White rectangle, in its central portion a red cross connecting all four sides of the flag; in each of the four corners is a small red Bolnur-katskhuri cross; the five-cross flag appears to date back to the 14th century.
9 regions, (mkharebi, singular - mkhare), 1 city* (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), Guria, Imereti, Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Shida Kartli, and T'bilisi*. The administrative centers of the 2 autonomous republics are shown in parentheses.
Population:
4,960,951 (July 2002 est.)
Languages:
Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, other 7% Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia
Geographic coordinates:
42° 00' N, 43° 30' E
Area total:
69,700 sq. km
Land area:
69,700 sq. km
Water area:
0 sq. km
Total land boundaries:
1,461 km
Borders with neighbor countries:
Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km, Turkey 252 km
Coastline:
310 km
Elevation extremes:
Black Sea 0 m - Mt'a Shkhara 5,201 m
Internet country code:
.ge
Currency:
lari (GEL)
Name - conventional long form:
none
Name - conventional short form:
Georgia
Name - local long form:
none S
Name - local short form:
ak'art'velo
Former name:
Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic
Independence:
9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Constitution:
adopted 17 October 1995
Government type:
republic
National holiday:
Independence Day, 26 May (1918) 26 May 1918 is the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 9 April 1991 is the date of independence from the Soviet Union