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. Progress on market reforms and democratization has been made in the years since independence, but this progress has been complicated by Russian assistance and support to the separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Periodic flare-ups in tension and violence culminated in a five-day conflict in August 2008 between Russia and Georgia, including the invasion of large portions of undisputed 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 philanthropist 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. Georgian Dream's Giorgi MARGVELASHVILI was inaugurated as president on 17 November 2013, ending a tense year of power-sharing between SAAKASHVILI and IVANISHVILI. IVANISHVILI voluntarily resigned from office after the presidential succession, and Georgia's legislature on 20 November 2013 confirmed Irakli GARIBASHVILI as his replacement. GARIBASHVILI was replaced by Giorgi KVIRIKASHVILI in December 2015. KVIRIKASHVILI will remain Prime Minister following Georgian Dream’s success in the October 2016 parliamentary elections, where the party won a constitutional majority. These changes in leadership represent unique examples of a former Soviet state that emerged to conduct democratic and peaceful government transitions of power. Popular and government support for integration with the West is high in Georgia. Joining the EU and NATO are among the country's top foreign policy goals.
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
42 00 N, 43 30 E
Asia
total: 69,700 sq km
land: 69,700 sq km
water: 0 sq km
slightly smaller than South Carolina; slightly larger than West Virginia
total: 1,814 km
border countries (4): Armenia 219 km, Azerbaijan 428 km, Russia 894 km, Turkey 273 km
310 km
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast
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
mean elevation: 1,432 m
elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
highest point: Mt'a Shkhara 5,201 m
timber, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper, minor coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for important tea and citrus growth
agricultural land: 35.5%
arable land 5.8%; permanent crops 1.8%; permanent pasture 27.9%
forest: 39.4%
other: 25.1% (2011 est.)
4,330 sq km (2012)
earthquakes
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
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
strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them
4,928,052 (July 2016 est.)
noun: Georgian(s)
adjective: Georgian
Georgian 86.8%, Azeri 6.3%, Armenian 4.5%, other 2.3% (includes Russian, Ossetian, Yazidis, Ukrainian, Kist, Greek) (2014 est.)
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.)
Orthodox (official) 83.4%, Muslim 10.7%, Armenian Apostolic 2.9%, other 1.2% (includes Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Yazidi, Protestant, Jewish), none 0.5%, unspecified/no answer 1.2% (2014 est.)
0-14 years: 17.91% (male 463,526/female 419,334)
15-24 years: 12.61% (male 326,675/female 294,912)
25-54 years: 40.93% (male 980,024/female 1,037,044)
55-64 years: 12.77% (male 282,067/female 347,287)
65 years and over: 15.77% (male 304,668/female 472,515) (2016 est.)
total dependency ratio: 45.7%
youth dependency ratio: 25.2%
elderly dependency ratio: 20.4%
potential support ratio: 4.9% (2015 est.)
total: 38 years
male: 35.1 years
female: 40.7 years (2016 est.)
-0.05% (2016 est.)
12.5 births/1,000 population (2016 est.)
10.9 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.)
-2.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.)
settlement coincides closely to the central valley, with emphasis on the capital city of Tbilisi in the east; smaller urban agglomerations dot the Black Sea coast, with Bat'umi being the largest
urban population: 53.6% of total population (2015)
rate of urbanization: -0.1% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
TBILISI (capital) 1.147 million (2015)
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.81 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2016 est.)
total number: 121,659
percentage: 18% (2005 est.)
36 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
total: 15.6 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 17.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.)
total population: 76.2 years
male: 72.1 years
female: 80.6 years (2016 est.)
1.76 children born/woman (2016 est.)
53.4%
note: percent of women aged 15-44 (2010)
7.4% of GDP (2014)
4.27 physicians/1,000 population (2013)
2.6 beds/1,000 population (2012)
improved:
urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
improved:
urban: 95.2% of population
rural: 75.9% of population
total: 86.3% of population
unimproved:
urban: 4.8% of population
rural: 24.1% of population
total: 13.7% of population (2015 est.)
0.39% (2015 est.)
9,600 (2015 est.)
200 (2015 est.)
22.1% (2014)
1.1% (2009)
2% of GDP (2012)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.7% (2015 est.)
total: 15 years
male: 15 years
female: 15 years (2014)
24.4
note: data do not cover Abkhazia and South Ossetia (2013 est.)
total: 35.6%
male: 35.3%
female: 36.4% (2013 est.)
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
semi-presidential republic
name: Tbilisi
geographic coordinates: 41 41 N, 44 50 E
time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
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
9 April 1991 (from the Soviet Union); notable earlier date: A.D. 1008 (Georgia unified under King BAGRAT III)
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
previous 1921, 1978 (based on 1977 Soviet Union constitution); latest approved 24 August 1995, effective 17 October 1995; amended several times, last in 2013 (2016)
civil law system
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
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
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: President Giorgi MARGVELASHVILI (since 17 November 2013)
head of government: Prime Minister Giorgi KVIRIKASHVILI (since 30 December 2015); First Deputy Prime Minister Dimitry KUMSISHVILI
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 27 October 2013 (next to be held in October 2018); prime minister nominated by Parliament, appointed by the president
election results: Giorgi MARGVELASHVILI elected president; percent of vote - Giorgi MARGVELASHVILI (Georgian Dream) 62.1%, Davit BAKRADZE (UNM) 21.7%, Nino BURJANADZE 10.2%, other 6%
description: unicameral Parliament or Sakartvelos Parlamenti (150 seats; 77 members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote and 73 directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms)
elections: last held on 8 October and 30 October 2016 (next to be held in 2020)
election results: percent of vote by party - Georgian Dream 48.7%, UNM 27.1%, Alliance of Patriots 5%, other 19.2%; seats by party - Georgian Dream 115, UNM 27, Alliance of Patriots 6, IWSG 1, independent 1
highest court(s): Supreme Court (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 president and appointed by the Parliament; judges serve not less than 10-year terms; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the president following candidate selection by the Justice Council of Georgia, a 12-member consultative body of high-level judges, and presidential and parliamentary appointees; judges appointed for 10-year terms
subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; regional (town) and district courts
Alliance of Patriots [Irma INASHVILI]
Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia [Giorgi KVIRIKASHVILI]
Industry Will Save Georgia (Industrialists) or IWSG [Giorgi TOPADZE]
National Forum [Kakhaber SHARTAVA]
Free Democrats (FD) [Tamar KEKENADZE]
Republican Party [Khatuna SAMNIDZE]
State for the People Party [formerly Paata BURCHULADZE ]
United Democratic Movement [Nino BURJANADZE]
United National Movement or UNM [Davit BAKRADZE]
other: separatists in the Russian-occupied regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia
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
chief of mission: Ambassador Davit BAKRADZE (since November 2016)
chancery: 1824 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 387-2390
FAX: [1] (202) 387-0864
consulate(s) general: New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Ian C. KELLY (since 17 September 2015)
embassy: 11 George Balanchine Street, T'bilisi 0131
mailing address: 7060 T'bilisi Place, Washington, DC 20521-7060
telephone: [995] (32) 227-70-00
FAX: [995] (32) 253-23-10
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 appears to date back to the 14th century
Saint George, lion; national colors: red, white
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
Georgia's main economic activities include cultivation of agricultural products such as grapes, citrus fruits, and hazelnuts; mining of manganese, copper, and gold; and producing alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, metals, machinery, and chemicals in sm
Georgia has overcome the chronic energy shortages and gas supply interruptions of the past by renovating hydropower plants and by increasingly relying on natural gas imports from Azerbaijan instead of from Russia. Construction of the Baku-T'bilisi-Ceyhan
Georgia's economy sustained GDP growth of more than 10% in 2006-07, based on strong inflows of foreign investment and robust government spending. However, GDP growth slowed following the August 2008 conflict with Russia, and sunk to negative 4% in 2009 as
The country is pinning its hopes for renewed growth on a determined effort to continue to liberalize the economy by reducing regulation, taxes, and corruption in order to attract foreign investment, with a focus on hydropower, agriculture, tourism, and te
$37.38 billion (2016 est.)
$36.15 billion (2015 est.)
$35.17 billion (2014 est.)
note: data are in 2016 dollars
$14.46 billion (2015 est.)
3.4% (2016 est.)
2.8% (2015 est.)
4.6% (2014 est.)
$10,100 (2016 est.)
$9,700 (2015 est.)
$9,400 (2014 est.)
note: data are in 2016 dollars
21.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
20.4% of GDP (2015 est.)
19.2% of GDP (2014 est.)
household consumption: 66.9%
government consumption: 16%
investment in fixed capital: 26.8%
investment in inventories: 3.8%
exports of goods and services: 38.1%
imports of goods and services: -51.6% (2016 est.)
agriculture: 9.2%
industry: 21.6%
services: 68.3% (2016 est.)
citrus, grapes, tea, hazelnuts, vegetables; livestock
steel, machine tools, electrical appliances, mining (manganese, copper, gold), chemicals, wood products, wine
1.4% (2016 est.)
1.959 million (2011 est.)
agriculture: 55.6%
industry: 8.9%
services: 35.5% (2006 est.)
12.1% (2016 est.)
12% (2015 est.)
9.2% (2010 est.)
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 31.3% (2008)
46 (2011)
37.1 (1996)
revenues: $4.266 billion
expenditures: $4.541 billion (2016 est.)
29.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
-1.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
42.4% of GDP (2016 est.)
41.4% of GDP (2015 est.)
note: data cover general government debt, and includes 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
calendar year
2% (2016 est.)
4% (2015 est.)
3.75% (15 January 2013)
5.25% (31 December 2012)
note: this is the Refinancing Rate, the key monetary policy rate of the National Bank of Georgia
12.9% (31 December 2016 est.)
12.49% (31 December 2015 est.)
$2.165 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$2.063 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$2.67 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$2.402 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$7.186 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$6.946 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$943.4 million (31 December 2012 est.)
$795.7 million (31 December 2011 est.)
$1.06 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
-$1.75 billion (2016 est.)
-$1.641 billion (2015 est.)
$2.926 billion (2016 est.)
$3.043 billion (2015 est.)
vehicles, ferro-alloys, fertilizers, nuts, scrap metal, gold, copper ores
Azerbaijan 10.9%, Bulgaria 9.7%, Turkey 8.4%, Armenia 8.2%, Russia 7.4%, China 5.7%, US 4.7%, Uzbekistan 4.4% (2015)
$6.803 billion (2016 est.)
$7.363 billion (2015 est.)
fuels, vehicles, machinery and parts, grain and other foods, pharmaceuticals
Turkey 17.2%, Russia 8.1%, China 7.6%, Azerbaijan 7%, Ireland 5.9%, Ukraine 5.9%, Germany 5.6% (2015)
$2.855 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$2.521 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$13.65 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$13.31 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$13.68 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$12.64 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$1.933 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$1.773 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
laris (GEL) per US dollar -
2.18 (2016 est.)
2.2694 (2015 est.)
2.2694 (2014 est.)
1.7657 (2013 est.)
1.65 (2012 est.)
electrification - total population: 100% (2016)
10 billion kWh (2014 est.)
9.8 billion kWh (2014 est.)
600 million kWh (2014 est.)
900 million kWh (2014 est.)
4.2 million kW (2014 est.)
39.2% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
60.8% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
799.5 bbl/day (2015 est.)
1,120 bbl/day (2013 est.)
0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
35 million bbl (1 January 2016 es)
0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
20,000 bbl/day (2014 est.)
257.6 bbl/day (2013 est.)
22,830 bbl/day (2013 est.)
5.663 million cu m (2011 est.)
2.18 billion cu m (2014 est.)
0 cu m (2013 est.)
2.18 billion cu m (2014 est.)
8.495 billion cu m (1 January 2016 es)
7 million Mt (2013 est.)
total subscriptions: 950,167
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 19 (July 2015 est.)
total: 5.551 million
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 113 (July 2015 est.)
general assessment: fixed-line telecommunications network has limited coverage outside Tbilisi; multiple mobile-cellular providers provide services to an increasing subscribership throughout the country
domestic: cellular telephone networks cover the entire country; mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 110 per 100 persons; intercity facilities include a fiber-optic line between T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi
international: country code - 995; the Georgia-Russia fiber-optic submarine cable provides connectivity to Russia; international service is available by microwave, landline, and satellite through the Moscow switch; international electronic mail and telex service are ava (2015)
1 public broadcaster in Tbilisi, 1 state-owned broadcaster in Ajaria Autonomous Republic; 8 privately owned TV stations; state-run public broadcaster operates 2 TV stations; dozens of cable TV operators, several major commercial TV stations, and several d (2012)
.ge
total: 2.227 million
percent of population: 45.2% (July 2015 est.)
number of registered air carriers: 5
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 13
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 232,263
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 185,040 mt-km (2015)
4L (2016)
22 (2013)
total: 18
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 2 (2013)
total: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2013)
2 (2013)
gas 1,596 km; oil 1,175 km (2013)
total: 1,363 km
broad gauge: 1,326 km 1.520-m gauge (1,251 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (37 km electrified) (2014)
total: 19,109 km
paved: 19,109 km (includes 69 km of expressways) (2010)
total: 142
by type: bulk carrier 13, cargo 114, chemical tanker 1, container 1, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 5, vehicle carrier 2
foreign-owned: 95 (Bulgaria 1, China 10, Egypt 7, Hong Kong 3, Israel 1, Italy 2, Latvia 1, Lebanon 1, Romania 7, Russia 6, Syria 24, Turkey 14, UAE 2, UK 5, Ukraine 10, US 1)
registered in other countries: 1 (unknown 1) (2010)
major seaport(s): Black Sea - Bat'umi, P'ot'i
Georgian Armed Forces: Land Forces (include Air and Air Defense Forces); separatist Abkhazia Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Air Forces; separatist South Ossetia Armed Forces
note: Georgian naval forces have been incorporated into the Coast Guard, which is part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs rather than the Ministry of Defense (2015)
18 to 34 years of age for compulsory and voluntary active duty military service; conscript service obligation is 18 months (2012)
2.34% of GDP (2015)
2.26% of GDP (2014)
2.7% of GDP (2013)
2.88% of GDP (2012)
3.25% of GDP (2011)
Russia's military support and subsequent recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia independence in 2008 continue to sour relations with Georgia
IDPs: 268,416 (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) (2015)
stateless persons: 627 (2015)
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
