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Compare Georgia (2005) - Syria (2003)

Compare Georgia (2005) z Syria (2003)

 Georgia (2005)Syria (2003)
 GeorgiaSyria
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)

regions: Guria, Imereti, Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Shida Kartli

cities: Chiat'ura, Gori, K'ut'aisi, P'ot'i, Rust'avi, T'bilisi, Tqibuli, Tsqaltubo, Zugdidi

autonomous republics: Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri Respublika (Sokhumi), Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika (Bat'umi)


note: the administrative centers of the 2 autonomous republics are shown in parentheses
14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus
Age structure 0-14 years: 18% (male 444,779/female 398,162)


15-64 years: 65.9% (male 1,480,557/female 1,603,743)


65 years and over: 16% (male 300,859/female 449,301) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 38.6% (male 3,494,473; female 3,290,699)


15-64 years: 58.2% (male 5,238,026; female 4,991,588)


65 years and over: 3.2% (male 274,744; female 296,010) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products citrus, grapes, tea, hazelnuts, vegetables; livestock wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk
Airports 30 (2004 est.) 92 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 17


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 7


1,524 to 2,437 m: 5


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 24


over 3,047 m: 5


2,438 to 3,047 m: 16


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 13


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)
total: 68


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 11


under 914 m: 55 (2002)
Area total: 69,700 sq km


land: 69,700 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 185,180 sq km


land: 184,050 sq km


water: 1,130 sq km


note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory
Area - comparative slightly smaller than South Carolina slightly larger than North Dakota
Background The region of present-day Georgia contained the ancient kingdoms of Colchis and Kartli-Iberia. The area came under Roman influence in the first centuries AD and Christianity became the state religion in the 330s. Domination by Persians, Arabs, and Turks was followed by a Georgian golden age (11th to the 13th centuries) that was cut short by the Mongol invasion of 1236. Subsequently, the Ottoman and Persian empires competed for influence in the region. 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. Despite myriad problems, some progress on market reforms and democratization has been made since then. An attempt by the government to manipulate legislative elections in November 2003 touched off widespread protests that led to the resignation of Eduard SHEVARDNADZE, president since 1995. New elections in early 2004 swept Mikheil SAAKASHVILI into power along with his National Movement Party. Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War I, Syria was administered by the French until independence in 1946. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel. Since 1976, Syrian troops have been stationed in Lebanon, ostensibly in a peacekeeping capacity. In recent years, Syria and Israel have held occasional peace talks over the return of the Golan Heights.
Birth rate 10.25 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 29.54 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $671.7 million


expenditures: $804.7 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
revenues: $6 billion


expenditures: $7 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.6 billion (2002 est.)
Capital T'bilisi Damascus
Climate warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically in Damascus
Coastline 310 km 193 km
Constitution adopted 24 August 1995 13 March 1973
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: Syrian Arab Republic


conventional short form: Syria


local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah


local short form: Suriyah


former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)
Currency - Syrian pound (SYP)
Death rate 9.09 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 5.04 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $1.8 billion (2002) $22 billion (2002 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Richard M. MILES


embassy: #25 Atoneli Street, T'bilisi 0105


mailing address: 7060 Tbilisi Place, Washington, DC 20521-7060


telephone: [995] (32) 989-967/68


FAX: [995] (32) 933-759
chief of mission: Ambassador Theodore H. KATTOUF


embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street, No. 2, Damascus


mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus


telephone: [963] (11) 333-1342


FAX: [963] (11) 331-9678
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Levan MIKELADZE


chancery: Suite 602, 1101 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005


telephone: [1] (202) 387-4537


FAX: [1] (202) 393-4537
chief of mission: Ambassador (acting) Imad MUSTAFA


chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313


FAX: [1] (202) 234-9548
Disputes - international Russia and Georgia agree on delimiting 80% of their common border, leaving certain small, strategic segments and the maritime boundary unresolved; OSCE observers monitor volatile areas such as the Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti region and the Argun Gorge in Abkhazia; UN Observer Mission in Georgia has maintained a peacekeeping force in Georgia since 1993; Meshkheti Turks scattered throughout the former Soviet Union seek to return to Georgia; boundary with Armenia remains undemarcated; ethnic Armenian groups in Javakheti region of Georgia seek greater autonomy from the Georgian government; Azerbaijan and Georgia cannot resolve the alignment of their boundary at certain crossing areas Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied; Lebanon claims Shaba'a farms in Golan Heights; Syrian troops have been stationed in Lebanon since October 1976; Syria protests Turkish hydrological projects regulating upper Euphrates waters; Turkey is quick to rebuff any perceived Syrian claim to Hatay province
Economic aid - recipient ODA $150 million (2000 est.) $199 million (1997 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 has suffered from limited resources due to a chronic failure to collect tax revenues. Georgia's new government is making progress in reforming the tax code, enforcing taxes, and cracking down on corruption. Georgia also suffers from energy shortages; it privatized the T'bilisi electricity distribution network in 1998, but payment collection rates remain low, both in T'bilisi and throughout the regions. The country is pinning its hopes for long-term growth on its role as a transit state for pipelines and trade. The construction on the Baku-T'bilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the Baku-T'bilisi-Erzerum gas pipeline have brought much-needed investment and job opportunities. Syria's predominantly statist economy has been growing, on average, more slowly than its 2.4% annual population growth rate, causing a persistent decline in per capita GDP. Recent legislation allows private banks to operate in Syria, although a private banking sector will take years and further government cooperation to develop. External factors such as the international war on terrorism, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the war between the US-led coalition and Iraq probably will drive real annual GDP growth levels back below their 3.5% spike in 2002. A long-run economic constraint is the pressure on water supplies caused by rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and increased water pollution.
Electricity - consumption 6.811 billion kWh (2002) 21.63 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 300 million kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 850 million kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 6.732 billion kWh (2002) 23.26 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 57.6%


hydro: 42.4%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Black Sea 0 m


highest point: Mt'a Shkhara 5,201 m
lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m


highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 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 deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes; inadequate potable water
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, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Ethnic groups Georgian 83.8%, Azeri 6.5%, Armenian 5.7%, Russian 1.5%, other 2.5% (2002 census) Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%
Exchange rates lari per US dollar - 1.9167 (2004), 2.1457 (2003), 2.1957 (2002), 2.073 (2001), 1.9762 (2000) Syrian pounds per US dollar - (Official rate): 11.23 (2002), 11.23 (2001), 11.23 (2000), 11.23 (1999), 11.23 (1998), (Free market rate): 49.65 (2001), 49.4 (2000), 51.7 (1999), 52 (1998)
Executive branch chief of state: President Mikheil SAAKASHVILI (since 25 January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government for the power ministries: state security (includes interior) and defense


head of government: President Mikheil SAAKASHVILI (since 25 January 2004); Prime Minister Zurab NOGHAIDELI (since 17 February 2005); note - the president is the chief of state and head of government for the power ministries: state security (includes interior) and defense; the prime minister is head of the remaining ministries of government


cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 4 January 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)


election results: Mikheil SAAKASHVILI elected president; percent of vote - Mikheil SAAKASHVILI 96.3%, Temur SHASHIASHVILI 1.9%
chief of state: President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000); Vice Presidents Abd al-Halim ibn Said KHADDAM (since 11 March 1984) and Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984)


head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-UTRI (since 10 September 2003), Deputy Prime Ministers Lt. Gen. Mustafa TALAS (since 11 March 1984), Farouk al-SHARA (since 13 December 2001), Dr. Muhammad al-HUSAYN (since 13 December 2001)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; referendum/election last held 10 July 2000 - after the death of President Hafez al-ASAD, father of Bashar al-ASAD - (next to be held NA 2007); vice presidents appointed by the president; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president


election results: Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD 97.29%


note: Hafiz al-ASAD died on 10 June 2000; on 20 June 2000, the Ba'th Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for president and presented his name to the People's Council on 25 June 2000
Exports NA NA (2001)
Exports - commodities scrap metal, machinery, chemicals; fuel reexports; citrus fruits, tea, wine crude oil 70%, petroleum products 7%, fruits and vegetables 5%, cotton fiber 4%, clothing 3%, meat and live animals 2% (2000 est.)
Exports - partners Turkey 18.3%, Turkmenistan 17.8%, Russia 16.2%, Armenia 8.4%, UK 4.9% (2004) Germany 19.1%, Italy 17.5%, Turkey 7.8%, France 7.5%, Lebanon 5.2% (2002)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description white rectangle, in its central portion a red cross connecting all four sides of the flag; in each of the four corners is a small red bolnur-katskhuri cross; the five-cross flag appears to date back to the 14th century three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black, with two small green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, and of Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt, which has a heraldic eagle centered in the white band
GDP - purchasing power parity - $63.48 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 20.5%


industry: 22.6%


services: 56.9% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 27%


industry: 23%


services: 50% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $3,100 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 9.5% (2004 est.) 3.6% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 42 00 N, 43 30 E 35 00 N, 38 00 E
Geography - note strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (February 2002 est.)
Heliports 2 (2004 est.) 7 (2002)
Highways total: 20,229 km


paved: 18,914 km


unpaved: 1,315 km (2002)
total: 43,381 km


paved: 10,021 km (including 877 km of expressways)


unpaved: 33,360 km (1999)
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 a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for regional and Western markets
Imports NA NA (2001)
Imports - commodities fuels, machinery and parts, transport equipment, grain and other foods, pharmaceuticals machinery and transport equipment 21%, food and livestock 18%, metal and metal products 15%, chemicals and chemical products 10% (2000 est.)
Imports - partners Russia 14%, Turkey 11%, UK 9.3%, Azerbaijan 8.5%, Germany 8.2%, Ukraine 7.7%, US 6% (2004) Italy 8.3%, Germany 7.4%, China 5.7%, South Korea 4.8%, France 4.6%, US 4.4%, Turkey 4.1% (2002)
Independence 9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union) 17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)
Industrial production growth rate 3% (2000) NA%
Industries steel, aircraft, machine tools, electrical appliances, mining (manganese and copper), chemicals, wood products, wine petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining
Infant mortality rate total: 18.59 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 20.71 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 16.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 31.67 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 31.89 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 31.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 5.5% (2004 est.) 0.9% (2002 est.)
International organization participation BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 1 (2000)
Irrigated land 4,700 sq km (1998 est.) 12,130 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council on the president's recommendation); Constitutional Court; first and second instance courts Supreme Constitutional Court (justices are appointed for four-year terms by the president); High Judicial Council; Court of Cassation; State Security Courts
Labor force 2.1 million (2001 est.) 5.2 million (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 40%, industry 20%, services 40% (1999 est.) agriculture, industry, services NA (2002)
Land boundaries total: 1,461 km


border countries: Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km, Turkey 252 km
total: 2,253 km


border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km
Land use arable land: 11.44%


permanent crops: 3.86%


other: 84.7% (2001)
arable land: 25.96%


permanent crops: 4.08%


other: 69.96% (1998 est.)
Languages Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, other 7%


note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia
Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely understood; French, English somewhat understood
Legal system based on civil law system based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral Supreme Council (commonly referred to as Parliament) or Umaghiesi Sabcho (235 seats - 150 elected by party lists); members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held spring 2008)


election results: percent of vote by party - National Movement-Democrats 67.6%, Rightist Opposition 7.6%, all other parties received less than 7% each; seats by party - National Movement-Democrats 135, Rightist Opposition 15
unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-shaab (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 2-3 March 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - NPF 67%, independents 33%; seats by party - NPF 167, independents 83; note - the constitution guarantees that the Ba'th Party (part of the NPF alliance) receives one-half of the seats
Life expectancy at birth total population: 75.88 years


male: 72.59 years


female: 79.67 years (2005 est.)
total population: 69.39 years


male: 68.18 years


female: 70.67 years (2003 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


total population: 76.9%


male: 89.7%


female: 64% (2003 est.)
Location Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey
Map references Asia Middle East
Maritime claims NA contiguous zone: 41 NM


territorial sea: 35 NM
Merchant marine total: 175 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 855,908 GRT/1,288,812 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 22, cargo 133, container 3, liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 6, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1


foreign-owned: 105 (Albania 1, Azerbaijan 2, Cyprus 2, Egypt 3, Estonia 1, Germany 1, Greece 4, Israel 1, Lebanon 3, Romania 6, Russia 8, Syria 27, Turkey 14, Ukraine 30, UAE 2)


registered in other countries: 1 (2005)
total: 129 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 450,135 GRT/645,296 DWT


ships by type: bulk 13, cargo 109, container 2, livestock carrier 3, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Egypt 1, Greece 2, Italy 1, Lebanon 10 (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), Air and Air Defense Forces, Maritime Defense Force, Interior Forces Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force (includes Air Defense Forces), Police and Security Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure $23 million (FY00) $858 million (FY00 est.); note - based on official budget data that may understate actual spending
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 0.59% (FY00) 5.9% (FY00)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 4,715,386 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 2,629,148 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 19 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 210,941 (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, 17 April (1946)
Nationality noun: Georgian(s)


adjective: Georgian
noun: Syrian(s)


adjective: Syrian
Natural hazards earthquakes dust storms, sandstorms
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 petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower
Net migration rate -4.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines gas 1,697 km; oil 1,027 km; refined products 232 km (2004) gas 2,300 km; oil 2,183 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders Burjanadze-Democrats [Nino BURJANADZE]; Georgian People's Front [Nodar NATADZE]; Georgian United Communist Party or UCPG [Panteleimon GIORGADZE]; Greens [Giorgi GACHECHILADZE]; Industry Will Save Georgia (Industrialists) or IWSG [Georgi TOPADZE]; Labor Party [Shalva NATELASHVILI]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Bachuki KARDAVA]; National Movement Democratic Front [Mikheil SAAKASHVILI] bloc composed of National Movement and Burjanadze-Democrats; National Movement [Mikheil SAAKASHVILI]; New Right [David GAMKRELIDZE]; Republican Party [David BERDZENISHVILI]; Rightist Opposition [David GAMKRELIDZE] bloc composed of Industrialists and New Right Party; Socialist Party or SPG [Irakli MINDELI]; Traditionalists [Akaki ASATIANI]; Union of National Forces-Conservatives [Koba DAVITASHVILI and Zviad DZIDZIGURI] National Progressive Front or NPF (includes Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party (governing party) [President Bashar al-ASAD, secretary general], Socialist Unionist Democratic Party [Ahmad al ASAD], Syrian Communist Party [leader NA], Unionist Socialist Party [leader NA], Arab Socialist Party [Abd al-Ghani QANNUT], and Arab Socialist Unionist Movement [Sami SUFAN]) [President Bashar al-ASAD, chairman]; Syrian Arab Socialist Party or ASP [Safwan QUDSI]; Syrian Communist Party or SCP [Yusuf FAYSAL]; Syrian Social National Party [Jubran URAYJI]
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 conservative religious leaders; Muslim Brotherhood (operates in exile in Jordan and Yemen); non-Ba'th parties have little effective political influence
Population 4,677,401 (July 2005 est.) 17,585,540 (July 2002 est.)


note: in addition, about 40,000 people live in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights - 20,000 Arabs (18,000 Druze and 2,000 Alawites) and about 20,000 Israeli settlers (February 2003 est.) (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 54% (2001 est.) 15%-25%
Population growth rate -0.35% (2005 est.) 2.45% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Bat'umi, P'ot'i Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus
Radio broadcast stations AM 7, FM 12, shortwave 4 (1998) AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
Railways total: 1,612 km (1,612 km electrified)


broad gauge: 1,575 km 1.520-m gauge (1,575 electrified)


narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (37 electrified) (2004)
total: 2,743 km


standard gauge: 2,425 km 1.435-m gauge


narrow gauge: 318 km 1.050-m gauge (2002)
Religions Orthodox Christian 83.9%, Armenian-Gregorian 3.9%, Catholic 0.8%, Muslim 9.9%, other 0.8%, none 0.7% (2002 census) Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%, Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.16 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.12 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female


total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female


total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 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: country code - 995; 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: fair system currently undergoing significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology


domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network


international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 1 submarine cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel
Telephones - main lines in use 650,500 (2003) 1.313 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 522,300 (2003) NA
Television broadcast stations 12 (plus repeaters) (1998) 44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995)
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 primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west
Total fertility rate 1.41 children born/woman (2005 est.) 3.72 children born/woman (2003 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.) 20% (2002 est.)
Waterways - 870 km (minimal economic importance)
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