]! ^! 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. 
]" ^" Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia ^# 42 00 N, 43 30 E ^$ Asia ^% `! 69,700 sq km `" 69,700 sq km `# 0 sq km ^& slightly smaller than South Carolina ^' `! 1,461 km `U Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km, Turkey 252 km ^( 310 km ^) NA ^* warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast ^+ 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 ^, `% Black Sea 0 m `& Mt'a Shkhara 5,201 m ^- forests, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper, minor coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for important tea and citrus growth ^. `' 11.44% `( 3.86% `) 84.7% (2001) ^/ 4,700 sq km (1998 est.) ^0 earthquakes ^1 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 _J `K Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands `L none of the selected agreements ^2 strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them 
]# ^3 4,677,401 (July 2005 est.) ^4 `* 18% (male 444,779/female 398,162) `+ 65.9% (male 1,480,557/female 1,603,743) `, 16% (male 300,859/female 449,301) (2005 est.) ^5 `! 37.36 years `- 34.93 years `. 39.7 years (2005 est.) ^6 -0.35% (2005 est.) ^7 10.25 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) ^8 9.09 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) ^9 -4.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) ^: `/ 1.16 male(s)/female `0 1.12 male(s)/female `+ 0.92 male(s)/female `, 0.67 male(s)/female `1 0.91 male(s)/female (2005 est.) ^; `! 18.59 deaths/1,000 live births `- 20.71 deaths/1,000 live births `. 16.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) ^< `1 75.88 years `- 72.59 years `. 79.67 years (2005 est.) ^= 1.41 children born/woman (2005 est.) ^> less than 0.1% (2001 est.) ^? 3,000 (2003 est.) ^@ less than 200 (2003 est.) ^A `2 Georgian(s) `3 Georgian ^B Georgian 83.8%, Azeri 6.5%, Armenian 5.7%, Russian 1.5%, other 2.5% (2002 census) ^C Orthodox Christian 83.9%, Armenian-Gregorian 3.9%, Catholic 0.8%, Muslim 9.9%, other 0.8%, none 0.7% (2002 census) ^D Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, other 7% note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia ^E `M age 15 and over can read and write `1 99% `- 100% `. 98% (1999 est.) 
]$ ^F `4 none `5 Georgia `V none `W Sak'art'velo `X Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic ^H republic ^I T'bilisi ^J 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 ^K 9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union) ^L 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 ^M adopted 24 August 1995 ^N based on civil law system ^O 18 years of age; universal ^P `6 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 `7 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 `8 Cabinet of Ministers `9 president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 4 January 2004 (next to be held NA 2009) `: Mikheil SAAKASHVILI elected president; percent of vote - Mikheil SAAKASHVILI 96.3%, Temur SHASHIASHVILI 1.9% ^Q 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) `9 last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held spring 2008) `: 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 ^R Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council on the president's recommendation); Constitutional Court; first and second instance courts ^S 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] ^T 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 ^U 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 ^V `N Ambassador Levan MIKELADZE `O Suite 602, 1101 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 `P [1] (202) 387-4537 `Q [1] (202) 393-4537 ^W `N Ambassador Richard M. MILES `Z #25 Atoneli Street, T'bilisi 0105 `[ 7060 Tbilisi Place, Washington, DC 20521-7060 `P [995] (32) 989-967/68 `Q [995] (32) 933-759 ^X 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 
]% ^Y 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. ^Z $14.45 billion (2004 est.) ^[ 9.5% (2004 est.) ^\ purchasing power parity - $3,100 (2004 est.) ^] `; 20.5% `< 22.6% `= 56.9% (2004 est.) ^^ 2.1 million (2001 est.) ^_ agriculture 40%, industry 20%, services 40% (1999 est.) ^` 17% (2001 est.) ^a 54% (2001 est.) _! `> 2.3% `? 27.9% (1996) _d 37.1 (1996) _" 5.5% (2004 est.) _P 18.5% of GDP (2004 est.) _# `@ $671.7 million `A $804.7 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.) _$ citrus, grapes, tea, hazelnuts, vegetables; livestock _% steel, aircraft, machine tools, electrical appliances, mining (manganese and copper), chemicals, wood products, wine _& 3% (2000) _' 6.732 billion kWh (2002) _( 6.811 billion kWh (2002) _) 300 million kWh (2002) _* 850 million kWh (2002) _+ 2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.) _, 31,500 bbl/day (2001 est.) _- NA _. NA _S 60 million cu m (2001 est.) _T 1.16 billion cu m (2001 est.) _U 0 cu m (2001 est.) _V 1.1 billion cu m (2001 est.) _X $-632.9 million (2004 est.) _/ $909.4 million (2004 est.) _0 scrap metal, machinery, chemicals; fuel reexports; citrus fruits, tea, wine _1 Turkey 18.3%, Turkmenistan 17.8%, Russia 16.2%, Armenia 8.4%, UK 4.9% (2004) _2 $1.806 billion (2004 est.) _3 fuels, machinery and parts, transport equipment, grain and other foods, pharmaceuticals _4 Russia 14%, Turkey 11%, UK 9.3%, Azerbaijan 8.5%, Germany 8.2%, Ukraine 7.7%, US 6% (2004) _Y $231.4 million (2004 est.) _5 $1.8 billion (2002) _6 ODA $150 million (2000 est.) _7 lari (GEL) _8 lari per US dollar - 1.9167 (2004), 2.1457 (2003), 2.1957 (2002), 2.073 (2001), 1.9762 (2000) _9 calendar year 
]& _: 650,500 (2003) _; 522,300 (2003) _< `B NA `C 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 `D 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 _= AM 7, FM 12, shortwave 4 (1998) _> 12 (plus repeaters) (1998) _? .ge _@ 5,160 (2004) _A 150,500 (2003) 
]' _e `! 1,612 km (1,612 km electrified) `e 1,575 km 1.520-m gauge (1,575 electrified) `c 37 km 0.912-m gauge (37 electrified) (2004) _B `! 20,229 km `E 18,914 km `F 1,315 km (2002) _[ gas 1,697 km; oil 1,027 km; refined products 232 km (2004) _C Bat'umi, P'ot'i _K `! 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 `S 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) `\ 1 (2005) _D 30 (2004 est.) _E `! 17 `] 1 `G 7 `^ 5 `_ 3 `T 1 (2004 est.) _L `! 13 `_ 3 `T 10 (2004 est.) _\ 2 (2004 est.) _h transportation network is in poor condition resulting from ethnic conflict, criminal activities, and fuel shortages; network lacks maintenance and repair 
]( _F Ground Forces (includes National Guard), Air and Air Defense Forces, Maritime Defense Force, Interior Forces _M 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004) _] males age 18-49: 1,038,736 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 827,281 (2005 est.) _^ `` 38,857 (2005 est.) _N $23 million (FY00) _O 0.59% (FY00) _G 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 
]) _H 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 _c IDPs: 260,000 (displaced from Abkhazia and South Ossetia) (2004) _I 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 