Georgia

Georgia Profile

Basic Data

Country name: Georgia

Capital: Tbilisi

Administrative divisions: 9 regions, 9 cities, and 2 autonomous republics

Regions: Guria, Imereti, Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Shida Kartli Autonomous Republics: Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia (Sokhumi), Autonomous Republic of Ajaria (Batumi)

Independence: 9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Constitution: Adopted 24 August 1995

Legal system: Based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

National currency: Georgian Lari, 1 USD = approximately 1.65 GEL (according to the data of 01.12.2008)

Official holidays: 1 January – New Year's Day, 7 January – Christmas, 19 January – Epiphany, 3 March – Mothers’ Day, 8 March – Women’s Day, 26 May – Independence Day, 28 August – Feast of the Virgin Mary, 14 October – Svetitskhovloba, (Celebration of Svetitskhoveli Cathedral), 23 November – St. George’s Day.

Geography

Geographic coordinates: 42 00 N, 43 30 E

Map references: Europe

Area: 69,700 sq km

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

Coastline: 310 km

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; 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: Mountain Shkhara 5,201 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

People

Population: 4,677,401 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 18% (male 444,779/female 398,162) 15-64 years: 65.9% (male 1,480,557/female 1,603,743) 65 years and over: 16% (male 300,859/female 449,301) (2005 est.)

Median age: total: 37.36 years; male: 34.93 years; female: 39.7 years (2005 est.)

Ethnic groups: Georgian 83.8%, Azeri 6.5%, Armenian 5.7%, Russian 1.5%, other 2.5% (2002 census)

Religions: Orthodox Christian 83.9%, Armenian-Gregorian 3.9%, Catholic 0.8%, Muslim 9.9%, other 0.8%, none 0.7% (2002 census)

Languages: Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, other 7% note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia

Government

Executive branch: Chief of State: President Mikheil Saakashvili (since 25 January 2004); elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 5 January 2008. The president is both the chief of state and head of government for the power ministries: state security (includes interior) and defense

Legislative branch: The Parliament of Georgia shall be the supreme representative body of the country. The Parliament consist of 150 members of the Parliament elected by a proportional system and 85 members elected by a majority system for a term of four years on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage by secret ballot. 

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council on the president's recommendation); Constitutional Court; first and second instance courts

Transportation

Airports: 30 (2004 est.)

Railways: total: 1,612 km (1,612 km electrified) broad gauge: 1,575 km 1.520-m gauge (1,575 electrified) narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (37 electrified) (2004)

Ports and terminals: Batumi, Poti