| Geography and Climate |
Georgia is located in Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia.
Area comparatively slightly smaller than South Carolina. Total land boundary is 1,461 km, border countries are Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km and Turkey 252 km.
Climate in the country is warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast. Terrain consists of largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; 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 extreme has the lowest point in Black Sea 0 m and highest point in Mt'a Mqinvartsveri (Gora Kazbek) 5,048 m. Natural resources are 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: 9%, permanent crops: 4%, permanent pastures: 25%,
forests and woodland: 34% and other: 28% (1993 est.). Irrigated land: 4,000 sq km (1993 est.)
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.
Ref. Anonymous, 1999 |