Georgia (2003) | Zambia (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 |
9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western |
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: 46.1% (male 2,419,361; female 2,401,538)
15-64 years: 51.1% (male 2,684,001; female 2,667,528) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 132,166; female 157,842) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | citrus, grapes, tea, hazlenuts, vegetables; livestock | corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, vegetables, flowers, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca); cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, milk, eggs, hides; coffee |
Airports | 40 (2002) | 109 (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: 10
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (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) |
total: 99
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 62 under 914 m: 32 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 69,700 sq km
land: 69,700 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 752,614 sq km
land: 740,724 sq km water: 11,890 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than South Carolina | slightly larger than Texas |
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. | The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the South Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over by the UK in 1923. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996 saw blatant harassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001 was marked by administrative problems with three parties filing a legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate Levy MWANAWASA. The new president launched a far-reaching anti-corruption campaign in 2002, which resulted in the prosecution of former President Frederick CHILUBA and many of his supporters in late 2003. Opposition parties currently hold a majority of seats in the National Assembly. |
Birth rate | 11.79 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 38.99 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $499 million
expenditures: $554 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.) |
revenues: $896.7 million
expenditures: $1.142 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.) |
Capital | T'bilisi | Lusaka |
Climate | warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast | tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April) |
Coastline | 310 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | adopted 17 October 1995 | 24 August 1991 |
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 Zambia
conventional short form: Zambia former: Northern Rhodesia |
Currency | lari (GEL) | Zambian kwacha (ZMK) |
Death rate | 14.71 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 24.35 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | $1.7 billion (2001) | $5.281 billion (2003) |
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 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Martin George BRENNAN
embassy: corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka telephone: [260] (1) 250-955 FAX: [260] (1) 252-225 |
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 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA
chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719 FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826 |
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 | the Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe boundary convergence is not clearly defined or delimited |
Economic aid - recipient | ODA $150 million (2000 est.) | $651 million (2000 est.) |
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. | Despite progress in privatization and budgetary reform, Zambia's economic growth remains below the 5% to 7% necessary to reduce poverty significantly. Privatization of government-owned copper mines relieved the government from covering mammoth losses generated by the industry and greatly improved the chances for copper mining to return to profitability and spur economic growth. Copper output increased in 2003 and is expected to increase again in 2004, due to higher copper prices. The maize harvest doubled in 2003, helping boost GDP by 4.0%. Cooperation continues with international bodies on programs to reduce poverty, including a new lending arrangement with the IMF expected in the second quarter, 2004. A tighter monetary policy will help cut inflation, but Zambia still has a serious problem with fiscal discipline. |
Electricity - consumption | 7.611 billion kWh (2001) | 5.458 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 1.75 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 850 million kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 7.27 billion kWh (2001) | 7.751 billion 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: Zambezi river 329 m
highest point: unnamed location in Mafinga Hills 2,301 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 | air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction and refining region; chemical runoff into watersheds; poaching seriously threatens rhinoceros, elephant, antelope, and large cat populations; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; lack of adequate water treatment presents human health risks |
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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
Ethnic groups | Georgian 70.1%, Armenian 8.1%, Russian 6.3%, Azeri 5.7%, Ossetian 3%, Abkhaz 1.8%, other 5% | African 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2% |
Exchange rates | lari per US dollar - 2.2 (2002), 2.07 (2001), 1.98 (2000), 2.02 (1999), 1.39 (1998) | Zambian kwacha per US dollar - 4,733.77 (2003), 4,398.59 (2002), 3,610.93 (2001), 3,110.84 (2000), 2,388.02 (1999) |
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: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January 2002); Vice President Lupando MWAPE (since 4 October 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January 2002); Vice President Lupando MWAPE (since 4 October 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 27 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2006); vice president appointed by the president election results: Levy MWANAWASA elected president; percent of vote - Levy MWANAWASA 29%, Anderson MAZOKA 27%, Christon TEMBO 13%, Tilyenji KAUNDA 10%, Godfrey MIYANDA 8%, Benjamin MWILA 5%, Michael SATA 3%, other 5% |
Exports | NA (2001) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | scrap metal, machinery, chemicals; fuel reexports; citrus fruits, tea, wine | copper 55%, cobalt, electricity, tobacco, flowers, cotton |
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) | UK 26.7%, South Africa 21.6%, Tanzania 13.9%, Switzerland 8.1% (2003) |
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 | green with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoist side), black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the outer edge of the flag |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $16.05 billion (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $8.596 billion (2003 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 20%
industry: 25% services: 55% (2002 est.) |
agriculture: 15.3%
industry: 27.9% services: 56.9% (2003) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $3,200 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $800 (2003 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 5.4% (2002 est.) | 4% (2003 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 42 00 N, 43 30 E | 15 00 S, 30 00 E |
Geography - note | strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them | landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zimbabwe |
Highways | total: 20,362 km
paved: 19,038 km unpaved: 1,325 km (2000) |
total: 66,781 km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1999 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2.3%
highest 10%: 27.9% (1996) |
lowest 10%: 1.1%
highest 10%: 41% (1998) |
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 | transshipment point for moderate amounts of methaqualone, small amounts of heroin, and cocaine bound for Southern Africa and possibly Europe; a poorly developed financial infrastructure coupled with a government commitment to combating money laundering make it an unattractive venue for money launderers |
Imports | NA (2001) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | fuels, machinery and parts, transport equipment, grain and other foods, pharmaceuticals | machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products, electricity, fertilizer; foodstuffs, clothing |
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) | South Africa 48.3%, Zimbabwe 12.8%, UK 5.9%, UAE 4.3% (2003) |
Independence | 9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union) | 24 October 1964 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 3% (2000) | 4% (2003 est.) |
Industries | steel, aircraft, machine tools, electrical appliances, mining (manganese and copper), chemicals, wood products, wine | copper mining and processing, construction, foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer, horticulture |
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: 98.4 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 105.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 90.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 5.2% (2002 est.) | 21.4% (2003 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 | ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 6 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 4,700 sq km (1998 est.) | 460 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council on the president's recommendation); Constitutional Court | Supreme Court (the final court of appeal; justices are appointed by the president); High Court (has unlimited jurisdiction to hear civil and criminal cases) |
Labor force | 2.1 million (2001 est.) | 4.59 million (2003) |
Labor force - by occupation | industry 20%, agriculture 40%, services 40% (1999 est.) | agriculture 85%, industry 6%, services 9% |
Land boundaries | total: 1,461 km
border countries: Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km, Turkey 252 km |
total: 5,664 km
border countries: Angola 1,110 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,930 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania 338 km, Zimbabwe 797 km |
Land use | arable land: 11.21%
permanent crops: 4.09% other: 84.7% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 7.08%
permanent crops: 0.03% other: 92.9% (2001) |
Languages | Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, other 7%
note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia |
English (official), major vernaculars - Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenous languages |
Legal system | based on civil law system | based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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 National Assembly (150 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 27 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - MMD 45.9%, UPND 32.4%, UNIP 8.8%, FDD 8.1%, HP 2.7%, PF 0.7%, ZRP 0.7%, independents 0.7%; seats by party - MMD 68, UPND 48, UNIP 13, FDD 12, HP 4, PF 1, ZRP 1, independents 1; seats not determined 2 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 64.76 years
male: 61.33 years female: 68.36 years (2003 est.) |
total population: 35.18 years
male: 35.19 years female: 35.17 years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% male: 100% female: 98% (1999 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
total population: 80.6% male: 86.8% female: 74.8% (2003 est.) |
Location | Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia | Southern Africa, east of Angola |
Map references | Asia | Africa |
Maritime claims | NA | none (landlocked) |
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.) |
- |
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 | - |
Military branches | Ground Forces (includes National Guard), combined Air and Air Defense Forces, Naval Forces, Republic Security and Police Forces (internal and border troops) | Zambian National Defense Force (ZNDF): Army, Air Force, Police, National Service |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $23 million (FY00) | $42.6 million (2003) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.59% (FY00) | 0.9% (2003) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 1,302,815 (2003 est.) | males age 15-49: 2,477,494 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 1,028,913 (2003 est.) | males age 15-49: 1,310,814 (2004 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 | Independence Day, 24 October (1964) |
Nationality | noun: Georgian(s)
adjective: Georgian |
noun: Zambian(s)
adjective: Zambian |
Natural hazards | earthquakes | periodic drought, tropical storms (November to April) |
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 | copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydropower |
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) | oil 771 km (2004) |
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] | Agenda for Zambia or AZ [Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA]; Forum for Democracy and Development or FDD [Christon TEMBO]; Heritage Party or HP [Godfrey MIYANDA]; Liberal Progressive Front or LPF [Roger CHONGWE, president]; Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [Levy MWANAWASA, acting president]; National Leadership for Development or NLD [Yobert SHAMAPANDE]; National Party or NP [Dr. Sam CHIPUNGU]; Patriotic Front or PF [Michael SATA]; Zambian Republican Party or ZRP [Benjamin MWILA]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Gwendoline KONIE]; United National Independence Party or UNIP [Francis NKHOMA, president]; United Party for National Development or UPND [Anderson MAZOKA] |
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 | NA |
Population | 4,934,413 (July 2003 est.) | 10,462,436
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 54% (2001 est.) | 86% (1993) |
Population growth rate | -0.52% (2003 est.) | 1.47% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Bat'umi, P'ot'i, Sokhumi | Mpulungu |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 7, FM 12, shortwave 4 (1998) | AM 19, FM 5, shortwave 4 (2001) |
Railways | total: 1,612 km
broad gauge: 1,575 km 1.520-m gauge narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (2002) |
total: 2,173 km
narrow gauge: 2,173 km 1.067-m gauge note: includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) (2003) |
Religions | Georgian Orthodox 65%, Muslim 11%, Russian Orthodox 10%, Armenian Apostolic 8%, unknown 6% | Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1% |
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: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 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: facilities are aging but still among the best in Sub-Saharan Africa
domestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger towns and cities; several cellular telephone services in operation; Internet service is widely available; very small aperture terminal (VSAT) networks are operated by private firms international: country code - 260; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 620,000 (1997) | 88,400 (2003) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 185,500 (2000) | 241,000 (2003) |
Television broadcast stations | 12 (plus repeaters) (1998) | 9 (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 | mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains |
Total fertility rate | 1.51 children born/woman (2003 est.) | 5.14 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.) | 50% (2000 est.) |
Waterways | none | 2,250 km
note: includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and Luapula rivers (2003) |