Top 10 Largest Cities or Towns of Abkhazia
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1)
Sukhumi
2)
Gagra
3)
Gali
4)
Gudauta
5)
New Athos
6)
Ochamchira
7)
Pitsunda
8)
Tkvarcheli
9)
Bzyb
10)
Ilori
Abkhazia is a disputed territory and partially recognized state controlled by a separatist government on the eastern coast of the
Black Sea and the south-western flank of the
Caucasus.
Abkhazia considers itself an independent state, called the
Republic of Abkhazia or
Apsny. This status is recognised by
Russia,
Nicaragua,
Venezuela,
Nauru, and also by the partially recognised state of
South Ossetia, and the unrecognised
Transnistria and Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Georgian government and the majority of the world's governments consider Abkhazia a part of
Georgia's territory, though Georgia is not in control of it. Under Georgia's official designation it is an autonomous republic, called the
Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia, whose government sits in exile in
Tbilisi.
The status of Abkhazia is a central issue of the Georgian--Abkhazian conflict. The wider region formed part of the
Soviet Union until
1991. As the Soviet Union began to disintegrate towards the end of the
1980s, ethnic tensions grew between the Abkhaz and
Georgians over Georgia's moves towards independence. This led to the 1992--1993
War in Abkhazia that resulted in a
Georgian military defeat, de facto independence of Abkhazia and the mass exodus and ethnic cleansing of the
Georgian population from Abkhazia. In spite of the
1994 ceasefire agreement and years of negotiations, the status dispute has not been resolved, and despite the long-term presence of a
United Nations monitoring force and a Russian-dominated
Commonwealth of Independent States (
CIS) peacekeeping operation, the conflict has flared up on several occasions. In
August 2008, the sides again fought during the
South Ossetia War, which was followed by the formal recognition of Abkhazia by Russia, the annulment of the 1994 ceasefire agreement and the termination of the UN and
OSCE missions. On 28 August 2008, the
Parliament of Georgia passed a resolution declaring Abkhazia a Russian-occupied territory.
A major part of international community considers Abkhazia to be occupied by
Russian military. Russia does not allow the
EUMM monitors to enter Abkhazia.
Abkhazia, Transnistria, Nagorno-Karabakh, and South Ossetia are post-Soviet "frozen conflict" zones. These four states maintain friendly relations with each other and form the
Community for
Democracy and Rights of Nations.
Between the 9th and
6th centuries BC, the territory of modern Abkhazia was part of the ancient
Georgian kingdom of
Colchis ("
Kolkha"). This kingdom was subsequently absorbed in 63 BC into the
Kingdom of Egrisi, known to
Byzantine Roman sources as "
Lazica".
Between
1000 and 550 BC,
Greeks established trade colonies along the coast of the Black Sea, in particular at
Pitiunt and
Dioscurias, which was to become the capital of modern day Abkhazia. They encountered local warlike tribes who they called
Heniochi.[citation needed]
Classical authors described various peoples living in the region and the great multitude of languages they spoke.
Arrian, Pliny and
Strabo have given accounts of the
Abasgoi (generally considered ancestors of the modern
Abkhazians) and Moschoi (generally considered as ancestors of Georgian
Meskhetians) peoples somewhere in modern Abkhazia on the eastern shore of the Black Sea.
The Roman Empire conquered Egrisi in the
1st century AD and ruled it until the
4th century, following which it regained a measure of independence, but remained within the
Byzantine Empire's sphere of influence. Although the exact time when the population of the region of Abkhazia was converted to
Christianity has not been determined, it is known that the
Metropolitan of
Pitius participated in the
First Ecumenical Council in 325 in
Nicaea.
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abkhazia