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Georgia
Forest Information and Data
According to the U.N. FAO,
39.5% or about 2,742,000 ha of Georgia is forested, according to FAO. Of this 18.2% ( 500,000 ) is classified as primary forest, the most biodiverse and carbon-dense form of forest. Georgia had 184,000 ha of planted forest.
Change in Forest Cover: Between 1990 and 2010, Georgia lost an average of 1,850 ha or 0.07% per year. In total, between 1990 and 2010, Georgia lost 1.3% of its forest cover, or around 37,000 ha.
Georgia's forests contain 212 million metric tons of carbon in living forest biomass.
Biodiversity and Protected Areas: Georgia has some 442 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles according to figures from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Of these, 0.0% are endemic, meaning they exist in no other country, and 6.1% are threatened. Georgia is home to at least 4350 species of vascular plants, of which 8.7% are endemic. 4.2% of Georgia is protected under IUCN categories I-V.
The following contains data relating to forest cover in Georgia
Previous version of this profile (2009)
SECTIONS:
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Georgia: Forest Cover, 2010
| Total Land Area (1000 ha) | 6949 |
| Total Forest Area (1000 ha) | 2742 |
| Percent Forest Cover | 39 |
| Primary Forest Cover (1000 ha) | 500 |
| Primary Forest, % total forest | 18 |
| Other wooded land (1000 ha) | 51 |
| Percent other wooded land | 1 |
Georgia: Breakdown of forest types, 2010
| Primary forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) | 500 | 18 |
| Other naturally regenerated forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) | 2059 | 75 |
| Planted Forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) | 184 | 7 |
Georgia: Trends in Total (Net) Forest Cover, 1990-2010
| TOTAL FOREST COVER (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 2779 | 2768 | 2755 | 2742 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| -1 | -3 | -3 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| -0.04 | -0.09 | -0.09 | |
Georgia: Trends in Natural Forest Cover (Deforestation), 1990-2010
| FOREST COVER (excluding planted forests) (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 2725 | 2708 | 2694 | 2558 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| -2 | -2 | -15 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| -0.1 | -0.06 | -0.55
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Georgia: Trends in Primary or Old Growth Forest Cover, 1990-2010
| PRIMARY FOREST COVER (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Georgia: Trends in Planted Forest Cover, 1990-2010
| PLANTED FOREST COVER (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 54 | 60 | 61 | 184 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 1 | n.s. | 25 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 1.06 | 0.17 | 24.86 | |
Georgia: Primary designated function (percent)
| Production | Protection of soil and water | Conservation of biodiversity | Social services | Multiple use | Other | None or unknown |
| 0 | 79 | 8 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Georgia: Forest ownership and management rights 2005 (percent)
| OWNERSHIP PATTERN |
| Public ownership | Private ownership | Other |
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
| PRIVATE OWNERSHIP |
| Individuals | Business entities and institutions | Local, indigenous and tribal communities |
| - | - | - |
| HOLDER OF MANAGEMENT RIGHTS OF PUBLIC FORESTS |
| Public administration | Individuals | Business
entities and Institutions | Communities | Other |
| 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Georgia: Growing stock in forest
| GROWING STOCK IN FOREST |
Total
(million m3) | Per hectare
(m3) | Coniferous
(million m3) | Broadleaved
(million m3) | % commercial species |
| 467 | 170 | 126 | 341 | - |
| GROWING STOCK IN FOREST |
| Total (million m3) | Per hectare (m3) | Coniferous (million m3) | Broadleaved (million m3) | % commercial species |
| - | - | | | |
Georgia: Trends in carbon stock in living forest biomass 1990-2010
CARBON STOCK IN LIVING FOREST BIOMASS
(million metric tons) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 192 | 203 | 207 | 212 |
CARBON STOCK IN LIVING FOREST BIOMASS
(per hectare in tons) |
| | | 2000 |
| | | 77 |
ANNUAL CHANGE
(1 000 t/yr) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 1 | 1 | 1 |
ANNUAL CHANGE PER HECTARE
(t/ha/yr) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| n.s. | n.s. | n.s. |
Georgia: Area of forest affected by fire and other disturbances 2005
| FOREST FIRE |
| 1000 ha | % wild fire (not managed burn) |
| - | 100 |
| EXCLUDING FOREST FIRE |
| Insects | Diseases | Other biotic agents | Abiotic factors | Total (excluding fire) | % of 2005 forest area |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
Georgia: Trends in removals of wood products 1990-2005
INDUSTRIAL ROUNDWOOD
Total volume (1 000 m3 over bark) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | percent of which from forest 2005 |
| 103 | 91 | 111 | 100 |
WOODFUEL
Total volume (1 000 m3 over bark) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | percent of which from forest 2005 |
| 248 | 299 | 666 | 100 |
Georgia: Value of wood and NWFP removals 2005
Value of removals
(million US$) | Value per ha forest
(US$) |
| Industrial roundwood | Woodfuel | NWFP | Total | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
Georgia: Employment in forestry 1990-2005
TOTAL
(1000 full-time employees) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 |
| - | - | - |
IN PRIMARY PRODUCTION OF GOODS-FORESTRY
(1000 full-time employees) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 |
| 12 | 4 | 3 |
IN MANAGEMENT OF PROTECTED AREAS-CONSERVATION
(1000 full-time employees) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 |
| - | - | - |
Georgia: Forest policy and legal framework 2008
National forest policy (year): No (-)
Sub-national forest policy: No
National forest program (year) - status: Yes (2006) In formulation
National forest law (year): Specific forest law (1999)
Sub-national forest law: No
Georgia: Human resources within public forest institutions 2000-2008
| 2000 | 2005 | 2008 |
| # | % female | # | % female | # | % female |
| - | - | 2026 | - | 650 | - |
Georgia: Forest revenue and public expenditure on forestry 2005
| Forest revenue | Public expenditure (1000 US$) |
| Domestic funding | External funding | Total |
| (1000 US$) | Operational expenditure | Transfer payments | Operational expenditure | Transfer payments | Operational expenditure | Transfer payments |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | -
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Georgia: Status of ratification of international conventions and agreements as of 1 January 2010
CbD:
UNFCCC:
Kyoto Protocol:
UNCCD:
ITTA:
CITeS:
Ramsar:
World Heritage Convention:
NlbI:
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Georgia: Environment
| Environment - current issues | air pollution, particularly in Rust'avi; heavy pollution of Mtkvari River and the Black Sea; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil pollution from toxic chemicals | | Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | | Natural hazards | earthquakes |
Georgia: Land use / Resources
| Land use (%) | arable land: 11.44%
permanent crops: 3.86%
other: 84.7% (2001) | | Natural resources | forests, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper, minor coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for important tea and citrus growth |
Georgia: Economy
| Economy - overview: | Georgia's main economic activities include the cultivation of agricultural products such as citrus fruits, tea, hazelnuts, and grapes; mining of manganese and copper; and output of a small industrial sector producing alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, metals, machinery, and chemicals. 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 since 1995, achieving positive GDP growth and curtailing inflation. Georgia had suffered from a chronic failure to collect tax revenues, however, the new government is making progress in reforming the tax code, enforcing taxes, and cracking down on corruption. In addition, the privatisation process has taken off, permitting the government to boost expenditures on infrastructure, defence and poverty reduction. Smuggling is a perennial drain on the economy. Georgia also suffers from energy shortages; it privatized the T'bilisi electricity distribution network in 1998, but payment collection rates remain low, both in T'bilisi and throughout the regions. The country is pinning its hopes for long-term growth on its role as a transit state for pipelines and trade. The construction on the Baku-T'bilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the Baku-T'bilisi-Erzerum gas pipeline have brought much-needed investment and job opportunities. Nevertheless, high energy prices in 2006 will compound the pressure on the country's inefficient energy sector. Restructuring the sector and finding energy supply alternatives to Russia remains a major challenge. | | GDP - per capita | $3,400 (2005 est.) | | GDP - real growth rate (%) | 10% (2005 est.) | | Agriculture - products | citrus, grapes, tea, hazelnuts, vegetables; livestock | | GDP - composition by sector (%) | agriculture: 16%, industry: 26.8%, services: 57.2% (2005 est.) | | Industries | steel, aircraft, machine tools, electrical appliances, mining (manganese and copper), chemicals, wood products, wine | | Economic aid - recipient | ODA $150 million (2000 est.) | | Debt - external | $1.9 billion (2003) | | Population below poverty line (%) | 54% (2001 est.) | | Labor force - by occupation (%) | agriculture 40%, industry 20%, services 40% (1999 est.) |
Georgia: Population / Demographics
| Population (July 2005) | 4,677,401 | | Population growth rate (%) (2005) | -0.35% | | Population density (people/sq km) (2005) | 67.1 | | Percent rural (2003) | 48.1% | | Median age (years) | total: 37.36 years | | Total fertility rate (children born/woman) | 1.41 (2005 est.) | | Ethnic groups (%) | Georgian 83.8%, Azeri 6.5%, Armenian 5.7%, Russian 1.5%, other 2.5% (2002 census) |
Largest Cities in Georgia
Cities and urban areas in Georgia with population over 100,000 All figures are estimates for 2002.
| City | Country | City Population | Urban Area Population |
| Tbilisi | Georgia | 1382900 | 1455600 |
| Kutaisi | Georgia | 267300 | 267300 |
| Batumi | Georgia | 144600 | 144600 |
| Zugdidi | Georgia | 104900 | 104900 |
Georgia: Infrastructure
| Telephones - main lines in use | 650,500 (2003) | | Telephones - mobile cellular | 522,300 (2003) | | Roadways (km) | total: 20,247 km
paved: 7,973 km
unpaved: 12,274 km (2003) |
Georgia: Health
| Life expectancy at birth (years) | total population: 75.88 years
male: 72.59 years
female: 79.67 years (2005 est.) | | Infant mortality rate | 18.59 deaths/1,000 live births | | HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate (%) | less than 0.1% (2001 est.) |
Georgia
: References & Data Sources
 Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005
Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005 & 2010) and the State of the World's Forests (2009, 2007, 2005, 2003, 2001)
Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.
Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.
RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.
World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site
The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund
With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com
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