Georgia

republicIndependence 9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Georgia as the 1992 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 74 fields, one of 34 editions from 1992 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalT'bilisi (Tbilisi)

Area69,700 km2

Populationas each edition published it

5.57 million July 1992 · 4.9m in 2025

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 0.85% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 34.8 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 72.58 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.2 children per woman 1992 · 1.94 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

34 deaths per 1,000 live births 1992 · 20.9 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $1,390 in 1994

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition -35% in 1993

Geography

12 fields

Total area

69,700km2

Comparative area: slightly larger than South Carolina

Coastline

310km

Contiguous zone: NA nmContinental Shelf: NA meter depthExclusive economic zone: NA nmExclusive fishing zone: NA nmTerritorial sea: NA nm, Georgian claims unknown; 12 nm in 1973 USSR-Turkish Protocol concerning the sea boundary between the two states in the Black Sea

Land boundaries

1,461km

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

Land area

69,700 km2

Disputes

none

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;
Colchis lowland opens to the Black Sea in the west;
Kura River Basin in the east;
good soils in river valley flood plains, foothills of Colchis lowland

Natural resources

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

Land use

NA% arable land;
NA% permanent crops;
NA% meadows and pastures;
NA% forest and woodland;
NA% other;
includes 200,000 hectares irrigated

Environment

air pollution, particularly in Rustavi; heavy pollution of Kura River, Black Sea

People

14 fields

Population

5,570,978

(July 1992), growth rate 0.8% (1992)

Per 1,000 population(1992)

Birth

17Death

9Net migration

Ethnic divisions

Georgian 68.8%Armenian 9.0%Russian Azari 5.1%Ossetian 3.2%Abkhaz 1.7%other 4.8%

Religions

Russian Orthodox 10%Georgian Orthodox 65%Armenian Orthodox 8%Muslim 11%unknown 6%

Infant mortality rate

34 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)

Life expectancy at birth

67 years male, 75 years female (1992)

Total fertility rate

2.2 children born/woman (1992)

Nationality

noun - Georgian(s); adjective - Georgian

Languages

Georgian (official language) 71%, Russian 9%, other 20% - Armenian 7%, Azerbaijani 6%

Literacy

NA% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write

Labor force

2,834,000; agriculture 29.1% (1988), government NA%, industry 17.8%, other 53.1%

Organized labor

Government

Republic

19 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

62%

7-party coalition Round Table - Free Georgia 62%other 38%

Long-form name

Republic of Georgia

Type

republic

Capital

T'bilisi (Tbilisi)

Administrative divisions

2 autonomous republics (avtomnoy respubliki, singular - avtom respublika);
Abkhazia (Sukhumi), Ajaria (Batumi);
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;
also included is the South Ossetia Autonomous Oblast

Independence

9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union); formerly Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic

Constitution

adopted NA, effective NA

Legal system

National holiday

Independence Day, 9 April 1991

Executive branch

State Council, chairman of State Council, Council of Ministers, prime minister

Legislative branch

unicameral Supreme Soviet

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Leaders

Chief of State:: Chairman of State Council Eduard SHEVARDNADZE (since March 1992)
Head of Government:: Acting Prime Minister Tengiz SIGUA (since January 1992);
First Deputy Prime Minister Otar KVILITAYA (since January 1992);
First Deputy Prime Minister Tengiz KITOVANI (since March 1992)

Political parties and leaders

All-Georgian Merab Kostava Society, Vazha ADAMIA, chairman;
All-Georgian Tradionalists' Union, Akakiy ASATIANI, chairman;
Georgian National Front - Radical Union, Ruslan GONGADZE, chairman;
Social-Democratic Party, Guram MUCHAIDZE, chairman;
All-Georgian Rustaveli Society, Akakiy BAKRADZE, chairman;
Georgian Monarchists' Party, Teymur JORJOLIANI, chairman;
Georgian Popular Front, Nodar NATADZE, chairman;
National Democratic Party, Georgiy CHANTURIA, chairman;
National Independence Party, Irakliy TSERETELI, chairman;
Charter 1991 Party, Tedo PAATASHVILI, chairman;
Democratic Georgia Party, Georgiy SHENGELAYA, Chairman

Suffrage

universal at age 18

Elections

Georgian Parliament:: last held November 1990;
results - 7-party coalition Round Table - Free Georgia 62%, other 38%;
seats - (250) Round Table - Free Georgia 155, other 95
President:: Zviad GAMSAKHURDIYA, 87% of vote

Other political or pressure groups

Member of

CSCE, IMF, World Bank

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador NA, Chancery at NA NW, Washington, DC 200__; telephone (202) NA; US: Ambassador NA; Embassy at NA (mailing address is APO New York 09862)

Flag

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

Economy

17 fields

Inflation, consumer prices

90%

approximately · (1991)

External debt

$650million

(1991 est.)

Overview

Among the former Soviet republics, Georgia is noted for its Black Sea tourist industry, its large output of citrus fruits and tea, and the amazing diversity of an industrial sector that accounted, however, for less than 2% of the USSR's output. Another salient characteristic of the economy has been a flourishing private sector (compared with the other republics). Almost 30% of the labor force is employed in agriculture and 18% in industry.

Mineral resources consist of manganese and copper, and, to a lesser extent, molybdenum, arsenic, tungsten, and mercury. Except for very small quantities of domestic oil, gas, and coal, fuel must be imported from neighboring republics. Oil and its products are delivered by pipeline from Azerbaijan to the port of Batumi for export and local refining.

Gas is supplied in pipelines from Krasnodar and Stavropol'. Georgia is nearly self-sufficient in electric power, thanks to abundant hydropower stations as well as some thermal power stations. The dismantling of central economic controls is being delayed by political factionalism, marked by armed struggles between the elected government and the opposition, and industrial output seems to have fallen more steeply in Georgia in 1991 than in any other of the former Soviet republics.

To prevent further economic decline, Georgia must establish domestic peace and must maintain economic ties to the other former Soviet republics while developing new links to the West.

GDP

purchasing power equivalent - $NA; per capita $NA; real growth rate - 23% (1991)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Budget

revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA million (1991)

Exports

$176 million (f.o.b., 1990)

commodities:: citrus fruits, tea, other agricultural products;
diverse types of machinery;
ferrous and nonferrous metals;
textiles
partners:: NA

Imports

$1.5 billion (c.i.f., 1990)

commodities:: machinery and parts, fuel, transport equipment, textiles
partners:: NA

Industrial production

growth rate - 19% (1991)

Electricity

4,575,000 kW capacity; 15,300 million kWh produced, about 2,600 kWh per capita (1991)

Industries

Heavy industrial products include raw steel, rolled steel, cement, lumber;
machine tools, foundry equipment, electric mining locomotives, tower cranes, electric welding equipment, machinery for food preparation, meat packing, dairy, and fishing industries;
air-conditioning electric motors up to 100 kW in size, electric motors for cranes, magnetic starters for motors;
devices for control of industrial processes;
trucks, tractors, and other farm machinery;
light industrial products, including cloth, hosiery, and shoes

Agriculture

accounted for 97% of former USSR citrus fruits and 93% of former USSR tea;
berries and grapes;
sugar;
vegetables, grains, and potatoes;
cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, and poultry

Illicit drugs

illicit producers of cannabis and opium;
mostly for domestic consumption;
status of government eradication programs unknown;
used as transshipment points for illicit drugs to Western Europe

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $NA billion;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-86), $NA million;
Communist countries (1971-86), $NA million

Currency

as of May 1992, retaining ruble as currency

Exchange rates

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

9 fields

Networkskm · (1990)

Highways

33,900Railroads

1,570

Highways: ; 29,500 km hard surfaced, 4,400 km earth · Railroads: , does not include industrial lines

Railroads

1,570 km, does not include industrial lines (1990)

Highways

33,900 km total; 29,500 km hard surfaced, 4,400 km earth (1990)

Inland waterways

NA km perennially navigable

Pipelines

crude oil NA km, refined products NA km, natural gas NA km

Ports

maritime - Batumi, Poti; inland - NA

Merchant marine

54 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 715,802 GRT/1,108,068 DWT; includes 16 bulk cargo, 34 oil tanker, 2 chemical tanker, and 2 specialized liquid carrier

Civil air

NA major transport aircraft

Airports

NA total, NA usable;
NA with permanent-surface runways;
NA with runways over 3,659 m;
NA with runways 2,440-3,659 m;
NA with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Telecommunications

poor telephone service;
339,000 unsatisfied applications for telephones (31 January 1992);
international links via landline to CIS members and Turkey;
low capacity satellite earth station and leased international connections via the Moscow international gateway switch

Defense Forces

Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops), National Guard; CIS | Forces (Ground, Navy, Air, and Air Defense)

3 fields

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