The 2001 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency
Socialist Party or SPG [Temur GAMTSEMLIDZE];
Union for "Revival" Party or AGUR [Alsan ABASHIDZE]; United
Republican Party or URP [Nodar NATADZE, chairman]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Georgian refugees from Abkhazia (Abkhaz faction in Georgian Parliament); separatist elements in the breakaway region of Abkhazia; supporters of the late ousted President Zviad GAMSAKHURDYA remain a source of opposition
International organization participation: BSEC, CCC, CE, CIS, EAPC,
EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, OPCW, OSCE,
PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Tedo JAPARIDZE
chancery: Suite 300, 1615 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 387–2390
FAX: [1] (202) 393–4537
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Kenneth S. YALOWITZ
embassy: #25 Antoneli Street, T'bilisi 380026
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [995] (32) 989–967/68
FAX: [995] (32) 933–759
Flag description: maroon field with small rectangle in upper hoist side corner; rectangle divided horizontally with black on top, white below
Georgia Economy
Economy - overview: Georgia's economy has traditionally revolved around Black Sea tourism; cultivation of citrus fruits, tea, and grapes; mining of manganese and copper; and output of a small industrial sector producing wine, metals, machinery, chemicals, and textiles. 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, increasing GDP growth and slashing inflation. The Georgian economy continues to experience large budget deficits due to a failure to collect tax revenues. Georgia also still suffers from energy shortages; it privatized the distribution network in 1998, and deliveries are steadily improving. The country is pinning its hopes for long-term recovery on the development of an international transportation corridor through the key Black Sea ports of P'ot'i and Bat'umi. The growing trade deficit, continuing problems with tax evasion and corruption, and political uncertainties cloud the short-term economic picture.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $22.8 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.9% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,600 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 32%
industry: 23%
services: 45% (1999 est.)
Population below poverty line: 60% (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.1% (2000 est.)
Labor force: 3.08 million (1997)
Labor force - by occupation: industry 20%, agriculture 40%, services 40% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: 14.9% (1999 est.)
Budget: revenues: $437 million
expenditures: $626 million, including capital expenditures of $60 million (1999)
Industries: steel, aircraft, machine tools, electric locomotives, trucks, tractors, textiles, shoes, chemicals, wood products, wine
Industrial production growth rate: −0.3% (1998 est.)
Electricity - production: 7.975 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 20.38%
hydro: 79.62%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999)
Electricity - consumption: 7.117 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports: 850 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports: 550 million kWh (1999)
Agriculture - products: citrus, grapes, tea, vegetables, potatoes; livestock
Exports: $372 million (2000 est.)
Exports - commodities: citrus fruits, tea, wine, other agricultural products; diverse types of machinery and metals; chemicals; fuel reexports; textiles
Exports - partners: Russia 19%, Turkey 16%, Azerbaijan 8%, Armenia 6% (1999)
Imports: $898 million (2000 est.)
Imports - commodities: fuel, grain and other foods, machinery and parts, transport equipment
Imports - partners: EU 22%, Russia 19%, Turkey 12%, US 12% (1999)
Debt - external: $1.9 billion (2000)
Economic aid - recipient: $212.7 million (1995)
Currency: lari (GEL)
Currency code: GEL
Exchange rates: lari per US dollar - 1.9798 (December 2000), 1.9762 (2000), 2.0245 (1999), 1.3898 (1998), 1.2975 (1997), 1.2628 (1996)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Georgia Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 620,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 30,000 (1997)
Telephone system: general assessment: NA
domestic: 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
international: 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
Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 12, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios: 3.02 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 12 (plus repeaters) (1998)
Televisions: 2.57 million (1997)
Internet country code: .ge
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2000)
Internet users: 20,000 (2000)
Georgia Transportation
Railways: total: 1,583 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines
broad gauge: 1,583 km 1.520-m gauge (1993)
Highways: total: 33,900 km
paved: 29,500 km (these roads are said to be hard-surfaced, and include, in addition to conventionally paved roads, some that are surfaced with gravel or other coarse aggregate, making them trafficable in all weather)
unpaved: 4,400 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1990)
Waterways: none
Pipelines: