Welcome to the Georgia IDP Project
What does IDP stand for?
IDP stands for internally displaced persons, those persons who are forced to flee their homes but who, unlike refugees, remain within their country's borders.
Human Rights of IDPs (download MSWord doc, 60kb)
About Georgia
Georgia is a country in the Caucasus region, in between Europe, Asia, and the
Middle East. About the size of South Carolina, Georgia has a population of 4.6
million and is bordered by the Russia Federation, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and
Turkey. The picturesque landscape of Georgia includes the hilly terrain of the
Caucasus Mountains and a coastal area on the Black Sea.
Georgia became independent after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Since the
collapse, efforts to rebuild the country and the economy have been hindered by
civil conflict between the government of Georgia and separatist movements in
the regions of Adjaria, South Ossetia and Abkhazia. This project focuses on
the conflict between Abkhazia and Georgia which has resulted in the long term
displacement of over 200,000 people.
In early August 2008, Georgian military actions in South Ossetia led to a
military response from Russia. As Russian troops occupied South Ossetia and
Abkhazia, hostilities between Georgia and Russia escalated. Though a ceasefire
was signed in mid August, the violence and fighting caused nearly 160,000
people to flee their homes. Residences, schools, and infrastructure have been
destroyed, leaving many Georgians without access to food, clean water, and
electricity. This new round of displacement brings the total estimated number
of internally displaced persons in Georgia to around 300,000.
For a 2012 IDMC update on the status of durable housing solutions for Georgian IDPs, please access: (pdf)
For a glossary of IDP terms related to Georgia, please visit this link.
This website last updated: June 3, 2014.
