Georgia

total: 986,809 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 25 (2021 est.)

The Tbilisi-based Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) includes Channel 1, Channel 2, and the Batumi-based Adjara TV, and the State Budget funds all three; there are also a number of independent commercial television broadcasters, such as Imedi, Rustavi 2, Pirveli TV, Maestro, Kavkasia, Georgian Dream Studios (GDS), Obiektivi, Mtavari Arkhi, and a small Russian language operator TOK TV; Tabula and Post TV are web-based television outlets; all of these broadcasters and web-based television outlets, except GDS, carry the news; the Georgian Orthodox Church also operates a satellite-based television station called Unanimity; there are 26 regional television broadcasters across Georgia that are members of the Georgian Association of Regional Broadcasters and/or the Alliance of Georgian Broadcasters; the broadcaster organizations seek to strengthen the regional media's capacities and distribution of regional products: a nationwide digital switchover occurred in 2015; there are several dozen private radio stations; GPB operates 2 radio stations (2019)

.ge

total: 2.888 million (2021 est.) percent of population: 76% (2021 est.)

general assessment: the telecom sector has been attempting for many years to overcome the decades of under-investment in its fixed-line infrastructure during the Soviet era; concerted efforts to privatize state-owned enterprises and open up the telecom market have been mostly successful, with a large number of networks now competing in both the fixed-line and the mobile segments; more needs to be done, however, to give investors the confidence to enter a market that has barely moved in terms of revenue growth over the last decade, and where regulatory overreach has sometimes come perilously close to arresting further development; Georgia s government moved fast following the collapse of the Soviet Union to liberalize the country s telecom market; this resulted in a relatively high number of networks competing in the under-developed fixed-line segment as well as in the emerging mobile market; both segments remain dominated by just a few companies (2022) domestic: fixed-line subscriptions 9 per 100, mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 137 per 100 persons (2021) international: country code - 995; landing points for the Georgia-Russia, Diamond Link Global, and Caucasus Cable System fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Russia, Romania and Bulgaria; international service is available by microwave, landline, and satellite through the Moscow switch; international electronic mail and telex service are available (2019)

total subscriptions: 337,923 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions: 5,163,558 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 137 (2021 est.)

milk, grapes, maize, potatoes, wheat, watermelons, tomatoes, tangerines/mandarins, barley, apples

on food: 32.3% of household expenditures (2018 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3.4% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

revenues: $4.737 billion (2019 est.) expenditures: $5.059 billion (2019 est.)

-3.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Fitch rating: BB (2019) Moody's rating: Ba2 (2017) Standard & Poors rating: BB (2019) note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

-$1.937 billion (2021 est.) -$1.981 billion (2020 est.) -$1.025 billion (2019 est.)

$18.149 billion (2019 est.) $17.608 billion (2018 est.)

COVID-19 crippled tourism, transportation, and construction sectors; rising unemployment, public debts and poverty; foreign investment and domestic bond issuance

laris (GEL) per US dollar - 3.222 (2021 est.) 3.109 (2020 est.) 2.818 (2019 est.) 2.534 (2018 est.) 2.51 (2017 est.)

$8.086 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars $5.927 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars $9.546 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

copper, iron alloys, cars, wine, refined petroleum, nitrogen fertilizers, liquors (2021)

Russia 12%, Azerbaijan 12%, Armenia 9%, Bulgaria 8%, China 6%, Turkey 6%, Ukraine 6% (2019)

calendar year

$17.694 billion (2019 est.)

household consumption: 62.8% (2017 est.) government consumption: 17.1% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 29.5% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 2.4% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 50.4% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -62.2% (2017 est.)

agriculture: 8.2% (2017 est.) industry: 23.7% (2017 est.) services: 67.9% (2017 est.)

34.5 (2020 est.)

lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 31.3% (2008)

$11.151 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars $8.967 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars $11.162 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

cars, refined petroleum, copper, packaged medicines, natural gas (2019)

Turkey 17%, China 11%, Russia 9%, Azerbaijan 6%, United States 6%, Germany 5% (2019)

2.4% (2021 est.)

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

9.57% (2021 est.) 5.2% (2020 est.) 4.85% (2019 est.)

1.724 million (2021 est.)

agriculture: 55.6% industry: 8.9% services: 35.5% (2006 est.)

19.5% (2019 est.)

65.88% of GDP (2020 est.) 45.15% of GDP (2019 est.) 38.89% of GDP (2018 est.) note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities; Georgia does not maintain intragovernmental debt or social funds

$57.434 billion (2021 est.) $51.993 billion (2020 est.) $55.762 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars

10.47% (2021 est.) -6.76% (2020 est.) 4.98% (2019 est.)

$15,500 (2021 est.) $14,000 (2020 est.) $15,000 (2019 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars

$4.271 billion (31 December 2021 est.) $3.913 billion (31 December 2020 est.) $3.506 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

21.41% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

10.66% (2021 est.) 18.5% (2020 est.) 11.57% (2019 est.)

total: 28.3% (2021 est.) male: 27.4% female: 29.9%

10.299 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 1.063 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 4.245 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.) from consumed natural gas: 4.992 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

production: 99,000 metric tons (2020 est.) consumption: 362,000 metric tons (2020 est.) exports: 1,000 metric tons (2020 est.) imports: 277,000 metric tons (2020 est.) proven reserves: 201 million metric tons (2019 est.)

installed generating capacity: 4.579 million kW (2020 est.) consumption: 12,062,080,000 kWh (2019 est.) exports: 256 million kWh (2020 est.) imports: 1.712 billion kWh (2020 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 918.2 million kWh (2019 est.)

electrification - total population: 100% (2021)

fossil fuels: 25.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) solar: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) wind: 0.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) hydroelectricity: 73.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

63.286 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

production: 6.088 million cubic meters (2020 est.) consumption: 2.54 billion cubic meters (2020 est.) exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.) imports: 2.535 billion cubic meters (2020 est.) proven reserves: 8.495 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

total petroleum production: 300 bbl/day (2021 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 32,400 bbl/day (2019 est.) crude oil and lease condensate exports: 100 bbl/day (2018 est.) crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 35 million barrels (2021 est.)

2,052 bbl/day (2015 est.)

28,490 bbl/day (2015 est.)

247 bbl/day (2017 est.)

particulate matter emissions: 19.06 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 10.13 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 6.05 megatons (2020 est.)

warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast

air pollution, particularly in Rust'avi; heavy water pollution of Mtkvari River and the Black Sea; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil pollution from toxic chemicals; land and forest degradation; biodiversity loss; waste management

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

agricultural land: 35.5% (2018 est.) arable land: 5.8% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 1.8% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 27.9% (2018 est.) forest: 39.4% (2018 est.) other: 25.1% (2018 est.)

0.01% of GDP (2018 est.)

0.07% of GDP (2018 est.)

63.33 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal: 610 million cubic meters (2020 est.) industrial: 340 million cubic meters (2020 est.) agricultural: 710 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

urban population: 60.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.35% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data include Abkhazia and South Ossetia

municipal solid waste generated annually: 800,000 tons (2015 est.)

total: 69,700 sq km land: 69,700 sq km water: 0 sq km note: approximately 12,560 sq km, or about 18% of Georgia's area, is Russian occupied; the seized area includes all of Abkhazia and the breakaway region of South Ossetia, which consists of the northern part of Shida Kartli, eastern slivers of the Imereti region and Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, and part of western Mtskheta-Mtianeti

slightly smaller than South Carolina; slightly larger than West Virginia

warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast

310 km

highest point: Mt'a Shkhara 5,193 m lowest point: Black Sea 0 m mean elevation: 1,432 m

42 00 N, 43 30 E

note 1: strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them note 2: the world's four deepest caves are all in Georgia, including two that are the only known caves on earth deeper than 2,000 m: Krubera Cave at -2,197 m (-7,208 ft; reached in 2012) and Veryovkina Cave at -2,212 (-7,257 ft; reached in 2018)

4,330 sq km (2012)

total: 1,814 km border countries (4): Armenia 219 km; Azerbaijan 428 km; Russia 894 km; Turkey 273 km

agricultural land: 35.5% (2018 est.) arable land: 5.8% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 1.8% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 27.9% (2018 est.) forest: 39.4% (2018 est.) other: 25.1% (2018 est.)

Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia, with a sliver of land north of the Caucasus extending into Europe; note - Georgia views itself as part of Europe; geopolitically, it can be classified as falling within Europe, the Middle East, or both

Asia

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

earthquakes

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

settlement concentrated in the central valley, particularly in the capital city of Tbilisi in the east; smaller urban agglomerations dot the Black Sea coast, with Bat'umi being the largest

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; fertile soils in river valley flood plains and foothills of Kolkhida Lowland

9 regions (mkharebi, singular - mkhare), 1 city (kalaki), 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; note - the breakaway region of South Ossetia consists of the northern part of Shida Kartli, eastern slivers of the Imereti region and Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, and part of western Mtskheta-Mtianeti city: Tbilisi autonomous republics: Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri Respublika (Sokhumi), Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika (Bat'umi) note 1: the administrative centers of the two autonomous republics are shown in parentheses note 2: the United States recognizes the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia to be part of Georgia

name: Tbilisi geographic coordinates: 41 41 N, 44 50 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name in Georgian means "warm place," referring to the numerous sulfuric hot springs in the area

citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Georgia dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

history: previous 1921, 1978 (based on 1977 Soviet Union constitution); latest approved 24 August 1995, effective 17 October 1995 amendments: proposed as a draft law supported by more than one half of the Parliament membership or by petition of at least 200,000 voters; passage requires support by at least three fourths of the Parliament membership in two successive sessions three months apart and the signature and promulgation by the president of Georgia; amended several times, last in 2020 (legislative electoral system revised)

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Georgia local long form: none local short form: Sak'art'velo former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: the Western name may derive from the Persian designation "gurgan" meaning "Land of the Wolves"; the native name "Sak'art'velo" means "Land of the Kartvelians" and refers to the core central Georgian region of Kartli

chief of mission: Ambassador Robin DUNNIGAN (since 12 October 2023) embassy: 29 Georgian-American Friendship Avenue, Didi Dighomi, Tbilisi, 0131 mailing address: 7060 Tbilisi Place, Washington, DC 20521-7060 telephone: [995] (32) 227-70-00 FAX: [995] (32) 253-23-10 email address and website: askconsultbilisi@state.gov https://ge.usembassy.gov/

chief of mission: Ambassador David ZALKALIANI (since 7 June 2022) chancery: 1824 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 387-2390 FAX: [1] (202) 387-0864 email address and website: embgeo.usa@mfa.gov.ge https://georgiaembassyusa.org/contact/ consulate(s) general: New York

chief of state: President Salome ZOURABICHVILI (since 16 December 2018) head of government: Prime Minister Irakli GARIBASHVILI (since 22 February 2021) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 28 November 2018 (next to be held in 2024); prime minister nominated by Parliament, appointed by the president note - 2017 constitutional amendments made the 2018 election the last where the president was directly elected; future presidents will be elected by a 300-member College of Electors; in light of these changes, ZOURABICHVILI was allowed a six-year term election results: 2018: Salome ZOURABICHVILI elected president in runoff; percent of vote - Salome ZOURABICHVILI (independent, backed by Georgian Dream) 59.5%, Grigol VASHADZE (UNM) 40.5%; Irakli GARIBASHVILI approved as prime minister by Parliamentary vote 89-2 2013: Giorgi MARGVELASHVILI elected president (Georgian Dream) 62.1%, David BAKRADZE (ENM) 21.7%, Nino BURJANADZE (DM-UG) 10.2%, other 6%

white rectangle with a central red cross extending to all four sides of the flag; each of the four quadrants displays a small red bolnur-katskhuri cross; sometimes referred to as the Five-Cross Flag; although adopted as the official Georgian flag in 2004, the five-cross design is based on a 14th century banner of the Kingdom of Georgia

semi-presidential republic

9 April 1991 (from the Soviet Union); notable earlier date: A.D. 1008 (Georgia unified under King BAGRAT III)

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

ADB, BSEC, CD, CE, CPLP (associate), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-11, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 28 judges organized into several specialized judicial chambers; number of judges determined by the president of Georgia); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges); note - the Abkhazian and Ajarian Autonomous republics each have a supreme court and a hierarchy of lower courts judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the High Council of Justice (a 14-member body consisting of the Supreme Court chairperson, common court judges, and appointees of the president of Georgia) and appointed by Parliament; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Court judges appointed 3 each by the president, by Parliament, and by the Supreme Court judges; judges appointed for 10-year terms subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; regional (town) and district courts

civil law system

description: unicameral Parliament or Sakartvelos Parlamenti (150 seats statutory, 140 (as of May 2023); 120 members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by closed, party-list proportional representation vote and 30 directly elected in single-seat constituencies by at least 50% majority vote, with a runoff if needed; no party earning less than 40% of total votes may claim a majority; members serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 31 October and 21 November 2020 (next to be held in October 2024) election results: percent of vote by party - Georgian Dream 48.2%, UNM 27.2%, European Georgia 3.8%, Lelo 3.2%, Strategy 3.2%, Alliance of Patriots 3.1%, Girchi 2.9%, Citizens 1.3%, Labor 1%; seats by party - Georgian Dream 90, UNM 36, European Georgia 5, Lelo 4, Strategy 4, Alliance of Patriots 4, Girchi 4, Citizens 2, Labor 1; composition (as of October 2021) - men 117, women 27, percent of women 19.3%

name: "Tavisupleba" (Liberty) lyrics/music: Davit MAGRADSE/Zakaria PALIASHVILI (adapted by Joseb KETSCHAKMADSE) note: adopted 2004; after the Rose Revolution, a new anthem with music based on the operas "Abesalom da Eteri" and "Daisi" was adopted

total World Heritage Sites: 4 (3 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Gelati Monastery (c); Historical Monuments of Mtskheta (c); Upper Svaneti (c); Colchic Rainforests and Wetlands (n)

Independence Day, 26 May (1918); note - 26 May 1918 was the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 9 April 1991 was the date of independence from the Soviet Union

Saint George, lion; national colors: red, white

Alliance of Patriots [Davit TARKHAN-MOURAVI] Citizens Party [Aleko ELISASHVILI] Democratic Movement-United Georgia or DM-UC [Nino BURJANADZE] European Georgia-Movement for Liberty [Giga BOKERIA] European Socialists [Fridon INJIA] For Georgia [Giorgi GAKHARIA] Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia [Irakli KOBAKHIDZE] Girchi-More Freedom [Zurab JAPARIDZE] Labor Party [Shalva NATELASHVILI] Lelo for Georgia [Mamuka KHAZARADZE] New Political Centre-Girchi [Iago KHVICHIA] Republican Party [Khatuna SAMNIDZE] Strategy Aghmashenebeli [Giorgi VASHADZE] United National Movement or UNM [Levan KHABEISHVILI]

18 years of age; universal

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 A.D., and Christianity became the state religion in the 330s. Domination by Persians, Arabs, and Turks was followed by a Georgian golden age (11th-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 in 1921 and regained its independence when the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. Mounting public discontent over rampant corruption and ineffective government services, followed by an attempt by the incumbent Georgian Government to manipulate parliamentary elections in November 2003, touched off widespread protests that led to the resignation of Eduard SHEVARDNADZE, president since 1995. In the aftermath of that popular movement, which became known as the "Rose Revolution," new elections in early 2004 swept Mikheil SAAKASHVILI into power along with his United National Movement (UNM) party. SAAKASHVILI made progress on market reforms and good governance during his time in power but also faced accusations of abuse of office. Progress was also complicated by Russian assistance and support to the separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia that led to periodic flare-ups in tension and violence and that culminated in a five-day conflict in August 2008 between Russia and Georgia, including the invasion of large portions of Georgian territory. Russian troops pledged to pull back from most occupied Georgian territory, but in late August 2008 Russia unilaterally recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and Russian military forces remain in those regions. Billionaire Bidzina IVANISHVILI's unexpected entry into politics in October 2011 brought the divided opposition together under his Georgian Dream coalition, which won a majority of seats in the October 2012 parliamentary elections and removed UNM from power. Conceding defeat, SAAKASHVILI named IVANISHVILI as prime minister and allowed Georgian Dream to create a new government before leaving the country after his presidential term ended in 2013. At the time, these changes in leadership represented unique examples of a former Soviet state that emerged to conduct democratic and peaceful government transitions of power. IVANISHVILI voluntarily resigned from office after the presidential succession, and in the following years, the prime minister position has seen frequent turnover. Most recently, Irakli GARIBASHVILI became prime minister in February 2021. In October 2021, SAAKASHVILI returned to Georgia, where he was immediately arrested to serve six years in prison on outstanding abuse of office convictions. Popular support for integration with the West is high in Georgia. Joining the EU and NATO are among the country's top foreign policy goals and Georgia applied for EU membership in March 2022. The EU and Georgia signed an Association Agreement in June 2014 and it fully entered into force in July 2016. Georgia and the EU have a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement and Georgian citizens since 2017 can travel to the Schengen area without a visa.

the Defense Forces of Georgia (DFG) are responsible for protecting the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the country; the DFG also provides units for multinational military operations abroad and supports the Border Police in border protection and civil authorities in counter-terrorist operations, if requested; it is focused primarily on Russia, which maintains military bases and troops in occupied Abkhazia and South Ossetia; a five-day conflict with Russian forces in 2008 resulted in the defeat and expulsion of Georgian forces from the breakaway regions Georgia is not a member of NATO but has had a relationship with the Alliance since 1992 and declared its aspiration to join in 2002; the military is working to make itself more compatible with NATO and has participated in multinational exercises and security operations abroad with NATO, such as Afghanistan, where it was one of the top non-NATO contributors, and Kosovo; the DFG has also contributed troops to EU and UN missions the DFG is divided into two regional commands (eastern and western); the Ground Forces make up the majority of the DFG, with four infantry and two artillery brigades; the Coast Guard/naval forces operate a mix of coastal patrol craft and patrol boats, while the Air Force has a handful of refurbished Soviet-era ground attack aircraft (2023)

Defense Forces of Georgia (DFG; aka Georgian Defense Forces or GDF): Ground Forces, Air Force, National Guard, Special Operations Forces, National Guard; Ministry of Internal Affairs: Border Police, Coast Guard (includes Georgian naval forces, which were merged with the Coast Guard in 2009) (2023) note: the Ministry of Internal Affairs also has forces for protecting strategic infrastructure and conducting special operations

estimates vary; approximately 30,000 troops, including active National Guard forces (2023) note: in December 2020, the Parliament of Georgia adopted a resolution determining that the Georgian Defense Forces would have a maximum peacetime strength of 37,000 troops

the majority of the military's inventory consists of Soviet-era weapons and equipment, although in recent years it has received armaments from a number of European countries, as well as the US (2023)

1.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2020 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2019) 1.9% of GDP (2018)

18-27 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription was abolished in 2016, but reinstated in 2017 for men 18-27 years of age; conscript service obligation is 12 months (2023) note 1: approximately 6-7,000 individuals are called up annually for conscription for service; approximately 25% enter the Defense Forces, while the remainder serve in the Ministry of Internal Affairs or as prison guards in the Ministry of Corrections note 2: as of 2022, women made up about 8% of the military's full-time personnel

0-14 years: 18.41% (male 468,459/female 440,195) 15-64 years: 63.65% (male 1,543,748/female 1,598,047) 65 years and over: 17.95% (2023 est.) (male 348,822/female 537,119)

total: 7.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.71 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 3.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

12.3 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

women married by age 15: 0.3% women married by age 18: 13.9% men married by age 18: 0.5% (2018 est.)

2.1% (2018)

40.6% (2018)

7.6% of GDP (2020)

67.1% (2023 est.)

13.6 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Analyzing population trends in Georgia since independence in 1991 has proven difficult due to a lack of reliable demographic statistics. Censuses were fairly accurately and regularly updated through a vital statistics system during Georgia s period of Soviet rule, but from independence until about 2010, the system broke down as a result of institutional and economic change, social unrest, and large-scale outmigration. The 2002 census is believed to have significantly overestimated the size of Georgia s population, in part because respondents continued to include relatives living abroad as part of their household count. The 2014 census indicates that Georgia s population is decreasing and aging. Census data shows that the median age increased from 34.5 years in 2002 to 37.7 years in 2014. The working-age population (ages 15-65 years) was fairly high in 2002 and rose between 2005 and 2011. Nonetheless, Georgia did not reap economic benefits from this age structure, since the working-age population increase seems to have stimulated labor outmigration to Russia, Ukraine, and other neighboring countries. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Georgia has seen its economy grow to its highest level in years due to the influx of Russian businesses, information and communications technology specialists, and money transfers. This growth may only be temporary and conditions could still easily change depending on future events. Meanwhile, the Russian inflow is also a source of concern, as some Georgians fear it could prompt Putin to target their country next. In addition, Ukrainian refugees use Georgia not just as a transit country but also as a destination. Some 25,000 Ukrainians remain in the country as of November 2022; they pose an additional strain on resources in Georgia, which has a significant population of its own displaced citizens from the 2008 Russian occupation of Abkhazia and South Ossetia who continue to need government support.

total dependency ratio: 55.4 youth dependency ratio: 32.8 elderly dependency ratio: 22.6 potential support ratio: 4.4 (2021 est.)

improved: urban: 99.4% of population rural: 94.3% of population total: 97.3% of population unimproved: urban: 0.6% of population rural: 5.7% of population total: 2.7% of population (2020 est.)

3.6% of GDP (2021 est.)

Georgian 86.8%, Azeri 6.3%, Armenian 4.5%, other 2.3% (includes Russian, Ossetian, Yazidi, Ukrainian, Kist, Greek) (2014 est.)

0.95 (2023 est.)

2.9 beds/1,000 population (2014)

total: 22.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.) male: 24.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 20.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Georgian (official) 87.6%, Azeri 6.2%, Armenian 3.9%, Russian 1.2%, other 1%; note - Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia (2014 est.) major-language sample(s): მსოფლიო ფაქტების წიგნი, ძირითადი ინფორმაციის აუცილებელი წყარო. (Georgian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

total population: 72.3 years (2023 est.) male: 68.3 years female: 76.6 years

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.6% male: 99.7% female: 99.5% (2019)

1.082 million TBILISI (capital) (2023)

28 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

total: 38 years (2023 est.) male: 35.6 years female: 40.4 years

25.9 years (2019 est.) note: data does not cover Abkhazia and South Ossetia

noun: Georgian(s) adjective: Georgian

-4.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

21.7% (2016)

5.11 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

4,936,390 (2023 est.)

settlement concentrated in the central valley, particularly in the capital city of Tbilisi in the east; smaller urban agglomerations dot the Black Sea coast, with Bat'umi being the largest

-0.57% (2023 est.)

Eastern Orthodox Christian (official) 83.4%, Muslim 10.7%, Armenian Apostolic Christian 2.9%, other 1.2% (includes Roman Catholic Christian, Jehovah's Witness, Yazidi, Protestant Christian, Jewish), none 0.5%, unspecified/no answer 1.2% (2014 est.)

improved: urban: 96.3% of population rural: 72.7% of population total: 86.7% of population unimproved: urban: 3.7% of population rural: 27.3% of population total: 13.3% of population (2020 est.)

total: 16 years male: 16 years female: 16 years (2021)

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

total: 31.7% (2020 est.) male: 56.3% (2020 est.) female: 7.1% (2020 est.)

1.96 children born/woman (2023 est.)

urban population: 60.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.35% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data include Abkhazia and South Ossetia

total: 28.3% (2021 est.) male: 27.4% female: 29.9%

Russia's military support and subsequent recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia independence in 2008 continue to sour relations with Georgia; Russia maintains military bases and troops in Abkhazia and South Ossetia

a transit country for opiates produced in Asia trafficked into Ukraine or Moldova via the Black Sea for other European destinations; not a major corridor for synthetic drug smuggling operations; domestic synthetic market for ecstasy/MDMA, amphetamines, and cannabis with ecstasy laced with fentanyl the drug of choice

refugees (country of origin): 27,000 (Ukraine) (as of 4 October 2023) IDPs: 308,000 (displaced in the 1990s as a result of armed conflict in the breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia; displaced in 2008 by fighting between Georgia and Russia over South Ossetia) (2022) stateless persons: 530 (2022)

22 (2021)

18 note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the typical length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

4 note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

4L

2 (2021)

total: 24 (2022) by type: general cargo 3, other 21

number of registered air carriers: 4 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 12 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 516,034 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 750,000 (2018) mt-km

1,596 km gas, 1,175 km oil (2013)

major seaport(s): Black Sea - Batumi, Poti

total: 1,363 km (2014) narrow gauge: 37 km (2014) 0.912-m gauge (37 km electrified) broad gauge: 1,326 km (2014) 1.520-m gauge (1,251 km electrified)

total: 20,295 km (2018)