Part 272

Maritime claims: NA

International disputes: none

Climate: warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast

Terrain: largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; 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 lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Mt'a Mqinvartsveri (Gora Kazbek) 5,048 m

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

Land use: arable land: 11% permanent crops: 4% meadows and pastures: 29% forest and woodland: 38% other: 18%

Irrigated land: 4,660 sq km (1990)

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 natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

People ------

Population: 5,219,810 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 22% (male 595,524; female 571,207) 15-64 years: 66% (male 1,643,506; female 1,784,286) 65 years and over: 12% (male 229,910; female 395,377) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: -1.02% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 12.81 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 12.21 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -10.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female all ages: 0.9 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 22.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.09 years male: 63.43 years female: 72.98 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.69 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality: noun: Georgian(s) adjective: Georgian

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

Religions: Christian Orthodox 75% (Georgian Orthodox 65%, Russian Orthodox 10%), Muslim 11%, Armenian Apostolic 8%, unknown 6%

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

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.) total population: 99% male: 100% female: 98%

Government ----------

Name of country: conventional long form: Republic of Georgia conventional short form: Georgia local long form: Sak'art'velos Respublika local short form: Sak'art'velo former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic

Data code: GG

Type of government: republic