Georgia - Geography

Here, let us take a look at the Geography of Georgia. note 1: strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them

note 2: the world's four deepest caves are all in Georgia, including two that are the only known caves on earth deeper than 2,000 m: Krubera Cave at -2,197 m (-7,208 ft; reached in 2012) and Veryovkina Cave at -2,212 (-7,257 ft; reached in 2018). Mother's mean age at first birth is 25.9 years (2019 est.) (Note: data does not cover Abkhazia and South Ossetia), whereas, the Maternal mortality ratio is 28 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Geographical data of Georgia
Location Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia, with a sliver of land north of the Caucasus extending into Europe; note - Georgia views itself as part of Europe; geopolitically, it can be classified as falling within Europe, the Middle East, or both
Geographic coordinates 42 00 N, 43 30 E
Map references Asia
Tarrain largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhet'is Dablobi (Kolkhida Lowland) opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River Basin in the east; fertile soils in river valley flood plains and foothills of Kolkhida Lowland
Natural Resources timber, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper, minor coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for important tea and citrus growth
Natural Hazards earthquakes
Irrigated Land 4,330 sq km (2012)
Major rivers (by length in km)
Major aquifers
Land Boundaries 1,814 km
Border Countries Armenia 219 km; Azerbaijan 428 km; Russia 894 km; Turkey 273 km
Coastline 310 km
Climate warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast
Area
Total Area
Land Area 69,700 sq km
Water Area 0 sq km
comparative Area slightly smaller than South Carolina; slightly larger than West Virginia
Maritime Claims
Territorial sea 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone 200 nm
Elevations
Highest point Mt'a Shkhara 5,193 m
Lowest point Black Sea 0 m
Mean elevation 1,432 m
Land Use
Agricultural land 35.5% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land arable land: 5.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops permanent crops: 1.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture permanent pasture: 27.9% (2018 est.)
Forest 39.4% (2018 est.)
Other 25.1% (2018 est.)
Population Distribution

Settlement concentrated in the central valley, particularly in the capital city of Tbilisi in the east; smaller urban agglomerations dot the Black Sea coast, with Bat'umi being the largest

People and Society

In Georgia, the different Ethnic groups are such that we have: Georgian 86.8%, Azeri 6.3%, Armenian 4.5%, other 2.3% (includes Russian, Ossetian, Yazidi, Ukrainian, Kist, Greek) (2014 est.)

Population
Pop growth rate -0.5% (2024 est.)
Birth rate 12 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Death rate 13.3 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Health expenditure 7.6% of GDP (2020)
Physicians Density
Hospital bed Density 2.9 beds/1,000 population (2014)
Total fertility rate 1.95 children born/woman (2024 est.)
Gross reproduction rate 0.94 (2024 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate 40.6% (2018)
Est married women (ages 15-49) 67.1% (2023 est.)
Literacy age 15 and over can read and write
Education expenditures 3.6% of GDP (2021 est.)
Net Migration rate -3.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Nationality Georgian | Georgian(s)
Languages
Religions Eastern Orthodox Christian (official) 83.4%, Muslim 10.7%, Armenian Apostolic Christian 2.9%, other 1.2% (includes Roman Catholic Christian, Jehovah's Witness, Yazidi, Protestant Christian, Jewish), none 0.5%, unspecified/no answer 1.2% (2014 est.)
Age Structure
0-14 years 20.6% (male 520,091/female 489,882)
15-64 years 62.7% (male 1,500,036/female 1,572,637)
65 years and over 16.7% (2024 est.) (male 322,941/female 495,374)
Dependency Ratios
Total dependency ratio 55.4
Youth dependency ratio 32.8
Elderly dependency ratio 22.6
Potential support ratio 4.4 (2021 est.)
Median Age
Total 38.3 years (2024 est.)
Male 35.9 years
Female 40.6 years
Urbanization
Urban population 60.7% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization 0.35% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas (Pop) 1.082 million TBILISI (capital) (2023).
Sex Ratio
At birth 1.07 male(s)/female
0-14 years 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over 0.65 male(s)/female
Total population 0.92 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Infant Motality
Total 21.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male 23.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Female 19.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Life Expectancy at birth
Total population 72.8 years (2024 est.)
Male 68.7 years
Female 77.2 years
Drinking Water Sources
Improved: urban urban: 99.4% of population
Improved: rural rural: 94.3% of population
Improved: total total: 97.3% of population
Unimproved: urban urban: 0.6% of population
Unimproved: rural rural: 5.7% of population
Unimproved: total total: 2.7% of population (2020 est.)
Sanitation facility acess
Improved: urban urban: 96.3% of population
Improved: rural rural: 72.7% of population
Improved: total total: 86.7% of population
Unimproved: urban urban: 3.7% of population
Unimproved: rural rural: 27.3% of population
Unimproved: total total: 13.3% of population (2020 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
Total 7.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Beer 1.71 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Wine 3.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Spirits 2.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Other alcohols 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use
Total 31.7% (2020 est.)
Male 56.3% (2020 est.)
Female 7.1% (2020 est.)
Child marriage
Women married by age 15 0.3%
Women married by age 18 13.9%
Men married by age 18 0.5% (2018 est.)
Demographic profile

Analyzing population trends in Georgia since independence in 1991 has proven difficult due to a lack of reliable demographic statistics.  Censuses were fairly accurately and regularly updated through a vital statistics system during Georgia’s period of Soviet rule, but from independence until about 2010, the system broke down as a result of institutional and economic change, social unrest, and large-scale outmigration.  The 2002 census is believed to have significantly overestimated the size of Georgia’s population, in part because respondents continued to include relatives living abroad as part of their household count.  The 2014 census indicates that Georgia’s population is decreasing and aging.  Census data shows that the median age increased from 34.5 years in 2002 to 37.7 years in 2014.  The working-age population (ages 15-65 years) was fairly high in 2002 and rose between 2005 and 2011. Nonetheless, Georgia did not reap economic benefits from this age structure, since the working-age population increase seems to have stimulated labor outmigration to Russia, Ukraine, and other neighboring countries.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Georgia has seen its economy grow to its highest level in years due to the influx of Russian businesses, information and communications technology specialists, and money transfers.  This growth may only be temporary and conditions could still easily change depending on future events.  Meanwhile, the Russian inflow is also a source of concern, as some Georgians fear it could prompt Putin to target their country next.  In addition, Ukrainian refugees use Georgia not just as a transit country but also as a destination.  Some 25,000 Ukrainians remain in the country as of November 2022; they pose an additional strain on resources in Georgia, which has a significant population of its own displaced citizens – from the 2008 Russian occupation of Abkhazia and South Ossetia – who continue to need government support.

All Important Facts about Georgia

Want to know more about Georgia? Check all different factbooks for Georgia below.

Georgia is found in Western Asia