Georgia receives $79.9m from 12 donor countries in February

Russia, Italy and Greece top the 12 big donor countries from where Georgia receives the largest amount of remittances. 

Last month Russia transferred $25 million USD to Georgia, taking up 31.4 percent of all money transfers. 

Russia was followed by Italy with $9.7 million in money transfers and Greece with $9.3 million. 

Overall Georgia received less money from abroad, official figures reveal.

The sum of money transfers coming into Georgia in February 2016 was 2.6 percent less year-on-year (y/y), said the National Bank of Georgia (NBG).

Last month $79.9 million was transferred into Georgia – $2.1 million less than the amount transferred into Georgia in February 2015.

NBG said 90 percent of the total money transfers from abroad came from 12 large donor countries, with the volume of transfers from of these countries each exceeding $1 million in February 2016.

Last month the amount of money these 12 countries collectively transferred to Georgia made up 90.5 percent of the total volume of money transfers, said NBG.

In addition to Russia, Greece and Italy, other big donor countries of Georgia in February 2016 were: 

• United States - $8.8 million;
• Turkey - $4.9 million;
• Israel - $4 million;
• Germany - $2.4 million;
• Spain - $2.3 million;
• Ukraine - $1.6 million;
• Iraq - $1.5 million;
• United Kingdom - $1.2 million; and
• Kazakhstan - $1.1 million.

NBG said in February 2016 Georgia transferred $15.7 million abroad, compared to 14.6 million in February 2015.