The FINANCIAL — Population of Georgia declined by 15 percent from 4.372 million in 2002 to 3.714 million in 2014, according to the data released by the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat) on Thursday. Racha-Lechkhumi-Kvemo Svaneti and Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti witnessed the most significant decline in population numbers, 37.4 percent and 29 percent, respectively, while Ajara was least affected by the decline – its population shrunk only by 10.6 percent.
The percentage share of persons aged 0-14 in the total population decreased by 2.4 percentage points compared to the 2002 Census data and equaled 18.6%. The share of persons aged 15-64 increased by 0.8 percentage points. Further, the share of persons aged 65 and older in a total population increased by 1.6 percentage points.
The average age of population increased by 2 years and equaled 38.1 years compared to the 2002 Population Census. Accordingly, the average age of male increased from 34.3 years to 35.9 years, while of female – from 37,8 to 40,1 years. In regional terms the lowest average age occurred in Kvemo Kartli (35.6 years) and the highest in Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti (48.2 years).
The Georgian state statistics office, Geostat, released on April 28 final results of population census, carried out in November 2014, including data on ethnicity and the religious beliefs of country’s 3.71 million people.
Geostat released preliminary data a year ago, but it mostly included overall number of population and its breakdown by the regions; the census was carried out throughout the country except of breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
86.8% of residents – 3.22 million people – described themselves as Georgians, followed by Azerbaijani – 233,000 people (6.3%); Armenian – 168,100 (4.5%); Russian – 26,500 (0.7%); Ossetian – 14,400 (0.4%). 12,200 people, or 0.3% of overall population, described themselves as Yazidis; Ukrainian – 6,000 (0.2%); Kist – 5,700 (0.2%); Greek – 5,500 (0.1%).
83.4% of population – over 3 million people – described themselves as Orthodox Christians.
Muslim was the second largest group – 398,700 people, representing 10.7% of residents, followed by Armenian Apostolic – 109,000 (2.93%); Catholics – 19,200 (0.5). 19,100 people were in “none” category and 43,900 people either did not specify or did not fill out a question on religious affiliation.
As of November 2014, when the census was held, Georgia’s population stood at 3,713,804 people, down by 15% compared to 2002 when the previous census was held and when 4,371,535 people were recorded.
2,122,623 people, accounting for 57.2% of total population up from 52.3% in 2002, lived in urban areas, and rest of the 42.8% of population (1,591,181 people), down from 47.7%, lived in rural areas.
According to the results of the 2014 Population Census, Tbilisi population equaled 1 108 717 persons posting a 2.5 percent increase compared to the previous Census. However, this increase was mainly due to the expansion of the territory of Tbilisi at the expense of former rural areas of Mtskheta and Gardabani municipalities.
Breakdown of population by the regions was as follows: 533,906 people in Imereti region, followed by Kvemo Kartli region with 423,986; Adjara – 333,953; Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti – 330,761; Kakheti – 318,583; Shida Kartli – 263,382; Samtskhe-Javakheti – 160,504; Guria – 113,350; Mtskheta-Mtianeti – 94,573; Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti – 32,089.
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