Abkhazia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Republic of Abkhazia Аҧсны Аҳәынҭқарра (Abkhazian) Apsny Ahwyntkarra Республика Абхазия (Russian) Respublika Abkhaziya
Flag Emblem
Anthem: Аиааира (Abkhazian) Aiaaira Victory
Map centered on the Caucasus indicating Abkhazia (orange) and Georgia proper and South Ossetia (both grey).
Capital and largest city	Sukhumi 43°00′N 40°59′E / 43.000°N 40.983°E / 43.000; 40.983
Official languages	Abkhaz Russiana
Spoken languages	Abkhaz Russian Georgian Mingrelian Svan Armenian
Demonym(s)	Abkhaz Abkhazian
Government	Unitary semi-presidential republic
• President	Vacant
• Prime Minister	Valeri Bganba
Legislature	People's Assembly
Partially recognised independence from Georgia
• Georgian annulment of Soviet-era laws and treaties	20 June 1990
• Abkhazian declaration of sovereigntyb	25 August 1990
• Georgian declaration of independence	9 April 1991
• Dissolution of the Soviet Union	26 December 1991
• Abkhazian declaration of Independence	23 July 1992
• Act of state independencec	12 October 1999
• First international recognitiond	26 August 2008
Area
• Total	8,660 km2 (3,340 sq mi)
Population
• 2015 estimate	243,206
• 2011 census	240,705
• Density	28/km2 (72.5/sq mi)
GDP (nominal)	2010 estimate
• Total	US$0.5 billion
• Per capita	US$2,000
Currency	Abkhazian apsar Russian rublee (RUB)
Time zone	UTC+3 (MSK)
Driving side	right
Calling code	+7 840 / 940 and +995 44
(Article 6 of the Constitution) guarantees the right to use their mother tongue for all ethnic groups. Annulled by Georgia immediately thereafter. To establish, retroactively, de jure independence since the 1992–1993 war. 5 UN member states recognize Abkhazia's independence. De facto currency. Several Abkhazian apsar commemorative coins have been issued. The apsar is on a fixed exchange rate, pegged to the Russian ruble (1 ruble = 0.10 apsar).

Abkhazia is a de facto sovereign state that is internationally recognized as an autonomous republic of Georgia. It lies in the South Caucasus on the eastern coast of the Black Sea, south of the Greater Caucasus mountains in northwestern Georgia. It covers 8,660 square kilometres (3,340 sq mi) and has a population of around 240,000. Its capital is Sukhumi.

The status of Abkhazia is a central issue of the Georgian–Abkhazian conflict and Georgia–Russia relations. The polity is recognised as a state by Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru and Syria. While Georgia lacks control over Abkhazia, the Georgian government and most United Nations member states consider Abkhazia legally part of Georgia, whose constitution designates the area as the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia.

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 of most of Abkhazia, the de facto independence of Abkhazia, and the ethnic cleansing of Georgians from Abkhazia.

Despite the 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 (CIS) 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 28 August 2008, the Parliament of Georgia declared Abkhazia a Russian-occupied territory, with most United Nations member states concurring.

Images for kids

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  The borders of the Sukhumi District of the Kutaisi Governorate in 1899 when Abkhazia was part of the Russian Empire.

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  Abkhaz and Georgian generals in the Imperial Russian Army, 19th century

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  Exhibition at the 2005 commemoration of the ethnic cleansing in Abkhazia, held on its 12th anniversary in Tbilisi.

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  Abkhazians carrying the republic's flags in a parade.

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  Seaside in Pitsunda, Abkhazia in 2006

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  Map of Georgia highlighting Abkhazia (green) and South Ossetia (purple).

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  The Russian embassy in Sukhumi

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  Dmitry Medvedev (centre, with dark tie) visited the Russian military base in Gudauta in 2010

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  The leaders of Abkhazia, Russia and South Ossetia, shortly after the 2008 war. Left to right: South Ossetian President Eduard Kokoity; Russian President Dmitry Medvedev; Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov; Abkhazian President Sergei Bagapsh.

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  Border checkpoint on the Psou River

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  Abkhazian President Alexander Ankvab with Transnistrian President Yevgeny Shevchuk in September 2013

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  "View of Mount Agepsta and Turyi gory (Tur Mountains) from the top of Kamennyi Stolb, Aibga Ridge.", 2014.

• Რიწის ტბა.jpg

  Lake Ritsa

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  View from Pitsunda cape

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  Beach in Gagra in May 2014

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  New Athos monastery in Abkhazia

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  Russian Drama Theatre. Sukhumi, Abkhazia.

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  Daur Akhvlediani Stadium, Gagra

See also

In Spanish: Abjasia para niños