Georgia’s population increased 0.6% in a year period and stood at 4,497,600 as of January 2012, not counting residents of breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia, according to figures released by the state statistics agency, Geostat, on May 31.

Increase in population by 28,400 came from positive natural change (about 8,200) combined with positive net migration (20,200), Geostat said.

Georgia’s birth rate remained more or less the same in 2000-2007 with number of newborns varying from about 47,000 to 49,000 annually. The birth rate increased in 2008 to 56,565 and to 63,377 in 2009, declining to 62,585 in 2010 and further to 58,014 in 2011.

1,172,700 people live in the capital city of Tbilisi, according to Geostat figures.

Breakdown of population per region is as follows: Imereti – 707,500; Kvemo Kartli – 511,300; Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti – 479,500; Kakheti – 407,100; Adjara – 393,700; Shida Kartli – 314,600; Samtskhe-Javakheti – 214,200; Guria – 140,300; Mtskheta-Mtianeti – 109,700; Racha-Lechkhumi and lower Svaneti – 47,000.

52.3% of population is female and 47.7% - male, with 53.2% living in cities and 46.8% - in rural areas.

13.7% of population is of age 65 and older. Geostat said share of children up to age of four increased slightly in 2011 now making 6.35% of the population.

The last time Georgia held census was in 2002 with population standing at 4,4 million, a million less than in a census held in 1989.

In late April government established a special commission in charge of preparing for a new census. It is not yet clear when the census will be held; Geostat said earlier in May that the commission would require at least one year to prepare.