GeorgiaGeography

Location: Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia Geographic coordinates: 42 00 N, 43 30 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 69,700 sq km
land: 69,700 sq km
water: 0 sq km Area - comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina Land boundaries: total: 1,461 km
border countries: Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km, Turkey 252 km Coastline: 310 km Maritime claims: NA Climate: warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast Terrain: 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; good soils in river valley flood plains, foothills of Kolkhida Lowland Elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
highest point: Mt'a Shkhara 5,201 m 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 Land use: arable land: 11.44%
permanent crops: 3.86%
other: 84.7% (2001) Irrigated land: 4,700 sq km (1998 est.) Natural hazards: earthquakes 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 Geography - note: strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them More about Georgia: Introduction People Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues