Population in Georgia Declined

Statistics Department Reports Census Results

According to the final results of the census, published by the State Department of Statistics on May 6, currently there are 4.4 million people in the country, which is 1 million less than the previous data of 1989.

The State Department of Statistics explains decline of the population mainly with the decline of the birth rate and with the loss of the territories – the census could not be conducted in Georgia’s breakaway regions Abkhazia and South Ossetia. In addition to mechanical decrease in population, deteriorating living conditions forced many citizens to seek permanent employment abroad or move abroad.

After 13 years-long pause, on January 17-24, 2002 the State Department of Statistics was instructed by the government to conduct the census. The process involved 23 thousand people along with specialists of the State Department of Statistics.

Special committees, headed by the State Minister and regional governors, were set up in the number of districts and villages to facilitate to the process.

“This census had more demographic meaning. We were registering gender, education, profession, confession and language group of the citizen. We also had a question regarding employment in the questionnaire, to find out whether the respondent is employed in the field of his or her specialty,” Joseph Archvadze, Deputy Chairman of the Department told Civil Georgia.

The exact number of internal displaced persons living in Georgia is also determined as a result of the census.  According to the final results, number of internally displaced persons both from Abkhazia and South Ossetia reaches 264 thousand.

“We had never had such experience before. In soviet times there was no such point in the questionnaires, but know this has become one of the most important issues. We have registered where each particular IDP has lived before and now,” Archvadze said.

He said that the Statistics Department could not determine number of citizens living in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

“We were not able to count population in the territories where Georgia’s jurisdiction is not being executed. In these territories we were able to conduct the census only in Kodori gorge of Abkhazia and Akhalgori district villages of Small and Greater Liakhvi river zones of South Ossetia,” the Department official said.

According to the census results the number of ethnic minorities has reduced in Georgia.

“In 1989 only 70% of the population was Georgian, while now this figure is 82-83%,” Archvadze said. Many Greeks, Russians and Jews have emigrated from Georgia due to difficult internal situation.

“Many foreigners, who have immigrated to Georgia many years ago are now repatriating back to their homelands. But outflow of Georgian population is much bigger,” Archvadze said.

Currently there are approximately 800 000 Georgians living abroad. However, some experts say that there might be even more émigrés from Georgia. Several experts also say that the census still tends to exaggerate the population figures.

The doubts are heard that inflated population figures are in the interests of some government representatives, especially the provincial ones. Experts say that the more is the official population, the more budgetary funding and foreign assistance is directed towards the provincial governments.

“Errors were made during the census. Therefore we should expect certain inaccuracies in the calculations,” Giorgi Meladze, head of the Demography and Social Issues Division of the Georgia Academy of Sciences told Civil Georgia.

The Statistics Department denies these claims. Joseph Archvadze, Deputy Chairman of the Department explains that the Department has conducted the census in accordance with the international standards.

“Were preparing for this since 1995 and were quite able to conduct the procedure objectively,” Joseph Archvadze says.

5 million Lari were allocated in the state budget for the census procedure. The country also received assistance from the international organizations, which was used for purchase of the necessary equipment.

As Archvadze said, if not assistance of the UNDP, British Development Agency, German and Dutch government, the department could not have done the census independently.

By Tea Gularidze, Civil Georgia