Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/967

 RELIGION, ETC. — DEFENCE — PRODUCTION, ETC. 915

separate tribal stocks, each of which has its peculiar customs, and in some cases its distinct language. The principal groups are Georgians proper, Mingrelians, Osietines, Hevsurs, Abhasians, and Emertines. Of these the Emertiues constitute the largest racial group, and have more energy and execu ive ability than the other tribes.

The area, population, and density of population of each of the seven pro- vinces were claimed to be a« follow

Provinces and DuUicts Area in square Population in Population per

A "" M "- 1 " raota 1916 square rexat

Zaltathali 3,50- t*jm M «

Tiflia 35,904-04 1,473,308 41"0

KnUis 18,535-12 1 ,'44.468 55*8

Sukhiun .... 5,791 -70 309,671 S6S

Soteoi .... IJMM lb~0

Arriahan .... 4 917 17-fi

Olti 2,6-21 "J7

Total 74. .'.77-18 3.053,345 409

The Georgians also claim Batnm. By the Peace Treaty between Soviet Russia and Georgia of May 25, 11*20, the former agreed to the latter's claim to Batum. But the ultimate disposition of this province has not yet been settled. On March 12, 1921, the Turks were in occupation.

In 1915 there were 78,744 births, 16,572 marriages, and 47,876 deaths. The chief towns, with population, are : — Tiflis (346,766), Kutais (85,151), Sukhum (61,974), Poti (20,731), and Sotchi (13,254).

Religion and Instruction.— Christianity is said to have been preached in Georgia as early as the first century by the Apostles St. Andrew and Simon the Canaanite, and was adopted as the State religion in 323.

Georgia has three types of educational institutions : — Elementary schools, where instruction is free and compulsory for all children from 5 to 11 vears ; preparatory schools for the colleges, consisting of four classes, to which are admitted without examination children leaving elementary schools ; and colleges, consisting of lour classes, to which are admitted, also without examina- tion, children leaving preparatory schools.

The elementary and preparatory schools are under the rural and municipal councils, their control and administrative .supervision being reserved to the Ministry of Public Instruction, whilst the colleges are controlled directly by the Ministry.

University instruction is given at the University of Tiflis (founded in 1918 >, which has 45 professors and 1,500 students.

The Georgian language, formerly in common use only among the peasants, has been declared the official language. Owing to years of disuse, it is somewhat undeveloped, but in recent months it has been introduced into the schools and adopted in governmental correspondence.

Defence. — The formation of the National Army is based upon two principles : voluntary service and compulsory service. Of the former is constituted the National Guard, and of the latter the Regular Army In time of war the two armies are under the Generalissimo of the Armies of the Republic. The Army possesses 1 staff college, 1 aviation and 3 military schools.

Production and Industry. — About 90 per cent, of the population is engaged in agriculture, but methods are primitive, The principal crop is corn. The land of the great landowners" has been distributed among the

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