Almost 100 thousand people leave Georgia in 2016

According to the National Statistical Service, 3 million 718.2 thousand people live in Georgia, as of January 1, 2017, which is  0.1% less than a year earlier.

"The population decline was caused by the indicators of its natural increase in 2016 and the negative balance of external migration," Georgia Online cited the service as saying.

At the same time, the number of Georgian citizens left the country during the year was 98.3 thousand people, which is 2.4% more than a year earlier. At the same time, the number of immigrants decreased by 2.5% - to 90.2 thousand people.

Basically, citizens of Georgia leave the country to find a job. The top ten of their most preferred countries are Russia, Greece, Turkey, Italy, Germany, the US, Spain, France, Ukraine and Azerbaijan.

Visa-free regime with the EU countries, which was introduced since March 28 of this year, can significantly increase the emigration flow from Georgia, local experts say.