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General Information Area: 69,700 sq km (26,911 sq miles). Population: 5,399,000 (official estimate 1999). Population Density: 77.5 per sq km. Capital: Tbilisi. Population: 1,271,800 (official estimate 1993). GEOGRAPHY: Georgia is a mountainous country bordered by the Russian Federation in the north, Turkey in the southeast, Armenia in the south, Azerbaijan in the east and by the Black Sea in the west, which forms a 330km- (206 mile-) long coastline. It includes the two autonomous republics Ajaria and Abkhazia. The state is crossed by the ranges of the Greater Caucasus (highest peak: Mt Kazbek, 5047m/16,554ft). Enclosed high valleys, wide basins, health spas with famous mineral waters, caves and waterfalls combine in this land of varied landscapes and striking beauty. Government: Republic. Gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Head of State and Government: President Eduard Shevardnadze since 1992. Language: The official language is Georgian, the only language in the Ibera Caucasian family written in ancient script, with its own unique alphabet. Russian, Ossetian and Abkhazian are also spoken. Religion: Christian majority, mainly Georgian Orthodox church. Also Eastern Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish and other Christian denomination minorities. Time: GMT + 4. Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz. European-type, two-pin plugs are used. The supply of electricity can be intermittent between November and March, and visitors are advised to bring a torch with them. Telephone IDD is, in theory, available. Country code: 995. Some outgoing calls from Georgia, except to other parts of the CIS, must be made through the operator and long waits can occur. It is possible for visitors to set up an account with the local telecom company that enables them to make direct long-distance calls without the operator’s assistance. Many businessmen and journalists now use satellite links to overcome the considerable problems of ordinary telephone communication. The Metekhi Palace Hotel is equipped with its own satellite phones. Mobile telephone GSM 900 and 1800 networks. Main operators include Geocell Ltd (website: www.geocell.com.ge) and Magti Com (website: www.magtigsm.com). Coverage extends around the capital and along the coast. Fax Facilities are available at the Central Post Office in Tbilisi, 38 Rustaveli Avenue. Fees for outgoing faxes are charged per page. Internet Local ISPs include Sanet (website: www.sanet.ge). Post International postal services can be severely disrupted. Long delays may occur and parcels should be registered or delivered through courier services such as DHL and Air Express, based locally. It is advisable to post letters in central post offices rather than using the post boxes in the street. Press The principal dailies are Droni and Respublika. Georgian Times is the English-language daily and there are two weekly publications, Weekly Post and Tbilisi Times. Foreign newspapers are available. BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change. BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice): MHz 17.79 15.58 11.76 1.413 Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov): MHz1 15.21 11.82 9.760 1.197 From www.columbusguides.com, Copyright © 2004 Highbury Columbus Travel Publishing Terms and Conditions apply.