(Tbilisi, May 6, 2003. Civil Georgia) – The State Department of Statistics of Georgia announced final results of census, conducted on January 17-24, 2002. According to the data, since the last census in 1989, population of Georgia has reduced by 1 million, to the level of 4,4 million current residents.
“We were not able to conduct the census for 13 years due to absence of financing. The 2002 Census indeed was a historic event” – Joseph Archvadze, deputy chairman of the Department told Civil Georgia.
He explained that census could not be conducted on Abkazian and South Osetian territories, since they are not controlled by the central authorities. According to the calculations, there may be up to 230 thousand Georgians living in these territories at present.
One of the main reasons of reduction of the population is migration. As the Department reports, so far approximately 800 000 people have emigrated from the country. The census was not conducted in the Russian military bases in Georgia as well.
According to the final results, number of internally displaced persons in Georgia reaches 264 thousand.
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