Administrative divisions: 53 rayons (raionebi, singular—raioni), 9 cities* (k'alak'ebi, singular—k'alak'i), and 2 autonomous republics** (avtomnoy respubliki, singular—avtom respublika); Abashis, Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri Respublika** (Sokhumi), Adigenis, Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika** (Bat'umi), Akhalgoris, Akhalk'alak'is, Akhalts'ikhis, Akhmetis, Ambrolauris, Aspindzis, Baghdat'is, Bolnisis, Borjomis, Chiat'ura*, Ch'khorotsqus, Ch'okhatauris, Dedop'listsqaros, Dmanisis, Dushet'is, Gardabanis, Gori*, Goris, Gurjaanis, Javis, K'arelis, Kaspis, Kharagaulis, Khashuris, Khobis, Khonis, K'ut'aisi*, Lagodekhis, Lanch'khut'is, Lentekhis, Marneulis, Martvilis, Mestiis, Mts'khet'is, Ninotsmindis, Onis, Ozurget'is, P'ot'i*, Qazbegis, Qvarlis, Rust'avi*, Sach'kheris, Sagarejos, Samtrediis, Senakis, Sighnaghis, T'bilisi*, T'elavis, T'erjolis, T'et'ritsqaros, T'ianet'is, Tqibuli*, Ts'ageris, Tsalenjikhis, Tsalkis, Tsqaltubo*, Vanis, Zestap'onis, Zugdidi*, Zugdidis note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)
Independence: 9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day, 26 May (1991)
Constitution: adopted 17 October 1995
Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Eduard Amvrosiyevich SHEVARDNADZE
(previously elected chairman of the Government Council 10 March
1992, Council has since been disbanded; previously elected chairman
of Parliament 11 October 1992; president since 26 November 1995;
note—the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Eduard Amvrosiyevich SHEVARDNADZE
(previously elected chairman of the Government Council 10 March
1992, Council has since been disbanded; previously elected chairman
of Parliament 11 October 1992; president since 26 November 1995;
note—the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 5 November 1995 (next to be held NA 2000)
election results: Eduard SHEVARDNADZE elected president; percent of
vote—Eduard SHEVARDNADZE 74%
Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Council (commonly referred to as Parliament) or Umaghiesi Sabcho (235 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 5 November 1995 (next to be held NA 1999) election results: percent of vote by party—CUG 24%, NDP 8%, AGUR 7%, all other parties received less than 5% each; seats by party—CUG 107, NDP 34, AGUR 32, Progress Bloc 4, SPG 4, others 9, Abkazian deputies 12, independents 29, not filled 4
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges elected by the Supreme
Council on the president's recommendation; Constitutional Court
Political parties and leaders: Citizen's Union of Georgia or CUG
groups: Democratic Union of Georgia or DUG, Political Association
"Georgian Proprietors"—Electoral Association "T'bilisi", Political
Union of Young Democrats "Our Choice", Political Union Tanadgoma)