long form: Sak'art'velos Respublika
local short form: Sak'art'velo
former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic

Data code: GG

Type of government: republic

Capital: T'bilisi

Administrative divisions: 2 autonomous republics (avtomnoy
respubliki, singular - avtom respublika); Abkhazia (Sokhumi), Ajaria
(Bat'umi)
note: the administrative centers of the autonomous republics are
included in parentheses; there are no oblasts - the rayons around
T'bilisi are under direct republic jurisdiction

Independence: 9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 26 May (1991)

Constitution: adopted 17 October 1995

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state and 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);
presidential election last held 5 November 1995 (next to be held NA
April 2001); results - Eduard SHEVARDNADZE 74%; president's term to
last five years
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers

Legislative branch: unicameral
Georgian Parliament: elections last held 5 November 1995 (next to be
held NA November 2000); results - CUG 24%, NDP 8%, All Georgia
Revival Union 7%, all other parties received less than 5% each;
seats - (235 total) number of seats by party NA

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Citizens Union of Georgia (CUG),
Eduard SHEVARDNADZE, Zurab ZHVANIA, general secretary; National
Democratic Party (NDP), Irina SARISHVILI-CHANTARIA; United
Republican Party, umbrella organization for parties including the
GPF and the Charter 1991 Party, Notar NATADZE, chairman; Georgian
Popular Front (GPF), Nodar NATADZE, chairman; Charter 1991 Party,
Tedo PAATASHVILI; Georgian Social Democratic Party (GSDP), Guram
MUCHAIDZE, secretary general; All Georgia Union for Revival, Alsan
ABASHIDZE; Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Irakli SHENGELAYA;
Democratic Georgia Union (DGU), Avtandil MARGIANI; National
Independence Party (NIP), Irakliy TSERETELI, chairman; Georgian
Monarchists' Party (GMP), Temur ZHORZHOLIANI; Greens Party; Agrarian
Party of Georgia (APG), Roin LIPARTELIANI; United Communist Party of
Georgia (UCP), Panteleimon GIORGADZE, chairman

Other political or