The 2001 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

crops: 4%

      permanent pastures: 25%

      forests and woodland: 34%

      other: 28% (1993 est.)

      Irrigated land: 4,000 sq km (1993 est.)

      Natural hazards: earthquakes

      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

      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

      Georgia People

      Population: 4,989,285 (July 2001 est.)

      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.)

      Population growth rate: −0.59% (2001 est.)

      Birth rate: 11.18 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

      Death rate: 14.58 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

      Net migration rate: −2.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

      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.)

      Infant mortality rate: 52.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

      Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.57 years

      male: 61.04 years

      female: 68.28 years (2001 est.)

      Total fertility rate: 1.45 children born/woman (2001 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.01% (1999 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 500 (1999 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

      Nationality: noun: Georgian(s)

      adjective: Georgian

      Ethnic groups: Georgian 70.1%, Armenian 8.1%, Russian 6.3%, Azeri 5.7%, Ossetian 3%, Abkhaz 1.8%, other 5%

      Religions: Georgian Orthodox 65%, Muslim 11%, Russian Orthodox 10%,

       Armenian Apostolic 8%, unknown 6%

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

      note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia

      Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

      total population: 99%

      male: 100%

      female: 98% (1989 est.)

      Georgia Government

      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

      Government type: republic

      Capital: T'bilisi

      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)

      Independence: 9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)

      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

      Constitution: adopted 17 October 1995

      Legal system: based on civil law system

      Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

      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%

      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

      Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme

       Council on the president's recommendation); Constitutional Court

      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];