Country name: Georgia

Capital: Tbilisi

Administrative divisions: 9 regions, 9 cities, and 2 autonomous republics

Regions: Guria, Imereti, Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Shida Kartli
Autonomous Republics: Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia (Sokhumi), Autonomous Republic of Ajaria (Batumi)

Geographic coordinates: 42 00 N, 43 30 E

Map references: Europe

Area: 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; 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

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
highest point: Mountain Shkhara 5,201 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

Geography - note: strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them.

Population: 4,677,401 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 18% (male 444,779/female 398,162)
15-64 years: 65.9% (male 1,480,557/female 1,603,743)
65 years and over: 16% (male 300,859/female 449,301) (2005 est.)

Median age: total: 37.36 years
-male: 34.93 years
-female: 39.7 years

Ethnic groups: Georgian 83.8%, Azeri 6.5%, Armenian 5.7%, Russian 1.5%, other 2.5% (2002 census)

Religions: Orthodox Christian 83.9%, Armenian-Gregorian 3.9%, Catholic 0.8%, Muslim 9.9%, other 0.8%, none 0.7% (2002 census)

Languages: Georgian  (official), 
note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia

Independence: 9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Constitution: Adopted 24 August 1995

Legal system: Based on civil law system

Transportation

Airports: 30

Railways: total: 1,612 km (1,612 km electrified)
broad gauge: 1,575 km 1.520-m gauge (1,575 electrified)
narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (37 electrified)

Ports: Batumi, Poti