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NAVIGATION
Georgia
Sak'art'velo
former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Georgia local short form: Sak'art'velo former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic local long form: none |
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Government type:
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republic |
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Capital:
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Tbilisi |
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Administrative divisions:
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9 regions, (mkharebi, singular - mkhare), 9 cities* (k'alak'ebi, singular - k'alak'i), and 2 autonomous republics** (avtomnoy respubliki, singular - avtom respublika); Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri Respublika** (Sokhumi), Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika** (Bat'umi), Chiat'ura*, Gori*, Guria, Imereti, Kakheti, K'ut'aisi*, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, P'ot'i*, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Rust'avi*, Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Shida Kartli, T'bilisi*, Tqibuli*, Tsqaltubo*, Zugdidi*
note: the administrative centers of the 2 autonomous republics are shown in parentheses |
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Independence:
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9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 26 May (1918); note - 26 May 1918 is the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 9 April 1991 is the date of independence from the Soviet Union |
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Constitution:
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adopted 17 October 1995 |
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Legal system:
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based on civil law system |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: 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; president since 26 November 1995); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
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; president since 26 November 1995); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers election results: Eduard SHEVARDNADZE reelected president; percent of vote - Eduard SHEVARDNADZE 80% elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 9 April 2000 (next to be held NA 2005) |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Supreme Council (commonly referred to as Parliament) or Umaghiesi Sabcho (235 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - CUG 41.85%, AGUR 25.65%, IWSG 7.8%, all other parties received less than 7% each; seats by party - CUG 130, AGUR 58, IWSG 15, Abkhaz (government-in-exile) deputies 12, independents 17, other 3 elections: last held 31 October and 14 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2003) |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council on the president's recommendation); Constitutional Court |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Citizen's Union of Georgia or CUG [Zarab ZHVANIA]; Georgian People's Front [Nodar NATADZE]; Georgian United Communist Party or UCPG [Panteleimon GIORGADZE]; Greens [Giorgi GACHECHILADZE]; Industry Will Save Georgia or IWSG [Georgi TOPADZE]; Labor Party [Salva NATELASHVILI]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Irina SARISHVILI-CHANTURIA]; New National Movement [Mikheil SAAKASHVILI]; New Rightists [Levaii GACHECHILADZE]; Republican Party [David BERDZENISHVILI]; "Revival" Union Party or AGUR [Alsan ABASHIDZE]; Socialist Party or SPG [Irakli MINDELI]; Traditionalists [Akaki ASATIANI] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Georgian independent deputies from Abkhazia (Abkhaz faction in Georgian Parliament); separatist elements in the breakaway region of Abkhazia; supporters of the late ousted President Zviad GAMSAKHURDYA remain a source of opposition |
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International organization participation:
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BSEC, CCC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Levan MIKELADZE
chancery: Suite 300, 1615 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 FAX: [1] (202) 393-6060 telephone: [1] (202) 387-2390 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Richard MILES
embassy: #25 Atoneli Street, T'bilisi 380026 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [995] (32) 989-967/68 FAX: [995] (32) 933-759 |
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Flag description:
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maroon field with small rectangle in upper hoist side corner; rectangle divided horizontally with black on top, white below |
ECONOMY
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Economy - overview:
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Georgia's main economic activities include the cultivation of agricultural products such as citrus fruits, tea, hazelnuts, and grapes; mining of manganese and copper; and output of a small industrial sector producing alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, metals, machinery, and chemicals. The country imports the bulk of its energy needs, including natural gas and oil products. Its only sizable internal energy resource is hydropower. Despite the severe damage the economy has suffered due to civil strife, Georgia, with the help of the IMF and World Bank, has made substantial economic gains since 1995, achieving positive GDP growth and curtailing inflation. However, the Georgian government suffers from limited resources due to a chronic failure to collect tax revenues. Georgia also suffers from energy shortages; it privatized the T'bilisi distribution network in 1998, but collection rates are low, making the venture unprofitable. The country is pinning its hopes for long-term growth on its role as a transit state for pipelines and trade. The start of construction on the Baku-T'bilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the Baku-T'bilisi-Erzerum gas pipeline will bring much-needed investment and job opportunities in 2003. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $15 billion (2002 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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4% (2002 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $3,100 (2001 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 20%
industry: 25% services: 55% (2002 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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54% (2001 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 28% (1996) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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37 (1996) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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5.2% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force:
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2.1 million (2001 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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industry 20%, agriculture 40%, services 40% (1999 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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17% (2001 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $499 million
expenditures: $554 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.) |
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Industries:
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steel, aircraft, machine tools, electrical appliances, mining (manganese), chemicals, wood products, wine |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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3% (2000) |
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Electricity - production:
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7.404 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 21%
hydro: 79% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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7.886 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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200 million kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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1.2 billion kWh (2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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citrus, grapes, tea, vegetables, potatoes; livestock |
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Exports:
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$515 million (2002 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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scrap metal, machinery, chemicals; fuel reexports; citrus fruits, tea, wine |
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Exports - partners:
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Russia 23.0%, Turkey 21.5%, Azerbaijan 3.3%, US 3.0%, Germany 2.5% (2001) |
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Imports:
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$750 million (2002 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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fuels, machinery and parts, transport equipment, grain and other foods, pharmaceuticals |
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Imports - partners:
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Turkey 15.3%, Russia 13.3%, Azerbaijan 10.7%, Germany 10.1%, US 4.1% (2001) |
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Debt - external:
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$1.7 billion (2001) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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ODA $150 million (2000 est.) |
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Currency:
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lari (GEL) |
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Currency code:
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GEL |
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Exchange rates:
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lari per US dollar - 2.1888 (January 2002), 2.0730 (2001), 1.9762 (2000), 2.0245 (1999), 1.3898 (1998), 1.2975 (1997) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |