Overview of the environment in our city

Tbilisi is the capital of Georgia, with the population of 1.3 million and total area of 200 km², build up area from which is almost 65 km². Tbilisi is located at 44⁰,80' longitude and 41⁰,69' latitude of the Eastern Hemisphere, at eastern part of Georgia. City is built in the bottom of the Mtkvari river depression, which is the main hydrological artery of Tbilisi. The Mtkvari depression represents an inter-mountain ravine. Altitudes within the city vary between 200 - 400 m for the river bottom and 700 - 800m for the foothills above sea level.

Because of atmospheric circulation processes and the complex physical-geographical environment, year-round climatic conditions in Tbilisi are very diverse. The main climatic type here is a moderately dry subtropical climate. Topography has significant influence on climatic conditions, as the city is surrounded by high mountains from three sides. Only eastern part is comparatively low and open for penetration of dry air masses. Mean annual temperatures vary from 10.8⁰ to 12.6⁰. The coldest month is January with (+ 0.5⁰ on the bottom and -0.7⁰ up on the hills). The warmest month is July, when the temperature varies from 21.5⁰ to 24.2⁰. On the hills and mountains the warmest month of the year is August (21.6⁰ to 22.1⁰). The maximum temperatures within the city are fixed in July-August (38⁰).

Distribution of precipitation on the bottom, foothills and mountains is different as well. Mean annual precipitation in the city centre is 510 mm, only 450 mm in Digomi Valley, and 525 mm in Ortachala. Generally the eastern part of the city is drier (440 mm). Major wind directions during the year are Northwest (27 %) and North (26 %). The average annual speed of wind in the lower zone is 2-3 m/sec. The heaviest winds usually blow in March and April (3-3.5 m/sec.). The Northwest winds are stronger (with 3.5-6 m/sec) and are more important for ventilation of the city. 

The hot, sunny days, low cloudiness and light winds in summer together with high traffic emissions causes promotion of photochemical activities in lower part of the city (central districts). Consequently, in summer period there are frequent cases of photochemical smog. These cause visibility reduction, eye irritation for humans and serious plant damage.

Transport is one of the major mean of environmental problems in Tbilisi. In recent years traffic intencity has reached dramatic value that is main cause of increased air pollution. The central part of the city is particularly overloaded: speed of cars reduced because of increase in their quantity, the city street quality indicator became much worse. The quality of fuel is not regulated. Tbilisi is a rather noisy city, particularly the central part of it that is again caused by transport: the city's main streets are narrow and traffic is very heavy there. Orography of the city contributes to spread of noise from the centre to the hillsides.

During the last years a new problem emerged mini-bus taxis. The influx of these, majority of them being out of order, cause serious problems of pollution and noise. In the central streets an average loading is 2780 cars/hour. 78% of the transport are passenger cars, 20% - mini-bus taxis. Observations revealed the most overloaded streets: Kostava St., Gamsakhurdia, Chavchavadze and Rustaveli Avenues.

There exist high risk of drinking water and sewage mixing in the city, since  pipes of these systems are located unadmittedly close to each other. This, in its turn, causes high percentage of infectious diseases in the population. Disastrous by this was 1994-95 situation. In both cases the mixing of sewage with drinking water is supposed to be the reason of spread of infectious diseases. The spread of amebiosis in Tbilisi last summer was of epidemic nature, resulting in dozens of people hospitalized and fatal endings of several cases.

After several years of heavy energy crisis Tbilisi, still is experiencing lack of electric power and natural gas supply. The energy crisis brought new trend of individual energy consumption: self-generation of electric energy with the use of generators (working on gasoline fuel) has widely spread. Energy consumption is remained to stay practically without any regulating (accounting, emission assessment/regulating and others). For 65% of population in Tbilisi, electric energy is the main source of heating. Because of this, the wiring system cannot endure the current pressure and very frequently is disturbed. In 1990 41.3% of the total electric energy consumed was associated with industry, while 16.3% - with supply of inhabitants; In 1999 6.5% is associated with industry, while 64.5% - with supply of population.  In 1998, the consumption of the electric energy in Tbilisi constituted 1746,9 million kWh that is 9.6% more than last year.

Most characteristic type of sickness for population in Tbilisi according to the indices per 1000 inhabitants is the disease of respiratory system (32,4% higher), which is caused by high air pollution and big number of smokers. it is characterized by higher quantity of the diseases of the digestive system (19% higher than in the country), and the indices are lower according to the diseases such as the disorder of endocrine system and sense organs (lower by 67.7%), injuries and poisonings (lower by 53.3%), the diseases of genitourinary system (lower by 49.4%), oncological diseases (lower by 39%) and diseases of the circulatory system (lower by 24.4%).

Total prevalence rate  constitutes 175.9 per 1000 inhabitants (190.7 totally in Georgia). Incidence constitutes 124.8 (84.1 for Georgia). 30% of the sick are children (including 14 years old youth), 71% of the sick are with the first diagnosis in their lives. According to the morbidity in Tbilisi first stands the disease of respiratory system (52.7 sick per 1000 inhabitants, 30% of the total number of the sick), then come diseases of the circulatory system (26.7; 15,2%), diseases of the digestive system (23.8; 13,5%), mental (14.8; 8,4%), nervous system and diseases of sense organs (14; 8%) and infectious and parasitic diseases (10.5; 6%).