,570 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines broad gauge: 1,570 km 1.520-m gauge (1990)

Transportation - note (Transportation note) [time series]

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