First Census in 12 years revealed:
Three million people live in Georgia - 15% less than 2002

Georgia’s first Census in 12 years has been released and shows the country’s population has decreased by about 650,000 people since 2002.

Today the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat) published 2014 General Census data, which revealed information about the country’s population and how it was composed (gender, age etc), as well as socio-economic factors such as employment rate, level of health and education, wealth, household conditions, agricultural activities and more.

The 2014 General Census data showed Georgia’s population decreased 15 per cent, from 4,371,535 to 3,713,804, in the past 12 years.

The decrease was much more pronounced in the rural population (-23.7percent) while the urban population shrank by 7.1 percent.

As of 2002 when the Census was conducted, 3,713,804 people lived in Georgia.

Surveying for the Census 2014 took place from November 5-19 across the country. Georgian residents living in 382 villages in Georgia’s mountainous areas were surveyed in September as bad weather was forecast for November.

In Georgia a Census is held every 12 years. The last Census took place in 2002.

The 2014 General Census does not include the information about population living in Georgia’s breakaway regions.

Urban population vs rural 

Latest data showed 2,122,623 people live in urban parts of Georgia while 1,591,181 people live in rural Georgia, said Geostat.

Taking into account the fact population numbers decreased mainly in rural areas, the urban/rural pattern of population changed significantly since the last Census. Latest data showed the number of people living in urban areas increased 4.9 percent and equalled 57.2 percent of the national population.

The 2014 General Census data showed Georgia’s capital Tbilisi had grown immensely in the past 12 years.

Latest data showed 2,122,623 people live in urban parts of Georgia. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.

Latest data revealed 1,108,717 people live in capital Tbilisi. This was a 2.5 percent increase since the previous survey in 2002. Geostat said one reason for this was because of the amalgamation of Mtskheta and Gardabani being regarded as a part of Tbilisi instead of separate areas.

In the other regions of Georgia the most significant decrease in population occurred in Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti (37.4 percent) and Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti (29 percent), while the smallest population decline was recorded in the Autonomous Republic of Adjara (10.6 percent).

How many people live in Georgia’s regions: 

• Imereti – 533,906 people;
• Kvemo Kartli – 423,986 people;
• Adjara Autonomous Region – 333,953 people;
• Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti – 330,761 people;
• Kakheti – 318,583 people;
• Shida Kartli – 263,382.
• Samtskhe-Javakheti – 160,504 people;
• Guria – 113,350 people;
• Mtsketa-Mtianeti – 94,573 people; and
• Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti – 32,089 people.

Georgia’s population by age and sex

There are more men in Georgia than women. The 2014 Census revealed 52.3 percent of Georgia’s population were male while 47.7 percent were female.

However there were more women in urban areas (53.8 percent) compared to males (46.2 percent). In rural areas the number of men and women were about equal - 49.8 percent were male and 50.2 percent were female.

The average age of people living in Georgia changed slightly since the last Census, said Geostat.

Latest data showed there were 2.4 percent less people aged 0-14 in Georgia than 12 years ago. This age group of people made up 18.6 percent of the total population.

In Georgia’s regions, the highest average age of citizens occurred in Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.

Countering this, the number of people aged 15-64 increased slightly, by 0.8 percent. Furthermore, the number of people in Georgia aged 65 or older increased by 1.6 percent.

The average age of the population increased by two years to 38.1 years compared to the 2002 Population Census. Accordingly, the average age of males increased from 34.3 years to 35.9 years, while the age of females rose from 37.8 to 40.1 years.

In Georgia’s regions, the lowest average age of citizens occurred in Kvemo Kartli (35.6 years) and the highest in Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti (48.2 years).

Who are Georgia’s ethnic population?

Results of the 2014 General Population Census showed 86.8 percent of the people in Georgia were ethnic Georgians, 6.3 percent were Azerbaijanis and 4.5 percent were Armenians.

It should be noted the largest 10 ethnic groups in the country made up 99.6 percent of the total population.

In Georgia there live: 

• 3,224,600 Georgians;
• 233,000 Azerbaijanis;
• 168,100 Armenians;
• 26,500 Russians;
• 14,400 Ossetians;
• 12,200 Yazidis;
• 6,000 Ukrainians;
• and others.

Geostat noted 500 people refused to state their nationalities on the Census survey.

Religion

About 83.5 percent of the population are Orthodox Christians, 10.7 percent are Muslims and 2.9 percent belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.

Level of Education

From the 2014 Population Census, information was obtained about the level of education of a person aged 10 years and older.

Data showed 26.7 percent of people in Georgia had tertiary education, 17.4 percent had a professional education degree while 36.7 percent achieved general education (secondary education) level. Basic and primary levels of general education achieved were indicated by 8.4 percent and 5.7 percent of the population respectively.

Data about a person’s education level differed according to where they lived in Georgia. For example 78 percent of people with tertiary education live in urban areas while 22 percent live in rural settlements. Just over 47 percent of people with a general education live in urban settlements.

Internal and external migration

Internal migrants – people who have changed permanent residence from one part of Georgia to another – account for 28.5 percent of the population. Males constituted 33.6 percent of internal migrants and females made up 66.4 percent.

The largest number of internal migrants now lived in Tbilisi (33.1 percent), Imereti region (15.1 percent) and Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region (9.6 percent).

Immigrants – people who lived abroad for more than 12 months – accounted for five percent of the population. Males constituted 51.9 percent of immigrants while 48.1 percent of immigrants were female. About 77.4 percent of immigrants lived in urban areas while 22.6 percent lived in rural areas.

Most immigrants now lived in Tbilisi (45.5 percent), Imereti region (12.9 percent) and Kvemo Kartli region (11 percent).

The latest Census showed most Georgian emigrants now lived in Russia. About 21.7 percent of all Georgian emigrants lived in Russia, 15.9 percent in Greece and 11.2 percent in Turkey.

Most of those who lived in Russia, France, Ukraine and Azerbaijan were men, while more Georgian women now lived in Greece, Turkey, Italy, Germany, the United States and Spain.