Facts about  Georgia

Country official name: Georgia
Local short form: Sak'art'velo
Former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic
Capital: Tbilisi
Location: Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia
Geographic coordinates: Between 40' and 47' latitude East and 41, and 44' longitude North
Time zone: GMT+3
Area total: 69,700 sq km
Land boundaries total: 1,461 km
Border countries: Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km, Turkey 252 km
Coastline: 310 km
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; 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

lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
highest point: Mt'a Mqinvartsveri 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

Arable land: 9%
Permanent crops: 4%
Permanent pastures: 25%
Forests and woodland: 34%
Other: 28% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 4,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: earthquakes
Population: 5,019,538 (July 2000 est.)

Noun: Georgian(s)
Adjective: Georgian
Ethnic groups:
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:
Georgian 71% (official - the Kartvelian group of the Iberian - Caucasian language), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, other 7%

Executive Branch: President and the State Chancellery
Elections: President elected by popular vote for a five-year term

Presidential Election last held on 4 January 2004
Election results:

Prime Minister: Mr. Zurab Jvania

Legislative branch:  Unicameral Parliament

Election: members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); election last held 28 March 2004

Judicial branch
Supreme Court, judges elected by the Supreme Council on the president's recommendation;
Constitutional Court Legal system: based on civil law system

Administrative divisions:
The country consists of Autonomous Republics of Adjara and Abkhazia, 9 regions, and Tskhinvali region, the status of which has not yet been distinguished, 65 districts and 8 city units

1 January New Year's day
7 January Christmas Day
19 January Epiphany
3 March Mothers day
9 April Memorial day
15 Apri Easter
26 May Independence Day
24 August Constitution day
28 August Mariamoba (St. Maria day)
14 October Svetiskhovloba
17 October Independence day
23 November Giorgoba (St. George day)

Measures: Metric units
Currency GEL: Georgian Lari (1GEL = 100 tetri)