Georgia (2001) | Uzbekistan (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | 53 rayons (raionebi, singular - raioni), 9 cities* (k'alak'ebi, singular - k'alak'i), and 2 autonomous republics** (avtomnoy respubliki, singular - avtom respublika); Abashis, Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri Respublika** (Sokhumi), Adigenis, Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika** (Bat'umi), Akhalgoris, Akhalk'alak'is, Akhalts'ikhis, Akhmetis, Ambrolauris, Aspindzis, Baghdat'is, Bolnisis, Borjomis, Chiat'ura*, Ch'khorotsqus, Ch'okhatauris, Dedop'listsqaros, Dmanisis, Dushet'is, Gardabanis, Gori*, Goris, Gurjaanis, Javis, K'arelis, Kaspis, Kharagaulis, Khashuris, Khobis, Khonis, K'ut'aisi*, Lagodekhis, Lanch'khut'is, Lentekhis, Marneulis, Martvilis, Mestiis, Mts'khet'is, Ninotsmindis, Onis, Ozurget'is, P'ot'i*, Qazbegis, Qvarlis, Rust'avi*, Sach'kheris, Sagarejos, Samtrediis, Senakis, Sighnaghis, T'bilisi*, T'elavis, T'erjolis, T'et'ritsqaros, T'ianet'is, Tqibuli*, Ts'ageris, Tsalenjikhis, Tsalkis, Tsqaltubo*, Vanis, Zestap'onis, Zugdidi*, Zugdidis
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses) |
12 wiloyatlar (singular - wiloyat), 1 autonomous republic* (respublikasi), and 1 city** (shahri); Andijon Wiloyati, Bukhoro Wiloyati, Farghona Wiloyati, Jizzakh Wiloyati, Khorazm Wiloyati (Urganch), Namangan Wiloyati, Nawoiy Wiloyati, Qashqadaryo Wiloyati (Qarshi), Qoraqalpoghiston* (Nukus), Samarqand Wiloyati, Sirdaryo Wiloyati (Guliston), Surkhondaryo Wiloyati (Termiz), Toshkent Shahri**, Toshkent Wiloyati
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses) |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
19.59% (male 498,575; female 478,663) 15-64 years: 67.91% (male 1,632,338; female 1,755,910) 65 years and over: 12.5% (male 241,824; female 381,975) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years:
36.32% (male 4,646,341; female 4,489,265) 15-64 years: 59.06% (male 7,351,908; female 7,504,626) 65 years and over: 4.62% (male 466,029; female 696,895) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | citrus, grapes, tea, vegetables, potatoes; livestock | cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock |
Airports | 31 (2000 est.) | 267 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
16 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
total:
10 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
15 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 6 (2000 est.) |
total:
257 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 222 |
Area | total:
69,700 sq km land: 69,700 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
447,400 sq km land: 425,400 sq km water: 22,000 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than South Carolina | slightly larger than California |
Background | 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 until the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. Russian troops remain garrisoned at four military bases and as peacekeepers in the separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia (but are scheduled to withdraw from two of the bases by July 2001). Despite a badly degraded transportation network - brought on by ethnic conflict, criminal activities, and fuel shortages - the country continues to move toward a market economy and greater integration with Western institutions. | Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to the Red Army after World War I was eventually suppressed and a socialist republic set up in 1925. During the Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies, which have left the land poisoned and the Aral Sea and certain rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country seeks to gradually lessen its dependence on agriculture while developing its mineral and petroleum reserves. Current concerns include insurgency by Islamic militants based in Tajikistan and Afghanistan, a non-convertible currency, and the curtailment of human rights and democratization. |
Birth rate | 11.18 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 26.1 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$437 million expenditures: $626 million, including capital expenditures of $60 million (1999) |
revenues:
$4 billion expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.) |
Capital | T'bilisi | Tashkent (Toshkent) |
Climate | warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast | mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east |
Coastline | 310 km | 0 km; note - Uzbekistan includes the southern portion of the Aral Sea with a 420 km shoreline |
Constitution | adopted 17 October 1995 | new constitution adopted 8 December 1992 |
Country name | conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Georgia local long form: none local short form: Sak'art'velo former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic |
conventional long form:
Republic of Uzbekistan conventional short form: Uzbekistan local long form: Uzbekiston Respublikasi local short form: none former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic |
Currency | lari (GEL) | Uzbekistani sum (UZS) |
Death rate | 14.58 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 8 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $1.9 billion (2000) | $3.3 billion (1999 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Kenneth S. YALOWITZ embassy: #25 Antoneli Street, T'bilisi 380026 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [995] (32) 989-967/68 FAX: [995] (32) 933-759 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador John Edward HERBST embassy: 82 Chilanzarskaya, Tashkent 700115 mailing address: use embassy street address; US Embassy Tashkent, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7110 telephone: [998] (71) 120-5444 FAX: [998] (71) 120-6335 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Tedo JAPARIDZE chancery: Suite 300, 1615 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 387-2390 FAX: [1] (202) 393-4537 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Shavkat HAMRAKULOV chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 887-5300 FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804 consulate(s) general: New York |
Disputes - international | none | occasional target of Islamic insurgents based in Tajikistan and Afghanistan |
Economic aid - recipient | $212.7 million (1995) | $276.6 million (1995) |
Economy - overview | Georgia's economy has traditionally revolved around Black Sea tourism; cultivation of citrus fruits, tea, and grapes; mining of manganese and copper; and output of a small industrial sector producing wine, metals, machinery, chemicals, and textiles. 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, increasing GDP growth and slashing inflation. The Georgian economy continues to experience large budget deficits due to a failure to collect tax revenues. Georgia also still suffers from energy shortages; it privatized the distribution network in 1998, and deliveries are steadily improving. The country is pinning its hopes for long-term recovery on the development of an international transportation corridor through the key Black Sea ports of P'ot'i and Bat'umi. The growing trade deficit, continuing problems with tax evasion and corruption, and political uncertainties cloud the short-term economic picture. | Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 10% consists of intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. More than 60% of its population lives in densely populated rural communities. Uzbekistan is now the world's third largest cotton exporter, a large producer of gold and oil, and a regionally significant producer of chemicals and machinery. Following independence in December 1991, the government sought to prop up its Soviet-style command economy with subsidies and tight controls on production and prices. Faced with high rates of inflation, however, the government began to reform in mid-1994, by introducing tighter monetary policies, expanding privatization, slightly reducing the role of the state in the economy, and improving the environment for foreign investors. The state continues to be a dominating influence in the economy and has so far failed to bring about much-needed structural changes. The IMF suspended Uzbekistan's $185 million standby arrangement in late 1996 because of governmental steps that made impossible fulfillment of Fund conditions. Uzbekistan has responded to the negative external conditions generated by the Asian and Russian financial crises by tightening export and currency controls within its already largely closed economy. Economic policies that have repelled foreign investment are a major factor in the economy's stagnation. A growing debt burden, persistent inflation, and a poor business climate led to stagnant growth in 2000, with little improvement predicted for 2001. |
Electricity - consumption | 7.117 billion kWh (1999) | 43.455 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 850 million kWh (1999) | 3.92 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 550 million kWh (1999) | 7.5 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 7.975 billion kWh (1999) | 42.876 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
20.38% hydro: 79.62% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel:
86.4% hydro: 13.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Black Sea 0 m highest point: Mt'a Mqinvartsveri (Gora Kazbek) 5,048 m |
lowest point:
Sariqarnish Kuli -12 m highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m |
Environment - current issues | 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 | drying up of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute to desertification; water pollution from industrial wastes and the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause of many human health disorders; increasing soil salination; soil contamination from agricultural chemicals, including DDT |
Environment - international agreements | 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 |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | Georgian 70.1%, Armenian 8.1%, Russian 6.3%, Azeri 5.7%, Ossetian 3%, Abkhaz 1.8%, other 5% | Uzbek 80%, Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakh 3%, Karakalpak 2.5%, Tatar 1.5%, other 2.5% (1996 est.) |
Exchange rates | lari per US dollar - 1.9798 (December 2000), 1.9762 (2000), 2.0245 (1999), 1.3898 (1998), 1.2975 (1997), 1.2628 (1996) | Uzbekistani sums per US dollar - 325.0 (January 2001), 141.4 (January 2000), 111.9 (February 1999), 110.95 (December 1998), 75.8 (September 1997), 41.1 (1996) |
Executive branch | 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 elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 9 April 2000 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: Eduard SHEVARDNADZE reelected president; percent of vote - Eduard SHEVARDNADZE 80% |
chief of state:
President Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March 1990, when he was elected president by the then Supreme Soviet) head of government: Prime Minister Otkir SULTONOV (since 21 December 1995) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with approval of the Supreme Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 9 January 2000 (next to be held NA January 2005); note - extension of President KARIMOV's original term for an additional five years overwhelmingly approved - 99.6% of total vote in favor - by national referendum held 27 March 1995; prime minister and deputy ministers appointed by the president election results: Islom KARIMOV reelected president; percent of vote - Islom KARIMOV 91.9%, Abdulkhafiz DZHALALOV 4.2% |
Exports | $372 million (2000 est.) | $2.9 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | citrus fruits, tea, wine, other agricultural products; diverse types of machinery and metals; chemicals; fuel reexports; textiles | cotton, gold, natural gas, mineral fertilizers, ferrous metals, textiles, food products, automobiles |
Exports - partners | Russia 19%, Turkey 16%, Azerbaijan 8%, Armenia 6% (1999) | Russia 13%, Switzerland 10%, UK 10%, Belgium 3%, Kazakhstan 4%, Tajikistan 4% (1999) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | maroon field with small rectangle in upper hoist side corner; rectangle divided horizontally with black on top, white below | three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon and 12 white stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $22.8 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $60 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
32% industry: 23% services: 45% (1999 est.) |
agriculture:
28% industry: 21% services: 51% (1999 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $4,600 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $2,400 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 1.9% (2000 est.) | 2.1% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 42 00 N, 43 30 E | 41 00 N, 64 00 E |
Geography - note | - | along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world |
Highways | total:
33,900 km paved: 29,500 km (these roads are said to be hard-surfaced, and include, in addition to conventionally paved roads, some that are surfaced with gravel or other coarse aggregate, making them trafficable in all weather) unpaved: 4,400 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1990) |
total:
81,600 km paved: 71,237 km (these roads are said to be hard-surfaced, and include, in addition to conventionally paved roads, some that are surfaced with gravel or other coarse aggregate, making them trafficable in all weather) unpaved: 10,363 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1996) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
3.1% highest 10%: 25.2% (1993) |
Illicit drugs | 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 | limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and very small amounts of opium poppy, mostly for domestic consumption, almost entirely eradicated by an effective government eradication program; increasingly used as transshipment point for illicit drugs from Afghanistan to Russia and Western Europe and for acetic anhydride destined for Afghanistan |
Imports | $898 million (2000 est.) | $2.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | fuel, grain and other foods, machinery and parts, transport equipment | machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | EU 22%, Russia 19%, Turkey 12%, US 12% (1999) | Russia 14%, South Korea 14%, Germany 11%, US 8%, Turkey 4%, Kazakhstan 4% (1999) |
Independence | 9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union) | 1 September 1991 (from Soviet Union) |
Industrial production growth rate | -0.3% (1998 est.) | 6.4% (2000 est.) |
Industries | steel, aircraft, machine tools, electric locomotives, trucks, tractors, textiles, shoes, chemicals, wood products, wine | textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, natural gas, chemicals |
Infant mortality rate | 52.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 71.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 4.1% (2000 est.) | 40% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | BSEC, CCC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | AsDB, CCC, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 6 (2000) | 42 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 4,000 sq km (1993 est.) | 40,000 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council on the president's recommendation); Constitutional Court | Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Supreme Assembly) |
Labor force | 3.08 million (1997) | 11.9 million (1998 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | industry 20%, agriculture 40%, services 40% (1999 est.) | agriculture 44%, industry 20%, services 36% (1995) |
Land boundaries | total:
1,461 km border countries: Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km, Turkey 252 km |
total:
6,221 km border countries: Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakhstan 2,203 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km |
Land use | arable land:
9% permanent crops: 4% permanent pastures: 25% forests and woodland: 34% other: 28% (1993 est.) |
arable land:
9% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 46% forests and woodland: 3% other: 41% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, other 7%
note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia |
Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1% |
Legal system | based on civil law system | evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks independent judicial system |
Legislative branch | unicameral Supreme Council (commonly referred to as Parliament) or Umaghiesi Sabcho (235 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 31 October and 14 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2003) 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 deputies 12, independents 17, other 3 |
unicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 5 December and 19 December 1999 (next to be held NA December 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NDP 48, Self-Sacrificers Party 34, Fatherland Progress Party 20, Adolat Social Democratic Party 11, MTP 10, citizens' groups 16, local government 110, vacant 1 note: not all seats in the last Supreme Assembly election were contested; all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President KARIMOV |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
64.57 years male: 61.04 years female: 68.28 years (2001 est.) |
total population:
63.81 years male: 60.24 years female: 67.56 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 100% female: 98% (1989 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (yearend 1996) |
Location | Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia | Central Asia, north of Afghanistan |
Map references | Commonwealth of Independent States | Commonwealth of Independent States |
Maritime claims | NA | none (doubly landlocked) |
Merchant marine | total:
37 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 131,316 GRT/190,289 DWT ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 25, chemical tanker 2, container 2, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 1 (2000 est.) |
- |
Military - note | a CIS peacekeeping force consisting of Russian troops is deployed in the Abkhazia region of Georgia together with a UN military observer group; a Russian peacekeeping battalion is deployed in South Ossetia | - |
Military branches | Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force and Air Defense Forces, National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops) | Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, Security Forces (internal and border troops), National Guard |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $23 million (FY00) | $200 million (FY97) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.59% (FY00) | 2% (FY97) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
1,296,199 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49:
6,550,587 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
1,024,574 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49:
5,318,418 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age | 18 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
41,561 (2001 est.) |
males:
274,602 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | 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 | Independence Day, 1 September (1991) |
Nationality | noun:
Georgian(s) adjective: Georgian |
noun:
Uzbekistani(s) adjective: Uzbekistani |
Natural hazards | earthquakes | NA |
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 | natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum |
Net migration rate | -2.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | -2.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 370 km; refined products 300 km; natural gas 440 km (1992) | crude oil 250 km; petroleum products 40 km; natural gas 810 km (1992) |
Political parties and leaders | Citizen's Union of Georgia or CUG [Eduard SHEVARDNADZE]; Georgian United Communist Party or UCPG [Panteleimon GIORGADZE, chairman]; Industry Will Save Georgia or IWSG [Georgi TOPADZE]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Irina SARISHVILI-CHANTURIA]; Socialist Party or SPG [Temur GAMTSEMLIDZE]; Union for "Revival" Party or AGUR [Alsan ABASHIDZE]; United Republican Party or URP [Nodar NATADZE, chairman] | Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party [Anwar JURABAYEV, first secretary]; Democratic National Rebirth Party (Milly Tiklanish) or MTP [Aziz KAYUMOV, chairman]; Fatherland Progress Party [Anwar Z. YOLDASHEV]; People's Democratic Party or NDP (formerly Communist Party) [Abdulkhafiz JALOLOV, first secretary]; Self-Sacrificers Party or Fidokorlar National Democratic Party [Ahtam TURSUNOV, first secretary] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Georgian refugees 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 | Birlik (Unity) Movement [Abdurakhim PULAT, chairman]; Erk (Freedom) Democratic Party [Muhammad SOLIH, chairman] was banned 9 December 1992; Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan [Abdumanob PULAT, chairman]; Independent Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan [Mikhail ARDZINOV, chairman] |
Population | 4,989,285 (July 2001 est.) | 25,155,064 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 60% (1999 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | -0.59% (2001 est.) | 1.6% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Bat'umi, P'ot'i, Sokhumi | Termiz (Amu Darya river) |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 7, FM 12, shortwave 4 (1998) | AM 20, FM 7, shortwave 10 (1998) |
Radios | 3.02 million (1997) | 10.8 million (1997) |
Railways | total:
1,583 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines broad gauge: 1,583 km 1.520-m gauge (1993) |
total:
3,380 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines broad gauge: 3,380 km 1.520-m gauge (300 km electrified) (1993) |
Religions | Georgian Orthodox 65%, Muslim 11%, Russian Orthodox 10%, Armenian Apostolic 8%, unknown 6% | Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3% |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
NA domestic: local - T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi have cellular telephone networks; urban telephone density is about 20 per 100 people; rural telephone density is about 4 per 100 people; intercity facilities include a fiber-optic line between T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi; nationwide pager service is available international: Georgia and Russia are working on a fiber-optic line between P'ot'i and Sochi (Russia); present international service is available by microwave, landline, and satellite through the Moscow switch; international electronic mail and telex service are available |
general assessment:
antiquated and inadequate; in serious need of modernization domestic: the domestic telephone system is being expanded and technologically improved, particularly in Tashkent and Samarqand, under contracts with prominent companies in industrialized countries; moreover, by 1998, six cellular networks had been placed in operation - four of the GSM type (Global System for Mobile Communication), one D-AMPS type (Digital Advanced Mobile Phone System), and one AMPS type (Advanced Mobile Phone System) international: linked by landline or microwave radio relay with CIS member states and to other countries by leased connection via the Moscow international gateway switch; after the completion of the Uzbek link to the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable, Uzbekistan will be independent of Russian facilities for international communications; Inmarsat also provides an international connection, albeit an expensive one; satellite earth stations - NA (1998) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 620,000 (1997) | 1.98 million (1999) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 30,000 (1997) | 26,000 (1998) |
Television broadcast stations | 12 (plus repeaters) (1998) | 4 (plus two repeaters that relay Russian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, and Tadzhik programs) (1997) |
Terrain | 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; good soils in river valley flood plains, foothills of Kolkhida Lowland | mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya, Sirdaryo (Syr Darya), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west |
Total fertility rate | 1.45 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 3.06 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 14.9% (1999 est.) | 10% plus another 20% underemployed (1999 est.) |
Waterways | none | 1,100 km (1990) |