Death rate: 13.88 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -8.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years : 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 50.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.96 years
male: 61.59 years
female : 68.49 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.56 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
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: Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%,
other 7%
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 100%
female: 98% (1989 est.)
@Georgia:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Georgia
local long form: none
local short form : Sak'art'velo
former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic
Data code: GG
Government type: republic
National capital: T'bilisi
Administrative divisions: 53 rayons (raionebi, singular - raioni), 9
cities* (k'alak'ebi, singular - k'alak'i), and 2 autonomous
republics** (avtomnoy respubliki, singular - avtom respublika);
Abashis, Abkhazia (Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri Respublika)** (Sokhumi),
Adigenis, Ajaria (Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika)** (Bat'umi),
Akhalgoris, Akhalk'alak'is, Akhalts'ikhis, Akhmetis, Ambrolauris,
Aspindzis, Baghdat'is, Bolnisis, Borjomis, Chiat'ura*, Ch'khorotsqus,
Ch'okhatauris, Dedop'listsqaros, Dmanisis, Dushet'is, Gardabanis,
Gori*, Goris, Gurjaanis, Javis, K'arelis, Kaspis, Kharagaulis,
Khashuris, Khobis, Khonis, K'ut'aisi*, Lagodekhis, Lanch'khut'is,
Lentekhis, Marneulis, Martvilis, Mestiis, Mts'khet'is, Ninotsmindis,
Onis, Ozurget'is, P'ot'i*, Qazbegis, Qvarlis, Rust'avi*, Sach'kheris,
Sagarejos, Samtrediis, Senakis, Sighnaghis, T'bilisi*, T'elavis,
T'erjolis, T'et'ritsqaros, T'ianet'is, Tqibuli*, Ts'ageris,
Tsalenjikhis, Tsalkis, Tsqaltubo*, Vanis, Zestap'onis, Zugdidi*,
Zugdidis
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name
following in parentheses)
Independence: 9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day, 26 May (1991)
Constitution: adopted 17 October 1995
Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state : President Eduard Amvrosiyevich SHEVARDNADZE
(previously elected chairman of the Government Council 10 March 1992,
Council has since been disbanded; previously elected chairman of
Parliament 11 October 1992; elected president 5 November 1995); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Eduard Amvrosiyevich SHEVARDNADZE
(previously elected chairman of the Government Council 10 March 1992,
Council has since been disbanded; previously elected chairman of
Parliament 11 October 1992; elected president 5 November 1995); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 5 November 1995 (next to be held NA April 2001)
election results: Eduard SHEVARDNADZE elected president; percent of
vote - Eduard SHEVARDNADZE 74%
Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Council or Umaghiesi Sabcho
(235 seats; members are elected to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 5 November 1995 (next to be held NA November
2000)
election results : percent of vote by party - CUG 24%, NDP 8%, All
Georgia Revival Union 7%, all other parties received less than 5%
each; seats by party - NA
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: Citizens Union of Georgia or CUG
[Eduard SHEVARDNADZE, Zurab ZHVANIA, general secretary]; National
Democratic Party or NDP [Irina SARISHVILI-CHANTARIA]; United
Republican Party, umbrella organization for parties including the GPF
and the Charter 1991 Party [Notar NATADZE, chairman]; Georgian Popular
Front or GPF [Nodar NATADZE, chairman]; Charter 1991 Party [Tedo
PAATASHVILI]; Georgian Social Democratic Party or GSDP [Guram
MUCHAIDZE, secretary general]; All Georgia Union for Revival [Alsan
ABASHIDZE]; Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Irakli SHENGELAYA];
Democratic Georgia Union or DGU [Avtandil MARGIANI]; National
Independence Party or NIP [Irakliy TSERETELI, chairman]; Georgian
Monarchists' Party or GMP [Temur ZHORZHOLIANI]; Greens Party; Agrarian
Party of Georgia or APG [Roin LIPARTELIANI]; United Communist Party of
Georgia or UCP [Panteleimon GIORGADZE, chairman]
Political pressure groups and leaders: supporters of ousted President
Zviad GAMSAKHURDIA (deceased 1 January 1994) remain a source of
opposition; separatist elements in the breakaway region of Abkhazia
International organization participation: BSEC, CCC, CE (guest), CIS,
EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Inmarsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NACC, OSCE, PFP, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Tedo JAPARIDZE
chancery: (temporary) Suite 424, 1511 K Street NW, Washington, DC
20005
telephone: [1] (202) 393-5959
FAX : [1] (202) 393-4537
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William H. COURTNEY
embassy: #25 Antoneli Street, T'bilisi 380026
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone : 995-32-989-967 or 995-32-933-803 (operator assisted)
FAX: tie-line FAX 997-0200; 933-759 or 938-951
Flag description: maroon field with small rectangle in upper hoist
side corner; rectangle divided horizontally with black on top, white
below
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 in 1995-96, pushing
GDP growth and slashing inflation. Georgia had been suffering from
acute energy shortages, although energy deliveries improved in 1996.
Georgia 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 decision in 1996 to construct an
early Caspian oil pipeline through Georgia underscores the viability
of such a corridor and may spur greater western investment in the
economy. A growing trade deficit and political uncertainties cloud the
short-term economic picture.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $7.1 billion (1996 estimate as
extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)
GDP - real growth rate: 11% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,350 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture : 70.4%
industry: 10.2%
services: 19.4% (1993 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 13.3% (1996 est.)
Labor force:
total: 2.2 million (1996)
by occupation: industry and construction 31%, agriculture and forestry
25%, other 44% (1990)
Unemployment rate: 21% (1996 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: steel, aircraft, machine tools, foundry equipment,
electric locomotives, tower cranes, electric welding equipment,
machinery for food preparation and meat packing, electric motors,
process control equipment, trucks, tractors, textiles, shoes,
chemicals, wood products, wine
Industrial production growth rate: 7.7% (1996 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 4.56 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 7.1 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 1,095 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: citrus, grapes, tea, vegetables, potatoes;
small livestock sector
Exports:
total value: $356 million (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities: citrus fruits, tea, wine, other agricultural products;
diverse types of machinery; ferrous and nonferrous metals; textiles;
chemicals; fuel re-exports
partners : Russia, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria (1996)
Imports:
total value: $647 million (c.i.f., 1995)
commodities: fuel, grain and other foods, machinery and parts,
transport equipment
partners: Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan (1996); note - EU and US send
humanitarian food shipments
Debt - external: $1.6 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $28 million (1993)
note : commitments, 1992-95, $1,200 million ($675 million
disbursements)
Currency: lari introduced September 1995 replacing the coupon
Exchange rates: lari per US$1 (end of period) - 1.28 (December 1996),
1.24 (December 1995)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Georgia:Communications
Telephones: 672,000 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: poor service; 339,000 unsatisfied applications for
telephones (December 1990 est.)
domestic: NA
international: landline to CIS members and Turkey; satellite earth
station - 1 Eutelsat; leased connections with other countries via the
Moscow international gateway switch; international electronic mail and
telex service available
Radio broadcast stations: 2 national broadcast stations, 3 regional
broadcast stations
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 3
Televisions: NA
@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: 21,000 km
paved: NA km
unpaved : NA km
note: Georgia reports 19,635 km of "hard surfaced" roads which combine
the lengths of paved and graveled roads; 1,365 km of unsurfaced or
dirt roads are reported separately (1995 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 370 km; refined products 300 km; natural gas 440
km (1992)
Ports and harbors: Bat'umi, P'ot'i, Sokhumi
Merchant marine:
total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 183,202 GRT/292,021 DWT
ships by type : bulk 4, cargo 3, oil tanker 8 (1996 est.)
Airports: 28 (1994 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 14
over 3,047 m : 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m : 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1994 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 14
over 3,047 m : 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 6 (1994 est.)
Transportation - note: transportation network is in poor condition and
disrupted by ethnic conflict, criminal activities, and fuel shortages;
network lacks maintenance and repair
Military
Military branches: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Forces,
National Guard, Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops)
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,288,694 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males : 1,020,609 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 40,799 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: 38.2 trillion coupons (1995);
note - conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the
current exchange rate could produce misleading results
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly
for domestic consumption; used as transshipment point for opiates to
Western Europe
______________________________________________________________________
GERMANY
@Germany:Geography
Location: Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea,
between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark
Geographic coordinates: 51 00 N, 9 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 356,910 sq km
land : 349,520 sq km
water: 7,390 sq km
note: includes the formerly separate Federal Republic of Germany, the
German Democratic Republic, and Berlin, following formal unification
on 3 October 1990
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Montana
Land boundaries:
total: 3,621 km
border countries : Austria 784 km, Belgium 167 km, Czech Republic 646
km, Denmark 68 km, France 451 km, Luxembourg 138 km, Netherlands 577
km, Poland 456 km, Switzerland 334 km
Coastline: 2,389 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone : 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers;
occasional warm, tropical foehn wind; high relative humidity
Terrain: lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south
Elevation extremes:
lowest point : Freepsum Lake -2 m
highest point: Zugspitze 2,962 m
Natural resources: iron ore, coal, potash, timber, lignite, uranium,
copper, natural gas, salt, nickel
Land use:
arable land : 33%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 15%
forests and woodland: 31%
other : 20% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 4,750 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: emissions from coal-burning utilities
and industries and lead emissions from vehicle exhausts (the result of
continued use of leaded fuels) contribute to air pollution; acid rain,
resulting from sulfur dioxide emissions, is damaging forests; heavy
pollution in the Baltic Sea from raw sewage and industrial effluents
from rivers in eastern Germany; hazardous waste disposal
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified : Air Pollution-Sulphur 94
Geography - note: strategic location on North European Plain and along
the entrance to the Baltic Sea
@Germany:People
Population: 82,071,765 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16% (male 6,652,245; female 6,315,479)
15-64 years: 68% (male 28,649,361; female 27,498,980)
65 years and over: 16% (male 4,772,547; female 8,183,153) (July 1997
est.)
Population growth rate: 0% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 8.98 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 10.82 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth : 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.81 years
male: 73.64 years
female: 80.16 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.24 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun : German(s)
adjective: German
Ethnic groups: German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4%, Italians 0.7%, Greeks 0.4%,
Poles 0.4%, other 4.6% (made up largely of people fleeing the war in
the former Yugoslavia)
Religions: Protestant 38%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 1.7%,
unaffiliated or other 26.3%
Languages: German
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1977 est.)
male: NA%
female : NA%
@Germany:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Federal Republic of Germany
conventional short form: Germany
local long form : Bundesrepublik Deutschland
local short form: Deutschland
Data code: GM
Government type: federal republic
National capital: Berlin
note: the shift from Bonn to Berlin will take place over a period of
years, with Bonn retaining many administrative functions and several
ministries even after parliament moves in 1999
Administrative divisions: 16 states (laender, singular - land);
Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bayern, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg,
Hessen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Niedersachsen, Nordrhein-Westfalen,
Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt,
Schleswig-Holstein, Thueringen
Independence: 18 January 1871 (German Empire unification); divided
into four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in
1945 following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West
Germany) proclaimed 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and
French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany)
proclaimed 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone;
unification of West Germany and East Germany took place 3 October
1990; all four power rights formally relinquished 15 March 1991
National holiday: German Unity Day (Day of Unity), 3 October (1990)
Constitution: 23 May 1949, known as Basic Law; became constitution of
the united German people 3 October 1990
Legal system: civil law system with indigenous concepts; judicial
review of legislative acts in the Federal Constitutional Court; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state : President Roman HERZOG (since 1 July 1994)
head of government: Chancellor Dr. Helmut KOHL (since 4 October 1982)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president upon the proposal of the
chancellor
elections: president elected by the Federal Convention including
members of the Federal Assembly and an equal number of members elected
by the Land Parliaments for a five-year term; election last held 23
May 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); chancellor elected by an absolute
majority of the Federal Assembly for a four-year term; election last
held 16 October 1994 (next to be held NA 1998)
election results: Roman HERZOG elected president; percent of Federal
Convention vote - NA; Dr. Helmut KOHL reelected chancellor; percent of
Federal Assembly - NA
Legislative branch: bicameral chamber (no official name for the two
chambers as a whole) consists of the Federal Assembly or Bundestag
(656 seats usually, but 672 for the 1994 term; elected by direct
popular vote under a system combining direct and proportional
representation; a party must win 5% of the national vote or three
direct mandates to gain representation; members serve four-year terms)
and the Federal Council or Bundesrat (68 votes; state governments are
directly represented by votes; each has 3 to 6 votes depending on
population and are required to vote as a block)
elections: Federal Assembly - last held 16 October 1994 (next to be
held by NA 1998); Federal Council - last held NA ( next to be held NA)
election results: Federal Assembly - percent of vote by party - CDU
34.2%, SPD 36.4%, Alliance 90/Greens 7.3%, CSU 7.3%, FDP 6.9%, PDS
4.4%, Republicans 1.9%; seats by party - CDU 244, SPD 252, Alliance
90/Greens 49, CSU 50, FDP 47, PDS 30; Federal Council - current
composition - votes by party - SPD-led states 41, CDU-led states 27
Judicial branch: Federal Constitutional Court or
Bundesverfassungsgericht, half the judges are elected by the Bundestag
and half by the Bundesrat
Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Union or CDU
[Helmut KOHL, chairman]; Christian Social Union or CSU [Theo WAIGEL,
chairman]; Free Democratic Party or FDP [Wolfgang GERHARDT, chairman];
Social Democratic Party or SPD [Oskar LAFONTAINE, chairman]; Alliance
'90/Greens [Gunda ROESTEL, Juergen TRITTIN, cochairpersons]; Party of
Democratic Socialism or PDS [Lothar BISKY, chairman]; Republikaner
[Rolf SCHLIERER, chairman]; National Democratic Party or NPD
[Ellen-Doris SCHERER]; Communist Party or DKP [Rolf PRIEMER and Heinz
STEHR, cochairpersons]
Political pressure groups and leaders: employers' organizations,
expellee, refugee, trade unions, and veterans groups
International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB,
Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CERN,
EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NACC, NAM
(guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNOMIG, UPU, WEU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Juergen CHROBOG
chancery : 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 298-4000
FAX: [1] (202) 298-4249
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Los
Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Seattle
consulate(s): Wellington (American Samoa)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires James D.
BINDENAGEL
embassy : Deichmanns Aue 29, 53170 Bonn
mailing address: APO AE 09080, PSC 117, Bonn
telephone: [49] (228) 3391
FAX: [49] (228) 339-2663
branch office : Berlin
consulate(s) general: Dusseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Leipzig,
Munich
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red,
and gold
Economy
Economy - overview: Germany, the world's third-most powerful economy,
is gearing up for the European Economic and Monetary Union in 1999.
One key economic priority is meeting the Maastricht criteria for entry
into EMU, a goal complicated by record unemployment and stagnating
growth. The government has implemented an austerity budget in its
attempt to get the deficit down to 3% of GDP as required by
Maastricht, but further cuts probably will be necessary and there is
little consensus among the parties or elites about next steps toward
that end. In recent years business and political leaders have become
increasingly concerned about Germany's apparent decline in
attractiveness as a business location. They cite the increasing
preference of German companies to locate new manufacturing facilities
- long the strength of the postwar economy - in foreign countries,
including the US, rather than in Germany, so they can be closer to
their markets and avoid Germany's high taxes and labor costs. At the
same time, Germany faces its own unique problem of bringing its
eastern area up to scratch after 45 years of communist rule. Despite
substantial progress toward economic integration, the eastern states
will continue to rely on the annual subsidy of approximately $100
billion from the western part into the next century. Assistance from
the west helped the east to average nearly 8% annual economic growth
in 1992-95, even though the overall German economy had averaged less
than 2% growth; growth in the east, however, tumbled to 2% in 1996,
with unemployment a particularly severe problem.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.7 trillion (western: purchasing
power parity - $1.56 trillion; eastern: purchasing power parity - $142
billion) (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.4% (western 1.3%, eastern 2.0%) (1996)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $20,400 (western:
purchasing power parity - $23,100; eastern: purchasing power parity -
$9,000) (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.1%
industry: 34.5%
services: 64.4% (1995)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 1.5% (1996)