Unemployment in Georgia

According to official statistics more than 16% of the working age population of Georgia was unemployed in 2008. This means that out of around 2 million adults capable of working about 300,000 were unemployed. Independent analysts however challenge this, suggesting that there are a lot more people unemployed but nobody is interested in giving the exact figures.

The Department of Statistics calculates the number of unemployed people according to ILO standards, which state that a person is employed if he owns a plot of land, meaning that almost all the rural population cannot be regarded as unemployed as almost all of them own at least some land. There is no labour exchange or department for labour and employment in Georgia which could help alleviate the unemployment problem. One existed until 2005 as part of the Health and Social Care Ministry but it was abolished.

Independent analysts suggest that during the last year the number of unemployed has increased dramatically. They say that one third or even half the work capable population is unemployed.