Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Georgia
local short form: Sak'art'velo
former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic
local long form: none
Government type:
republic
Capital:
T'bilisi
Administrative divisions:
9 regions, (mkharebi, singular - mkhare), 9 cities* (k'alak'ebi,
singular - k'alak'i), and 2 autonomous republics** (avtomnoy
respubliki, singular - avtom respublika); Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is
Avtonomiuri Respublika** (Sokhumi), Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri
Respublika** (Bat'umi), Chiat'ura*, Gori*, Guria, Imereti, Kakheti,
K'ut'aisi*, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, P'ot'i*,
Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Rust'avi*, Samegrelo and Zemo
Svaneti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Shida Kartli, T'bilisi*, Tqibuli*,
Tsqaltubo*, Zugdidi*
note: the administrative centers of the 2 autonomous republics are
shown in parentheses
Independence:
9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 26 May (1918); note - 26 May 1918 is the date of
independence from Soviet Russia, 9 April 1991 is the date of
independence from the Soviet Union
Constitution:
adopted 17 October 1995
Legal system:
based on civil law system
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nino BURJANADZE (acting president since
23 November 2003; formerly parliamentary speaker, she assumed the
presidency upon the resignation of Eduard SHEVARDNADZE); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Nino BURJANADZE (acting president
since 23 November 2003; formerly parliamentary speaker, she assumed
the presidency upon the resignation of Eduard SHEVARDNADZE); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers
election results: Eduard SHEVARDNADZE reelected president; percent
of vote - Eduard SHEVARDNADZE 80%; note - following the resignation
of Eduard SHEVARDNADZE, Nino BURJANADZE became acting president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 9 April 2000 (next to be held 4 January 2004 to
replace Eduard SHEVARDNADZE)
Legislative branch:
unicameral Supreme Council (commonly referred to as Parliament) or
Umaghiesi Sabcho (235 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party (from earlier 1999
elections) - CUG 41.7%, AGUR 25.2%, IWSG 7.1%, all other parties
received less than 7% each; seats by party - CUG 130, AGUR 64, IWSG
15, Labor 2, Abkhaz (government-in-exile) deputies 12, independents
12
elections: last held 2 November 2003 but results were invalidated
(next to be held spring 2004)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council on the
president's recommendation); Constitutional Court
Political parties and leaders:
Citizen's Union of Georgia or CUG [Avtandil JORBENADZE]; Georgian
People's Front [Nodar NATADZE]; Georgian United Communist Party or
UCPG [Panteleimon GIORGADZE]; Greens [Giorgi GACHECHILADZE];
Industry Will Save Georgia or IWSG [Georgi TOPADZE]; Labor Party
[Shalva NATELASHVILI]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Irina
SARISHVILI-CHANTURIA]; New National Movement [Mikheil SAAKASHVILI];
New Right [Levaii GACHECHILADZE]; Republican Party [David
BERDZENISHVILI]; "Revival" Union Party or AGUR [Alsan ABASHIDZE];
Socialist Party or SPG [Irakli MINDELI]; Traditionalists [Akaki
ASATIANI]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Georgian independent deputies from Abkhaz government in exile;
separatists in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia;
supporters of the late ousted President Zviad GAMSAKHURDYA
International organization participation:
BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Levan MIKELADZE
chancery: Suite 300, 1615 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC
20009
FAX: [1] (202) 393-6060
telephone: [1] (202) 387-2390
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard M. MILES
embassy: #25 Atoneli Street, T'bilisi 380026
mailing address: 7060 Tbilisi Place, Washington, DC 20521-7060
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