Access to THE WORLD FACTBOOK 1993 provided courtesy of 
The Libraries of the University of Missouri-St. Louis
 
 Match 90   DB Rec# - 55,837  Dataset-WOFACT
 
Source        :CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY 
Source key    :CI 
Program       :WORLD FACTBOOK 
Program key   :CI WOFACT 
Update sched. :Annually         
ID number     :CI WOFACT 089              
Title         :GEORGIA 
Data type     :TEXT 
End year      :1994
Date of record:02/16/1994
Keywords 3    : 
| GEORGIA 
Text          : 
its Abkazian and South Ossetian enclaves, and supporters of ousted President 
GAMAKHURDIA control much of western Georgia 
 
GEOGRAPHY 
Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and 
Russia 
 
Map references: Africa, Asia, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World 
 
Area: 
 
total area: 69,700 km2 
 
land area: 69,700 km2 
 
comparative area: slightly larger than South Carolina 
 
Land boundaries: total 1,461 km, Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 
723 km, Turkey 252 km 
 
Coastline: 310 km 
 
note: 12 nm in 1973 USSR-Turkish Protocol concerning the sea boundary 
between the two states in the Black Sea; Georgia claims the coastline along 
the Black Sea as its international waters, although it cannot control this 
area and the Russian navy and commercial ships transit freely 
 
International 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; Kolkhida Lowland opens to the 
Black Sea in the west; Kura River Basin in the east; good soils in river 
valley flood plains, foothills of Kolkhida 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: 
 
arable land: NA% 
 
permanent crops: NA% 
 
meadows and pastures: NA% 
 
forest and woodland: NA% 
 
other: NA% 
 
Irrigated land: 4,660 km2 (1990) 
 
Environment: air pollution, particularly in Rustavi; heavy pollution of 
Kura River, Black Sea 
 
PEOPLE 
Population growth rate: 0.85% (1993 est.) 
 
Birth rate: 16.48 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) 
 
Death rate: 8.68 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) 
 
Net migration rate: 0.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) note - 
this data may be low because of movement of Ossetian, Russian, and Abkhaz 
refugees due to ongoing conflicts 
 
Infant mortality rate: 24.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) 
 
Life expectancy at birth: 
 
total population: 72.58 years 
 
male: 68.89 years 
 
female: 76.46 years (1993 est.) 
 
Total fertility rate: 2.21 children born/woman (1993 est.) 
 
Nationality: 
 
noun: Georgian(s) 
 
adjective: Georgian 
 
Ethnic divisions: Georgian 70.1%, Armenian 8.1%, Russian 6.3%, Azeri 5.7%, 
Ossetian 3%, Abkhaz 1.8%, other 5% 
 
Religions: Georgian Orthodox 65%, Russian Orthodox 10%, Muslim 11%, 
Armenian Orthodox 8%, unknown 6% 
 
Languages: Armenian 7%, Azerbaijani 6%, Georgian 71% (official), Russian 
9%, other 7% 
 
Literacy: age 9-49 can read and write (1970) 
 
total population: 100% 
 
male: 100% 
 
female: 100% 
 
Labor force: 2.763 million 
 
by occupation: industry and construction 31%, agriculture and forestry 
25%, other 44% (1990) 
 
GOVERNMENT 
Names: 
 
conventional long form: Republic of Georgia 
 
conventional short form: Georgia 
 
local long form: Sakartvelo Respublika 
 
former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic 
 
Digraph: GG 
 
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) 
 
Constitution: adopted NA 1921; currently amending constitution for 
Parliamentary and popular review by late 1995 
 
Legal system: based on civil law system 
 
National holiday: Independence Day, 9 April 1991 
 
Political parties and leaders: All-Georgian Merab Kostava Society, Vazha 
ADAMIA, chairman; All-Georgian Traditionalists' Union, Akakiy ASATIANI, 
chairman; Georgian National Front - Radical Union, Ruslan GONGADZE, chairman; 
Georgian Social Democratic Party, Guram MUCHAIDZE, chairman; Green Party, 
Zurab ZHVANIA, chairman; Monarchist-Conservative Party (MCP), Temur 
ZHORZHOLIANI, chairman; Georgian Popular Front (GPF), Nodar NATADZE, chairman; 
National Democratic Party (NDP), Georgi CHANTURIA, chairman; National 
Independence Party (NIP), Irakli TSERETELI and Irakli BATIASHVILI, chairmen; 
Charter 1991 Party, Tedo PAATASHVILI, chairman; Democratic Georgia Party, 
Georgiy SHENGELAYA, Chairman; Peace Bloc; Unity; October 11 
 
Other political or pressure groups: supporters of ousted President 
GAMSAKHURDIA boycotted the October elections and remain an important source of 
opposition and instability 
 
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal 
 
Elections: 
 
Chairman of Parliament: last held NA October 1992 (next to be held NA); 
results - Eduard SHEVARDNADZE 95% 
 
Georgian Parliament (Supreme Soviet): last held 11 October 1992 (next to 
be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (225 total) number 
of seats by party NA; note - representatives of 26 parties elected; Peace 
Bloc, October 11, Unity, National Democratic Party, and the Greens Party won 
the largest representation 
 
Executive branch: chairman of Parliament, Council of Ministers, prime 
minister 
 
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament 
 
Leaders: 
 
Chief of State: Chairman of Parliament Eduard Amvrosiyevich SHEVARDNADZE 
(since 10 March 1992) 
 
Head of Government: Prime Minister Tengiz SIGUA (since NA January 1992); 
First Deputy Prime Minister Roman GOTSIRIDZE (since NA); Deputy Prime 
Ministers Aleksandr KAVADZE, Avtandil MARGIANI, Zurab KERVALISHVILI (since NA) 
 
Member of: BSEC, CSCE, EBRD, IBRD, IMF, NACC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO 
 
Diplomatic representation in US: 
 
chief of mission: NA 
 
chancery: NA 
 
telephone: NA 
 
US diplomatic representation: 
 
chief of mission: Ambassador Kent N. BROWN 
 
embassy: #25 Antoneli Street, T'bilisi 
 
mailing address: APO AE 09862 
 
telephone: (7) 8832-74-46-23 
 
Flag: maroon field with small rectangle in upper hoist side corner; 
rectangle divided horizontally with black on top, white below 
 
ECONOMY 
Overview: Among the former Soviet republics, Georgia has been noted for 
its Black Sea tourist industry, its large output of citrus fruits and tea, and 
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). About 25% of the labor 
force is employed in agriculture. 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 have been delivered 
by pipeline from Azerbaijan to the port of Batumi for export and local 
refining. Gas has been supplied in pipelines from Krasnodar and Stavropol'. 
The dismantling of central economic controls has been delayed by political 
factionalism, marked by bitter armed struggles. In early 1993 the Georgian 
economy was operating at well less than half capacity due to disruptions in 
fuel supplies and vital transportation links as a result of conflicts in 
Abkhazia and South Ossetia, antigovernment activity in Western Georgia, and 
Azerbaijani pressure against Georgian assistance for Armenia. To restore 
economic viability, Georgia must establish domestic peace and must maintain 
economic ties to the other former Soviet republics while developing new links 
to the West. 
 
National product: GDP $NA 
 
National product real growth rate: -35% (1992 est.) 
 
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 50% per month (January 1993 est.) 
 
Unemployment rate: 3% but large numbers of underemployed workers 
 
Budget: revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of 
$NA 
 
Exports: $NA 
 
commodities: citrus fruits, tea, other agricultural products; diverse 
types of machinery; ferrous and nonferrous metals; textiles 
 
partners: Russia, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan (1992) 
 
Imports: $NA 
 
commodities: machinery and parts, fuel, transport equipment, textiles 
 
partners: Russia, Ukraine (1992) 
 
External debt: $650 million (1991 est.) 
 
Industrial production: growth rate -50% (1992) 
 
Electricity: 4,875,000 kW capacity; 15,800 million kWh produced, about 
2,835 kWh per capita (1992) 
 
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, potatoes; 
cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, poultry; tobacco 
 
Illicit drugs: illicit producers of cannabis and opium; mostly for 
domestic consumption; used as transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western 
Europe 
 
Economic aid: NA 
 
Currency: coupons introduced in April 1993 to be followed by introduction 
of the lari at undetermined future date; Russian ruble remains official 
currency until introduction of the lari 
 
Exchange rates: rubles per US$1 - 415 (24 December 1992) but subject to 
wide fluctuations 
 
Fiscal year: calendar year 
 
COMMUNICATIONS 
Railroads: 1,570 km, does not include industrial lines (1990) 
 
Pipelines: crude oil 370 km, refined products 300 km, natural gas 440 km 
(1992) 
 
Ports: coastal - Batumi, Poti, Sukhumi 
 
Merchant marine: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 658,192 
GRT/1,014,056 DWT; includes 16 bulk cargo, 30 oil tanker, and 1 specialized 
liquid carrier 
 
Airports: 
 
total: 37 
 
useable: 26 
 
with permanent-surface runways: 19 
 
with runways over 3,659 m: 0 
 
with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 10 
 
with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 9 
 
Telecommunications: poor telephone service; as of 1991, 672,000 republic 
telephone lines providing 12 lines per 100 persons; 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; 
international electronic mail and telex service established 
 
Note: transportation network is disrupted by ethnic conflict, criminal 
activities, and fuel shortages 
 
Defense forces 
Branches: Army, National Guard, Interior Ministry Troops 
 
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 1,338,606; fit for military service 
1,066,309; reach military age (18) annually 43,415 (1993 est.) 
 
Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GNP 
 
Note: Georgian forces are poorly organized and not fully under the 
government's control 
 
 
 
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This section of THE WORLD FACTBOOK 1993 produced by the United States
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was derived from the US Dept. of Commerce
Economics and Statistics Division's NATIONAL TRADE DATA BANK CD-ROM,
July, 1994, SuDoc No. C 1.88:994/7/v.1-2 / R. Muns, UM-St. Louis Libraries 
Local Filename: WF940088.TXT