Georgia (2003) | Saint Helena (2004) | |
Administrative divisions | 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 |
1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha* |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 18.6% (male 466,743; female 449,440)
15-64 years: 68.4% (male 1,628,757; female 1,744,922) 65 years and over: 13% (male 252,031; female 392,520) (2003 est.) |
0-14 years: 18.9% (male 710; female 689)
15-64 years: 71.4% (male 2,739; female 2,559) 65 years and over: 9.7% (male 319; female 399) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | citrus, grapes, tea, hazlenuts, vegetables; livestock | corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, crawfish (on Tristan da Cunha) |
Airports | 40 (2002) | 1 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 22
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 4 (2002) |
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 18
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 7 (2002) |
- |
Area | total: 69,700 sq km
land: 69,700 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 410 sq km
land: 410 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Saint Helena Island, Ascension, and the island group of Tristan da Cunha, which consists of Tristan da Cunha Island, Gough Island, Inaccessible Island, and the three Nightingale Islands |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than South Carolina | slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC |
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. Ethnic separation in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, poor governance, and Russian military bases deny the government effective control over the entirety of the state's internationally recognized territory. Despite myriad problems, some progress on market reforms and democratization has been made. An attempt by the government to manipulate legislative elections in November 2003 touched off widespread protests that led to the resignation of President Eduard SHEVARDNADZE. | Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, Saint Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile, from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. Ascension Island is the site of a US Air Force auxiliary airfield; Gough Island has a meteorological station. |
Birth rate | 11.79 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 12.68 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $499 million
expenditures: $554 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.) |
revenues: $11.2 million
expenditures: $11 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY92/93) |
Capital | T'bilisi | Jamestown |
Climate | warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast | Saint Helena - tropical; marine; mild, tempered by trade winds; Tristan da Cunha - temperate; marine, mild, tempered by trade winds (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena) |
Coastline | 310 km | 60 km |
Constitution | adopted 17 October 1995 | 1 January 1989 |
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: none
conventional short form: Saint Helena |
Currency | lari (GEL) | Saint Helenian pound (SHP) |
Death rate | 14.71 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 6.47 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | $1.7 billion (2001) | NA (1996) |
Dependency status | - | overseas territory of the UK |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Richard M. MILES
embassy: #25 Atoneli Street, T'bilisi 380026 mailing address: 7060 Tbilisi Place, Washington, DC 20521-7060 telephone: [995] (32) 989-967/68 FAX: [995] (32) 933-759 |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Levan MIKELADZE
chancery: Suite 300, 1615 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 387-2390 FAX: [1] (202) 393-6060 |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | boundary with Russia has been largely delimited, but not demarcated with several small, strategic segments remaining in dispute and OSCE observers monitoring volatile areas such as the Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti region and the Argun Gorge in Abkhazia; Meshkheti Turks scattered throughout the former Soviet Union seek to return to Georgia; ethnic Armenian groups in Javakheti region of Georgia seek greater autonomy, closer ties with Armenia | none |
Economic aid - recipient | ODA $150 million (2000 est.) | $12.6 million (1995); note - $5.3 million from UK (1997) |
Economy - overview | 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. | The economy depends largely on financial assistance from the UK, which amounted to about $5 million in 1997 or almost one-half of annual budgetary revenues. The local population earns income from fishing, the raising of livestock, and sales of handicrafts. Because there are few jobs, 25% of the work force has left to seek employment on Ascension Island, on the Falklands, and in the UK. |
Electricity - consumption | 7.611 billion kWh (2001) | 4.65 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 850 million kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 7.27 billion kWh (2001) | 5 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 19.7%
hydro: 80.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
highest point: Mt'a Shkhara 5,201 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,060 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 | NA |
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 |
- |
Ethnic groups | Georgian 70.1%, Armenian 8.1%, Russian 6.3%, Azeri 5.7%, Ossetian 3%, Abkhaz 1.8%, other 5% | African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25% |
Exchange rates | lari per US dollar - 2.2 (2002), 2.07 (2001), 1.98 (2000), 2.02 (1999), 1.39 (1998) | Saint Helenian pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Nino BURJANADZE (acting president since 23 November 2003; formerly parliamentary speaker, she assumed the presidency upon the resignation of Eduard SHEVARDNADZE); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Nino BURJANADZE (acting president since 23 November 2003; formerly parliamentary speaker, she assumed the presidency upon the resignation of Eduard SHEVARDNADZE); 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 4 January 2004 to replace Eduard SHEVARDNADZE) election results: Eduard SHEVARDNADZE reelected president; percent of vote - Eduard SHEVARDNADZE 80%; note - following the resignation of Eduard SHEVARDNADZE, Nino BURJANADZE became acting president |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief David HOLLAMBY (since 1999); Michael CLANCY (taking office in October 2004) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, two ex officio officers, and six elected members of the Legislative Council elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by the monarch |
Exports | NA (2001) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | scrap metal, machinery, chemicals; fuel reexports; citrus fruits, tea, wine | fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), coffee, handicrafts |
Exports - partners | Turkey 23%, Italy 12.1%, Russia 11.4%, Greece 8.5%, Netherlands 7.5%, Spain 5.9%, Turkmenistan 4.7%, Ukraine 4.3% (2002) | US 26.7%, Tanzania 21.9%, Indonesia 9.4%, UK 8.7%, Japan 7.4%, Netherlands 7.2%, Nigeria 6.8%, Poland 5%, Spain 4.9% (2003) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
Flag description | maroon field with small rectangle in upper hoist side corner; rectangle divided horizontally with black on top, white below | blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $16.05 billion (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $18 million (1998 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 20%
industry: 25% services: 55% (2002 est.) |
agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: NA |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $3,200 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $2,500 (1998 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 5.4% (2002 est.) | NA |
Geographic coordinates | 42 00 N, 43 30 E | 15 56 S, 5 42 W |
Geography - note | strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them | harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns |
Highways | total: 20,362 km
paved: 19,038 km unpaved: 1,325 km (2000) |
total: 198 km (Saint Helena 138 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 20 km)
paved: 168 km (Saint Helena 118km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 10 km) unpaved: 30 km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension 0 km, Tristan da Cunha 10 km) (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2.3%
highest 10%: 27.9% (1996) |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
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 | - |
Imports | NA (2001) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | fuels, machinery and parts, transport equipment, grain and other foods, pharmaceuticals | food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts |
Imports - partners | Turkey 15.6%, Azerbaijan 11.2%, US 9.9%, Russia 9.1%, Germany 7.2%, Italy 5.1%, Bulgaria 4.9%, Romania 4.3%, France 4.2%, Ukraine 4.1% (2002) | UK 29.1%, South Africa 24.7%, Spain 16.4%, Italy 8.8%, Tanzania 8.2%, US 5.8% (2003) |
Independence | 9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 3% (2000) | NA |
Industries | steel, aircraft, machine tools, electrical appliances, mining (manganese and copper), chemicals, wood products, wine | construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing |
Infant mortality rate | total: 51.24 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 56.83 deaths/1,000 live births female: 45.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
total: 19.85 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 23.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 5.2% (2002 est.) | 3.2% (1997 est.) |
International organization participation | BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | ICFTU, UPU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 6 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 4,700 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council on the president's recommendation); Constitutional Court | Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court; Small Debts Court; Juvenile Court |
Labor force | 2.1 million (2001 est.) | 3,500
note: 1,200 work offshore (1998 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | industry 20%, agriculture 40%, services 40% (1999 est.) | agriculture and fishing 6%, industry (mainly construction) 48%, services 46% (1987 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 1,461 km
border countries: Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km, Turkey 252 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 11.21%
permanent crops: 4.09% other: 84.7% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 12.9%
permanent crops: 0% other: 87.1% (2001) |
Languages | Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, other 7%
note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia |
English |
Legal system | based on civil law system | NA |
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 2 November 2003 but results were invalidated (next to be held spring 2004) election results: percent of vote by party (from earlier 1999 elections) - CUG 41.7%, AGUR 25.2%, IWSG 7.1%, all other parties received less than 7% each; seats by party - CUG 130, AGUR 64, IWSG 15, Labor 2, Abkhaz (government-in-exile) deputies 12, independents 12 |
unicameral Legislative Council (16 seats, including the speaker, 3 ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 27 June 2001 (next to be held NA June 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 15 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 64.76 years
male: 61.33 years female: 68.36 years (2003 est.) |
total population: 77.57 years
male: 74.67 years female: 80.61 years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% male: 100% female: 98% (1999 est.) |
definition: age 20 and over can read and write
total population: 97% male: 97% female: 98% (1987 est.) |
Location | Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia | islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between South America and Africa |
Map references | Asia | Africa |
Maritime claims | NA | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | total: 116 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 483,028 GRT/713,461 DWT
ships by type: bulk 16, cargo 72, chemical tanker 1, container 11, petroleum tanker 11, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belize 1, Bulgaria 1, Cyprus 1, Ecuador 1, Egypt 4, Gibraltar 1, Greece 5, Jordan 1, Latvia 1, Liberia 1, Malta 1, Panama 9, Romania 8, Russia 4, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Saudi Arabia 2, Syria 5, Turkey 2, Ukraine 7, UAE 11, UK 1, US 1 (2002 est.) |
none |
Military - note | a CIS peacekeeping force 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 | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | Ground Forces (includes National Guard), combined Air and Air Defense Forces, Naval Forces, Republic Security and Police Forces (internal and border troops) | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $23 million (FY00) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.59% (FY00) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 1,302,815 (2003 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 1,028,913 (2003 est.) | - |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age (2003 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 43,359 (2003 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 | Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926) |
Nationality | noun: Georgian(s)
adjective: Georgian |
noun: Saint Helenian(s)
adjective: Saint Helenian |
Natural hazards | earthquakes | active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha |
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 | fish |
Net migration rate | -2.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Pipelines | gas 1,495 km; oil 1,029 km; refined products 232 km (2003) | - |
Political parties and leaders | Citizen's Union of Georgia or CUG [Avtandil JORBENADZE]; 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 [Shalva NATELASHVILI]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Irina SARISHVILI-CHANTURIA]; New National Movement [Mikheil SAAKASHVILI]; New Right [Levaii GACHECHILADZE]; Republican Party [David BERDZENISHVILI]; "Revival" Union Party or AGUR [Alsan ABASHIDZE]; Socialist Party or SPG [Irakli MINDELI]; Traditionalists [Akaki ASATIANI] | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Georgian independent deputies from Abkhaz government in exile; separatists in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia; supporters of the late ousted President Zviad GAMSAKHURDYA | none |
Population | 4,934,413 (July 2003 est.) | 7,415 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 54% (2001 est.) | NA |
Population growth rate | -0.52% (2003 est.) | 0.62% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Bat'umi, P'ot'i, Sokhumi | Georgetown (on Ascension), Jamestown |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 7, FM 12, shortwave 4 (1998) | AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Railways | total: 1,612 km
broad gauge: 1,575 km 1.520-m gauge narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (2002) |
- |
Religions | Georgian Orthodox 65%, Muslim 11%, Russian Orthodox 10%, Armenian Apostolic 8%, unknown 6% | Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic |
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: 0.64 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | NA years of age |
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: can communicate worldwide
domestic: automatic network international: country code - 290; HF radiotelephone from Saint Helena to Ascension Island, which is a major coaxial submarine cable relay point between South Africa, Portugal, and UK; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 620,000 (1997) | 2,200 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 185,500 (2000) | 0 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 12 (plus repeaters) (1998) | 0
note: television programs are received in Saint Helena via satellite and distributed by cable (2002) |
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 | Saint Helena - rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains
note: the other islands of the group have a volcanic origin |
Total fertility rate | 1.51 children born/woman (2003 est.) | 1.54 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Transportation - note | transportation network is in poor condition resulting from ethnic conflict, criminal activities, and fuel shortages; network lacks maintenance and repair | - |
Unemployment rate | 17% (2001 est.) | 14% (1998 est.) |
Waterways | none | - |