Abkhazia is a disputed territory 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, Tuvalu and Vanuatu and also by the partially recognised state of South Ossetia, and the unrecognized Transnistria and Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Georgian government
and the majority of the world's governments consider Abkhazia a part of
Georgia's territory. 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 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 cease fire agreement and the termination of the
UN and CIS missions. On 28 August 2008, the Parliament of Georgia passed a resolution declaring Abkhazia a Russian-occupied territory.
Geography and climate
Abkhazia covers an area of about 8,600 km2 (3,320 sq mi) at the western end of Georgia.The Caucasus Mountains
to the north and the northeast divide Abkhazia and the Russian
Federation. To the east and southeast, Abkhazia is bounded by the
Georgian region of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti; and on the south and southwest by the Black Sea.
Abkhazia is extremely mountainous. The Greater Caucasus Mountain
Range runs along the region's northern border, with its spurs – the
Gagra, Bzyb
and Kodori ranges – dividing the area into a number of deep,
well-watered valleys. The highest peaks of Abkhazia are in the northeast
and east and several exceed 4,000 meters (13,123 ft) above sea level. Abkhazia's landscape ranges from coastal forests and citrus plantations to permanent snows and glaciers
in the north of the region. Although Abkhazia's complex topographic
setting has spared most of the territory from significant human
development, its cultivated fertile lands produce tea, tobacco, wine and
fruits, a mainstay of the local agricultural sector.
Abkhazia is richly irrigated by small rivers originating in the Caucasus Mountains. Chief of these are: Kodori, Bzyb, Ghalidzga, and Gumista. The Psou River separates the region from Russia, and the Inguri serves as a boundary between Abkhazia and Georgia proper. There are several periglacial and crater lakes in mountainous Abkhazia. Lake Ritsa is the most important of them.
The world's deepest known cave, Krubera (Voronja) Cave
("The Crows' Cave"), is located in Abkhazia's western Caucasus
mountains. The latest survey (as of September 2006) has measured the
vertical extent of this cave system as 2,158 meters (7,080 ft) between
its highest and lowest explored points.
Because of Abkhazia's proximity to the Black Sea and the shield of
the Caucasus Mountains, the region's climate is very mild. The coastal
areas of the republic have a subtropical climate, where the average
annual temperature in most regions is around 15 °C (59 °F).
The climate at higher elevations varies from maritime mountainous to
cold and summer less. Abkhazia receives high amounts of precipitation,
but its unique micro-climate (transitional from subtropical to mountain)
along most of its coast causes lower levels of humidity. The annual
precipitation vacillates from 1,100–1,500 mm (43.3–59.1 in) along the
coast 1,700–3,500 mm (66.9–137.8 in) in the higher mountainous areas.
The mountains of Abkhazia receive significant amounts of snow.
There are two border crossings into Abkhazia. The southern border crossing is at the Inguri bridge, a short distance from the Georgian city of Zugdidi. The northern crossing ("Psou") is in the town of Gyachrypsh. Owing to the ongoing security situation, many foreign governments advise their citizens against travelling to Abkhazia.
Demographics
According to the last census in 2011 Abkhazia has 240,705 inhabitants. The exact size of Abkhazia's population was unclear. According to the census carried out in 2003 it measured 215,972 people,but this is contested by Georgian authorities. The Department of
Statistics of Georgia estimated Abkhazia's population to be
approximately 179,000 in 2003, and 178,000 in 2005 (the last year when
such estimates were published in Georgia). Encyclopedia Britannica estimates the population in 2007 at 180,000 and the International Crisis Group
estimates Abkhazia's total population in 2006 to be between 157,000 and
190,000 (or between 180,000 and 220,000 as estimated by UNDP in 1998).
Religion
Most inhabitants of Abkhazia are Christian (Eastern Orthodox and Armenian Apostolic), Sunni Muslim or irreligious, but few people who declare themselves Christian or Muslim attend religious service.The traditional Abkhaz religion has undergone a strong revival in recent decades.There is a very small number of adherents of Judaism, Jehovah's Witnesses and new religious movement. The Jehovah's Witnesses organization has officially been banned since 1995, though the decree is not currently enforced. According to the constitutions of both Abkhazia and Georgia, the adherents of all religions (as well as atheists) have equal rights before the law. According to a survey held in 2003, 60% of respondents identified themselves as Christian, 16% as Muslim, 8% as atheist or irreligious, 8% as adhering to the traditional Abkhazian religion or as Pagan, 2% as follower of other religions and 6% as undecided.
Land of Darkness
The Land of Darkness was a mythical land supposedly enshrouded in perpetual darkness. It was usually said to be in Abkhazia and was officially known as Hanyson or Hamson (or some variation; the name apparently comes from the Hamshen area of Turkey), or simply the Forest of Abkhazia. The Land of Darkness enjoyed popularity in fictional medieval travel literature such as the Alexander Romance and the Travels of Sir John Mandeville. According to Mandeville, no one ventures into Hanyson out of fear, but the people in the surrounding area know it to be populated, as they can hear human voices inside. The residents of Hanyson are the descendants of Persian Emperor Saures (Shapur II) and his men, who were trapped there forever by a miracle of God. Saures had been persecuting his Christian subjects in Abkhazia, and had cornered them on a plain. They prayed to God, and God responded by surrounding the king's armies in the thick, impenetrable darkness that still affected the land. The Land of Darkness was also identified with the area around the northern Ural Mountains.When Abu Hamid al-Gharnati visited Volga Bulgaria in 1135-36 he was told that the Land of Darkness was not far from Yugra. In the 1320s Ibn Battuta was in the same area and wanted to visit the Land of Darkness but decided not to because it required a 40-day journey on 'small wagons drawn by large dogs.'
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