Yearbook 2016

Georgia. At the beginning of the year, an investigation into war crimes concerning the war between the Russian Federation and Georgia was launched in 2008. It was the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague that was going to investigate war crimes outside Africa for the first time. Both parties have accused each other of crimes, and according to the prosecutor, there is reasonable grounds to believe that such crimes have been committed, including murder and forced displacement.

In March, the Council of Europe criticized Georgia for failing to provide adequate protection for religious and sexual minorities exposed to rising violence and verbal hatred. A report from the European Commission on Racism and Intolerance called on the government to strengthen its anti-discrimination policy and legislation. According to the report, there is a generally homophobic climate in the community with repeated attacks on groups representing sexual minorities. Religious minorities, too, lack adequate protection, it was called.

In May, the Russian Federation condemned an exercise held by the Georgian military with American and British soldiers. A total of about 1,300 people participated in the largest maneuver of their kind so far. Moscow called it a provocation.

In May, several former officials at the Department of Defense were sentenced to multi-year prison sentences accused of misusing state funds. According to the indictment, they had manipulated a procurement process, but opposition politicians saw the judges as part of a vendetta against former Defense Minister Irakli Alasania. He was dismissed after criticizing the then prime minister, and he has been seen as a leading candidate for new head of government.

According to countryaah, the current population of Georgia is 3,989,178. US Secretary of State John Kerry visited Tbilisi in June and signed an agreement on defense cooperation between the United States and Georgia. The agreement was seen as a mark against the Russian Federation and a compensation for Georgia not being closer to NATO membership despite promises made in 2008.

Georgia Population 2016

In October, according to thereligionfaqs, Georgia signed a trade agreement with China. It will apply from the end of 2017 and opens, among other things, for increased Georgian wine exports to China. In addition, Chinese companies are expected to make extensive investments in Georgia, including rail and port construction.

Former Prime Minister Vano Merabishvili, who has already been jailed for corruption, was sentenced in September to a new prison sentence of 6.5 years. Merabishvili was accused of abusing a Member eleven years earlier. The opposition sees the judgments against Merabishvili as political.

In October, an opposition politician was attacked with a car bomb. He escaped unharmed, but several other people were injured in the act, which was carried out three days before the parliamentary elections. At an election meeting held by an independent candidate, two people were shot.

The October parliamentary elections were held in the shadow of the country’s economic crisis, but according to the official figures, the government coalition Georgian dream nevertheless won a grand victory in both rounds. The coalition took a total of 115 seats, while the opposition in the United National Movement (ENM) received 27 seats and the new party Patriotic Alliance 6 seats. Through its grand victory, the government coalition gained more than three-quarters of a majority, enough to change the constitution. The opposition accused Georgian dream of stealing election results through cheating, which international observers did not agree with.

  • Abbreviation Finder: Check to see how the 3-letter abbreviation of GEO stands for the nation of Georgia in geography.

Country data

Area: 69,700 km2 (world ranking: 119)

Population: 3,717,000

Population density: 53 per km2 (as of 2017, world ranking: 130)

Capital: Tbilisi (Tbilisi)

Official languages: Georgian

Gross domestic product: 15.2 billion US $; Real growth: 5.0%

Gross national product (GNP, per resident and year): 3790 US$

Currency: Lari

Embassy

Rauchstr. 11, 10787 Berlin
Telephone 030 4849070,
Fax 030 48490720
www.germany.mfa.gov.ge

Government
Head of State: Giorgi Margwelaschwili, Head of Government: Mamuka Bakhtadze, Outside: David Zalkaliani

National Day: 26.5. (Declaration of independence 1918)

Administrative structure
9 regions, capital region, 2 autonomous republics (Abkhazia, Adjara); Abkhazia and South Ossetia de facto outside Georgian control

Form of Government
1995 Constitution
Parliamentary republic
Parliament (Sakartvelos Parlamenti) with 150 Member., Elections every 4 years
direct election of the head of state every 5 years (renewable once)
Voting age 18 years

Population: Georgians, last census 2014 (excluding Abkhazia and South Ossetia): 3,713,804 residents.
87% Georgians, 6% Azerbaijanis, 5% Armenians, 0.7% Russians, 0.4% Ossetians and other

Cities (with population): Tskhinvali (status 2016): 30,400 pop.

Religions: 83% Orthodox, 11% Muslim, 3% Armenian Apostolic Church, 0.5% Catholics; Minority of Jews (as of 2006)

Languages: Georgian; Minority languages: Armenian, Azerbaijani, Abkhazian, Russian, Ossetian, Greek, Turkish, German, Chechen, Ukrainian, Kurmanji, New Aramaic, Avar, Polish, Estonian; Regional language: Mingrelian

Workers by economic sector: agriculture. 41%, industry 12%, business 47% (2017)

Unemployment (in% of the labor force)
2017: 11.6% (unofficially up to 40%)

Inflation rate (in%): 2017: 6.0%

Foreign trade: Import: 8.0 billion US $ (2017); Export: US $ 2.1 billion (2017)