Country Summary: Georgia
Country Name: Georgia
Capital: Tbilisi
Government Type: semi-presidential republic
Background: The region of present-day Georgia contained the ancient kingdoms of Colchis (known as Egrisi locally) and Kartli-Iberia. The area came under Roman influence in the first centuries A.D., and Christianity became the state religion in the 330s. Domination by Persians, Arabs, and Turks was followed by a Georgian golden age (11th-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 in 1921 and regained its independence when the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991.
Mounting public discontent over rampant corruption and ineffective government services, followed by an attempt by the incumbent Georgian Government to manipulate parliamentary elections in November 2003, touched off widespread protests that led to the resignation of Eduard SHEVARDNADZE, president since 1995. In the aftermath of that popular movement, which became known as the "Rose Revolution," new elections in early 2004 swept Mikheil SAAKASHVILI into power along with his United National Movement (UNM) party. SAAKASHVILI made progress on market reforms and good governance during his time in power but also faced accusations of abuse of office. Progress was also complicated by Russian assistance and support to the separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia that led to periodic flare-ups in tension and violence and that culminated in a five-day conflict in August 2008 between Russia and Georgia, including the invasion of large portions of Georgian territory. Russian troops pledged to pull back from most occupied Georgian territory, but in late August 2008 Russia unilaterally recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and Russian military forces remain in those regions.
Billionaire Bidzina IVANISHVILI's unexpected entry into politics in October 2011 brought the divided opposition together under his Georgian Dream coalition, which won a majority of seats in the October 2012 parliamentary elections and removed UNM from power. Conceding defeat, SAAKASHVILI named IVANISHVILI as prime minister and allowed Georgian Dream to create a new government before leaving the country after his presidential term ended in 2013. At the time, these changes in leadership represented unique examples of a former Soviet state that emerged to conduct democratic and peaceful government transitions of power. IVANISHVILI voluntarily resigned from office after the presidential succession, and in the following years, the prime minister position has seen frequent turnover. Most recently, Irakli GARIBASHVILI became prime minister in February 2021. In October 2021, SAAKASHVILI returned to Georgia, where he was immediately arrested to serve six years in prison on outstanding abuse of office convictions. Popular support for integration with the West is high in Georgia. Joining the EU and NATO are among the country's top foreign policy goals and Georgia applied for EU membership in March 2022, becoming a candidate country in December 2023. The EU and Georgia signed an Association Agreement in June 2014 and it fully entered into force in July 2016. Georgia and the EU have a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement and Georgian citizens since 2017 can travel to the Schengen area without a visa.
Continent: Eurasia
Population: 4,927,228 (2023 est.)
Ethnic Groups: Georgian 86.8%, Azeri 6.3%, Armenian 4.5%, other 2.3% (includes Russian, Ossetian, Yazidi, Ukrainian, Kist, Greek) (2014 est.)
Languages: Georgian (official) 87.6%, Azeri 6.2%, Armenian 3.9%, Russian 1.2%, other 1%; note - Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia (2014 est.)
Religions: Eastern Orthodox Christian (official) 83.4%, Muslim 10.7%, Armenian Apostolic Christian 2.9%, other 1.2% (includes Roman Catholic Christian, Jehovah's Witness, Yazidi, Protestant Christian, Jewish), none 0.5%, unspecified/no answer 1.2% (2014 est.)
Economic Overview: main economic activities include cultivation of agricultural products, such as grapes, citrus fruits, and hazelnuts; mining of manganese, copper, and gold; producing alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages
Currency: Georgian Lari (GEL)
Reserves of Foreign Exchange & Gold: $4.886 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity): $63.403 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2017 dollars
Real GDP Growth Rate: 10.39% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP per Capita: $17,100 (2022 est.) note: data in 2017 dollars
Exports:
$13.24 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Comparison Ranking: 101
Export Commodities: copper, iron alloys, cars, wine, refined petroleum, nitrogen fertilizers, liquors (2021)
Export Partners: China 13%, Russia 12%, Azerbaijan 11%, Turkey 7%, Ukraine 6% (2021)
Imports:
$15.665 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Comparison Ranking: 104
Import Commodities: cars, refined petroleum, copper, packaged medicines, natural gas (2019)
Import Partners: Turkey 17%, China 9%, Russia 9%, United States 7%, Azerbaijan 6% (2021)
Natural Resources: timber, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper, minor coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for important tea and citrus growth
Agricultural Products: milk, grapes, maize, potatoes, wheat, watermelons, tomatoes, tangerines/mandarins, barley, apples
Industries: steel, machine tools, electrical appliances, mining (manganese, copper, gold), chemicals, wood products, wine
Industrial Production Growth Rate:
15.3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Comparison Ranking: 10
Labor Force: 1.84 million (2022 est.)
Unemployment Rate: 11.68% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment
Natural Hazards: earthquakes
Geography:
Total: 69,700 sq km
Land: 69,700 sq km
Water: 0 sq km
(Country Summary, The World Factbook, CIA.gov)
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