The process of demography in Georgia

Ever since the 1980s the birth rate in Georgia had been on the decline. However, this trend may be changing according to recent figures. In 2005- 46 512 babies were born, in 2006- 47 795, in 2007- 49 247, in 2008 – 56 565, in 2009 – 63 377 before a slight decrease in 2010- 62 585. The analysts think that an increase of the birth rate in the last few years is connected to the initiative of the Catholics Patriarch of Georgia Ilia II, who baptized the third child of each family together which was part of an incentive to avoid depopulation, where the death rate exceeds the birth rate. The first reason for such a process is the increase of the elderly population in the country. In Georgia more than 20 % of the population is above 60 years of age. Other factors which have caused depopulation concerns are hard social conditions, high prices of medication and problems with health insurance.