Ethnic composition of Georgian population

Lia Akhaladze, Sokhumi University
Omar Ardashelia, Sokhumi University

Georgia is a multi-ethnic state. People of over 120 ethnic origins reside in this country. The 2002 Census, unlike previous ones, has identified over the last ten years substantial changes in the ethnic structure of the country’s population. Compared to 1989, the permanent population of Georgia in 2002 is 19.1% less. This has involved a relatively low reduction of 126,200 ethnic Georgians (3.3 per cent), which in turn has meant their share of the total population has increased from 70.1% to 83.8%. The General Population Census of 2002 contains data of considerable importance on the gender and age structure of ethnic groups residing in Georgia. Namely, it has been identified that an unfavorable gender correlation exists among Russians, Armenians and Georgians. The paper will analyze the ethnic composition of Georgian population according to the population censuses held in Georgia.