conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Georgia
local long form: none
local short form: Sak'art'velo
former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic

GG

republic

T'bilisi

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 or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri Respublika** (Sokhumi),
Adigenis, Ajaria or 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)

9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Independence Day, 26 May (1991)

adopted 17 October 1995

based on civil law system

18 years of age; universal

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; president since 26 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; president since 26 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 9 April 2000)
election results: Eduard SHEVARDNADZE elected president; percent of
vote - Eduard SHEVARDNADZE 74%

unicameral Supreme Council (commonly referred to
as Parliament) or Umaghiesi Sabcho (235 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 31 October 1999 (next to be held NA 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party - CUG 41.85%, AGUR 25.65%,
IWSG 7.8%, all other parties received less than 7% each; seats by
party - CUG 130, AGUR 59, IWSG 15, Abkhaz deputies 12, independents
14, other 5

Supreme Court, judges elected by the Supreme Council
on the president's recommendation; Constitutional Court

Citizen's Union of Georgia or CUG
; Georgian United Communist Party or UCPG
; Greens Party [Giorgi
GACHECHILADZE]; Industry Will Save Georgia or IWSG ;
Labor Party ; National Democratic Party or NDP
; National Independent Party or NIP
; People's Party ;
Socialist Party or SPG ; Union for "Revival"
Party or AGUR ; Union of Traditionalists or UGT
; United Republican Party or URP [Nodar NATADZE,
chairman]

Georgian refugees from Abkhazia
(Abkhaz faction in Georgian Parliament); separatist elements in the
breakaway region of Abkhazia; supporters of the late ousted President
Zviad GAMSAKHURDYA remain a source of opposition

BSEC, CCC, CE, CE (guest),
CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO
(correspondent), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

chief of mission: Ambassador Tedo JAPARIDZE
chancery: Suite 300, 1615 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC
20009
telephone:  (202) 387-2390
FAX:  (202) 393-4537

chief of mission: Ambassador Kenneth S. YALOWITZ
embassy: #25 Antoneli Street, T'bilisi 380026
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone:  (32) 989-967
FAX:  (32) 933-759

maroon field with small rectangle in upper hoist
side corner; rectangle divided horizontally with black on top, white
below