Abkhazia

For the early medieval state, see Kingdom of Abkhazia.

Republic of Abkhazia
  • Аԥсны Аҳәынҭқарра (Abkhaz)
  • Aṕsny Ah̦a̋ynţķarra
  • Республика Абхазия (Russian)
  • Respublika Abkhaziya
Anthem: Аиааира (Abkhaz)
Aiaaira
"Victory"
Abkhazia (green) within Georgia (dark grey)
Abkhazia (green) within Georgia (dark grey)
StatusPartially recognised state
Capital
and largest city
Sukhumi
43°0′0″N 41°1′40″E / 43.00000°N 41.02778°E / 43.00000; 41.02778
Official languages
Spoken languages
Demonym(s)
  • Abkhaz
  • Abkhazian
GovernmentUnitary presidential republic
• President
Badra Gunba[needs update?]
Badra Gunba[needs update?]
Valeri Bganba
LegislaturePeople's Assembly
Establishment
31 March 1921
19 February 1931
• Abkhazian declaration of sovereignty
25 August 1990
• Abkhazian declaration of independence
23 July 1992
• Act of state independence
12 October 1999
Area
• Total
8,664.59[1] km2 (3,345.42 sq mi)
Population
• 2022 estimate
244,236[2] (180th)
• 2011 census
240,705
• Density
28.2/km2 (73.0/sq mi) (160th)
GDP (nominal)2021 estimate
• Total
$270 million[3]
• Per capita
$1,100
Currency
(RUB)
Time zoneUTC+3 (MSK)
Drives onright
Calling code+7 840 / 940 (formerly, +995 44)[4][5]

Abkhazia[n 1] (/æbˈkɑːziə/ ⓘ ab-KAH-zee-ə),[6] officially the Republic of Abkhazia,[n 2] is a partially recognised state in the South Caucasus, on the eastern coast of the Black Sea, at the intersection of Eastern Europe and West Asia. It covers 8,665 square kilometres (3,346 sq mi) and has a population of around 245,000. Its capital and largest city is Sukhumi.

The political status of Abkhazia is a central issue of the Abkhazia conflict and Georgia–Russia relations. Abkhazia has been recognised as an independent state by Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru, and Syria; however, the Georgian government and nearly all United Nations member states consider Abkhazia sovereign territory of Georgia.[7][8][9][10] Lacking effective control over the Abkhazian territory, Georgia maintains an Abkhaz government-in-exile.

The region had autonomy within Soviet Georgia at the time when the Soviet Union began to disintegrate in the late 1980s. Simmering ethnic tensions between the Abkhaz—the region's titular ethnicity—and Georgians—the largest single ethnic group at that time—culminated in the 1992–1993 War in Abkhazia, which resulted in Georgia's loss of control over most of Abkhazia and the ethnic cleansing of Georgians from Abkhazia. Despite a 1994 ceasefire agreement and years of negotiations, the dispute remains unresolved. The long-term presence of a United Nations Observer Mission and a Russian-led Commonwealth of Independent States peacekeeping force failed to prevent the flare-up of violence on several occasions. In August 2008, Abkhaz and Russian forces fought a war against Georgian forces, which led to the formal recognition of Abkhazia by Russia, the annulment of the 1994 ceasefire agreement and the termination of the UN mission. On 23 October 2008, the Parliament of Georgia declared Abkhazia a Russian-occupied territory, a position shared by most United Nations member states.[11]

  1. ^ Hoiberg, Dale H., ed. (2010). "Abkhazia". Encyclopedia Britannica. Vol. I: A-ak Bayes (15th ed.). Chicago, IL: Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. pp. 33. ISBN 978-1-59339-837-8.
  2. ^ "Государственный комитет Республики Абхазия по статистике". ugsra.org. Archived from the original on 29 March 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  3. ^ Moscow Says Abkhazia, S. Ossetia Shall be Less Dependent on Russia, 10 March 2022
  4. ^ "Abkhazia remains available by Georgian phone codes". today.az. 6 January 2010. Archived from the original on 12 July 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
  5. ^ "Georgia +995". World Telephone Numbering Guide. 2 June 2011. Archived from the original on 20 December 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  6. ^ "Abkhazia | Meaning of Abkhazia by Lexico". Lexico Dictionaries | English. Archived from the original on 25 March 2020. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  7. ^ Olga Oliker, Thomas S. Szayna. Faultlines of Conflict in Central Asia and the South Caucasus: Implications for the U.S. Army. Rand Corporation, 2003, ISBN 978-0-8330-3260-7.
  8. ^ Clogg, Rachel (January 2001). "Abkhazia: ten years on". Conciliation Resources. Archived from the original on 2 March 2008. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  9. ^ Emmanuel Karagiannis. Energy and Security in the Caucasus. Routledge, 2002. ISBN 978-0-7007-1481-0.
  10. ^ Parfitt, Tom (6 August 2007). "Georgia up in arms over Olympic cash". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 4 November 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  11. ^ "Georgia/Russia, Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Conflict in South Ossetia | How does law protect in war? - Online casebook". casebook.icrc.org. Archived from the original on 4 October 2023. Retrieved 5 March 2024.


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