Georgia Articles

Georgia

Georgia is located in the Eurasia at the juncture of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. The country shares its land boundary with Turkey to the southwest, Russia to the north, Armenia to the south, and Azerbaijan to the east. The Black Sea borders the nation to the west. It was one of the earliest countries to adopt Christianity as the state religion. Georgia is a member of United Nations, the Council of Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States, the World Trade Organization, the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, and GUAM. Tbilisi is the capital of Georgia. Georgian Voronya Cave is the deepest known cave in the world.

HISTORY:- The kingdom of Georgia was Established in the 4th century B.C. Christianity was embraced as the principle religion in 337 A.D. Queen Tamara included Transcaucasia into the territory of Georgia in the beginning of 13th century. The first Mongol Invasion was recorded in the 13th century. After that, the land was invaded by the Persians and Turks several times. Georgia signed the Treaty of Georgievsk with Russia and became a vassal to Russia in a condition that Russia would protect Georgia from the invasions of the Persians and Turks. In spite of the treaty, the Turks attacked the land twice in 1785 and 1795. By 1801, Turks annexed Georgia. The nation joined with Azerbaijan and Armenia to form the anti-Bolshevik Transcaucasian Federation in 1917. After the fall of the federation in 1918, Georgia became the Democratic Republic of Georgia. But the short-lived republic was ended when Georgia was forcibly included in the Soviet Union in 1922 by Bolsheviks. In 1936 Georgia gained the status of a separate Soviet republic. In 1991 after the downfall of Soviet Union, Georgia declared its independence.

GEOGRAPHY:- Georgia is located at 42 00 N, 43 30 E in the southwestern Asia. The country captures total 69,700 sq km land area. The coastline is 310 km long bordering the Black Sea. The lowest point is Black Sea (0 m) and the highest point is Mt'a Shkhara (5,201 m). Georgia is mostly mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south. The Likhi Range lies north to south of Georgia. In the west, Kolkhida Lowland opens to the Black Sea, and in the east Mtkvari River Basin lies. Rioni and Mtkvari are the two major rivers of the nation.

CLIMATE:- The climate of Georgia is warm and pleasant. Along the coasts the climate changes into Mediterranean.

GOVERNMENT:- Georgia is a republic. The constitution was adopted on 24th August 1995. The legal system is based on the civil law system. The three major branches of the government are:

Executive branch comprises the President (chief of state, head of government), the Prime minister and cabinet. The President is the chief of state security including internal security and defense affairs. The President is elected by a popular vote.

Legislative branch comprises the unicameral Parliament (235 seats).

Judicial branch comprises the Supreme Court, the Constitutional Court and the first and second instance courts.

Prominent political parties of Georgia are United National Movement-Democrats, Industry Will Save Georgia, Labor Party, National Democratic Party, New Rights, Republican Party, Traditionalists, Union of National Forces-Conservatives, and Georgia's Way. Suffrage is universal at the age of 18.

President Mikheil Saakashvili

Prime Minister Lado Gurgenidze

ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS:- Georgia is divided into 9 regions, 2 self-governing republics and 1 city. The regions are further sub-divided into 69 districts.

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

The city: Tbilisi.

Republics are: Abkhazia, Ajaria.

CULTURE:- Georgian culture is highly influenced by Classical Greece, the Roman, the Byzantine, and recently by the Russian cultures. It has a rich history of folklore. Niko Pirosmani, Lado Gudiashvili, Elene Akhvlediani are the famous Georgian painters. Georgian wine is famous worldwide. Football, basketball, rugby union, wrestling, hockey and weightlifting are the most practiced sports of the country.

ECONOMY:- Agriculture and tourism are the two dominant industries of Georgia.

GDP/PPP (2007 est.): $19.65 billion; per capita $4,200.

Real growth rate: 12%.

Inflation: 11%.

Unemployment: 13.6% (2006 est.).

Arable land: 11%.

Agriculture: Citrus, grapes, tea, hazelnuts, vegetables; livestock.

Labor force: 2.02 million (2007 est.); industry 20%, agriculture 40%, services 40% (1999 est.).

Industries: Steel, aircraft, machine tools, electrical appliances, mining (manganese and copper), chemicals, wood products, wine.

Budget:

Revenues: $3.68 billion

Expenditures: $3.08 billion (2007 est.)

Debt - external: $4.5 billion (2007)

Natural resources: forests, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper, minor coal and oil deposits.

Exports: $1.24 billion (2007 est.): scrap metal, machinery, chemicals; fuel re-exports; citrus fruits, tea, wine.

Imports: $5.2 billion (2007 est.): fuels, machinery and parts, transport equipment, grain and other foods, pharmaceuticals.

Major trading partners: Turkey, Turkmenistan, Bulgaria, Russia, Armenia, UK, Azerbaijan, Germany, Ukraine, Canada, U.S. (2006).

Monetary unit: Lari

LANGUAGE:- Georgian is the official language. Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia.

Georgian 71%

Russian 9%

Armenian 7%

Azeri 6%

Other 7%

CITIES:- Capital Tbilisi is the largest city. Other major cities are Kutaisi, Batoumi, and Sokhumi.

POPULATION:- The estimated population is 4,646,003 with a growth rate of –0.3%.

Density per sq mi: 173

Literacy rate: 100% (2004 est.)

RACE:-

Georgian 83.8%

Azeri 6.5%

Armenian 5.7%

Russian 1.5%

Other 2.5% (2002)

RELIGION:-

Orthodox Christian 83.9%

Muslim 9.9%

Armenian-Gregorian 3.9%

Catholic 0.8%

Other 0.8%

None 0.7%

(2002 census)

HEALTH:-

Birth rate: 10.62 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate: 9.51 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 16.78 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.51 years

Total fertility rate: 1.43 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.)

UNICEF:- Infant mortality, under-five mortality and maternal mortality rates are higher than the other European countries, though the rates are improving since 2000. Immunization against tuberculosis has been completed more than 90%. The efforts of the First Lady of the country led the Parliament to ban the importing of the non-iodized salt to eliminate iodine deficiency disorders. The General Education Law in 2005 improved the educational system. Child institutionalization is being reduced by approving a plan in 2005. UNICEF unites more than 800 children with their families. UNICEF distributed hygiene kits, health kits and school-in-a-box kits to 7 flood and landslides affected regions of Georgia in 2005. UNICEF provides vaccines, surgical supplies, cold-chain equipment, water-purification systems, educational materials, vitamins and essential drugs in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

TRANSPORTATION:-

Railways: total: 1,612 km (2006).

Highways: total: 20,247 km; paved: 7,973 km; unpaved: 12,274 km (2004).

Ports and harbors: Bat'umi, P'ot'i.

Airports: 23 (2007).