Abkhazia

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Аҧсны / Apsny (Abkhaz) აფხაზეთი / Apkhazeti (Georgian) Абхазия / Abkhaziya (Russian) Abkhazia
Location of Abkhazia (darker green, circled) within Georgia (lighter green)
Area
-	Total	8,432 km²  3,256 sq mi
-	Water (%)	negligible
Population
-	2006 estimate	between 157,000 and 190,000;1 177,0002
-	2003 census	216,000 (disputed)
-	Density	29/km²  75.1/sq mi
Time zone		MSK (UTC+3)
1	International Crisis Group.
2	Encyclopædia Britannica.

Abkhazia
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: "Aiaaira" ("Victory")
Capital		Sukhumi 43°00′N 40°59′E / 43, 40.983
Official languages		Abkhaz, Russian
Government
-	President	Sergei Bagapsh
-	Prime Minister	Alexander Ankvab
De facto independence from Georgia
-	Declared	23 July 1992
-	Recognition	none
Currency		Russian ruble (RUB)
1	Russian has co-official status and widespread use by government and other institutions.

Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: "თავისუფლება" "Freedom"
Location of Abkhazia within Georgia
Capital		Sukhumi (de jure) Chkhalta (de facto)
Official languages		Abkhaz, Georgian
Government
-	Chairman, Cabinet of Ministers	Malkhaz Akishbaia
-	Chairman, Supreme Council	Temur Mzhavia
Autonomous republic of Georgia
-	Georgian independence from the Soviet Union   Declared Recognised	9 April 1991 25 December 1991
Currency		Georgian lari (GEL)

Abkhazia (Abkhaz: Аҧсны Apsny, Georgian: აფხაზეთი Apkhazeti or Abkhazeti, Russian: Абха́зия Abhazia) is a region in Georgia that is a de facto independent republic with no international recognition. It is located within the internationally recognized borders of Georgia on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and borders the Russian Federation to the north. Under Georgia's official subdivision, it is an autonomous republic (Georgian: აფხაზეთის ავტონომიური რესპუბლიკა, Abkhaz: Аҧснытәи Автономтәи Республика), with Sukhumi as its capital, bordering the region of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti to the east.

A secessionist movement of the Abkhaz ethnic minority in the region led to the declaration of independence from Georgia in 1992 and the Georgian-Abkhaz armed conflict from 1992 to 1993 which resulted in the Georgian military defeat and the mass exodus and ethnic cleansing of Georgian population from Abkhazia. In spite of the 1994 ceasefire accord and the ongoing UN-monitored and Russian-dominated CIS peacekeeping operation, the sovereignty dispute has not yet been resolved and the region remains divided between the two rival authorities, with over 83 percent of its territory governed by the Russian-backed Sukhumi-based separatist government and about 17 percent governed by the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia, recognized by Georgia as the legal authority of Abkhazia, located in the Kodori Valley, part of Georgian-controlled Upper Abkhazia. This dispute remains a source of serious tension between Georgia and Russia.

References

1. 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 0833032607
2. Abkhazia: ten years on. By Rachel Clogg, Conciliation Resources, 2001
3. Medianews.ge. Training of military operations underway in Abkhazia, August 21,2007
4. Emmanuel Karagiannis. Energy and Security in the Caucasus. Routledge, 2002. ISBN 0700714812
5. GuardianUnlimited. Georgia up in arms over Olympic cash
6. International Relations and Security Network. Kosovo wishes in Caucasus. By Simon Saradzhyan
7. Full Report by Human Rights Watch. Human Rights Watch. Georgia/Abkhazia. Violations of the laws of war and Russia's role in the conflict Helsinki, March 1995
8. Chervonnaia, Svetlana Mikhailovna. Conflict in the Caucasus: Georgia, Abkhazia, and the Russian Shadow. Gothic Image Publications, 1994.
9. The Abkhazia Conflict. U.S. Department of State Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs. July 28, 2005.
10. Vladimir Socor (February 7, 2006), Moscow kills Boden paper, threatens to terminate UNOMIG in Georgia. Eurasia Daily Monitor, Volume 3, Number 26.
11. BBC News, Abkhazia rallies for independence, 7.12.2006
12. Amy McCallio, Rise of Abkhaz Separatism, YATT Publications, 2004.
13. Abkhazia Today. The International Crisis Group Europe Report N°176, 15 September 2006, page 10. Retrieved on May 30, 2007. Free registration needed to view full report
14. Press conference of Sergey Shamba, Moskovskiy Komsomolets, July 6, 2006 (Russian)
15. "К концу 2007 года 90 процентов граждан Абхазии должны получить "национальные" паспорта — Президент", abkhaziagov.org, May 29, 2007 (Russian)
16. Breakaway Abkhazia seeks recognition, Al-Jazeera, October 18, 2006.
17. UN Security Council Resolution 1808. April 15, 2008.
18. UN High Commissioner for refugees. Background note on the Protection of Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Georgia remaining outside Georgia, cached version
19. Report of the Representative of the Secretary-General on the human rights of internally displaced persons – Mission to Georgia. United Nations: 2006.
20. Resolution of the OSCE Budapest Summit, OSCE, 1994-12-06
21. General Assembly Adopts Resolution Recognizing Right Of Return By Refugees, Internally Displaced Persons To Abkhazia, Georgia
22. Georgia-Abkhazia: Profiles. Accord: an international review of peace initiatives. Reconciliation Resources. Accessed on April 2, 2007.
23. GENERAL ASSEMBLY ADOPTS RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING RIGHT OF RETURN BY REFUGEES, INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS TO ABKHAZIA, GEORGIA, 15.05.2008
24. Saakashvili Outlines Tbilisi’s Abkhaz Initiatives. Civil Georgia. 2008-03-28.
25. Burjanadze: Russia Behind Sokhumi’s No to New Proposals. Civil Georgia. 2008-03-29.
26. UNOMIG, RECOGNITION MAY COME "THIS YEAR", SOUTH OSSETIA'S LEADER SAYS - REPORT, 21.02.08
27. Georgia angered by Russian move. BBC News. 16 April 2008.
28. In Quotes: International Reaction to Russia’s Abkhaz, S.Ossetian Move. Civil Georgia. April 19, 2008.
29. Georgia-Russia tensions ramped up.. The BBC News. April 30, 2008.
30. OSCE PA Concerned over Russian Moves Civil Georgia. July 3, 2008.
31. Travel advice by country: Georgia. The United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Retrieved on July 2, 2007; Consular Information Sheet: Georgia. The U.S. Department of State. Retrieved from Allsafetravels.com on July 2, 2007; Travel advisories: Georgia. Ministry of Foregin Affairs and Trade, New Zealand. Retrieved from Allsafetravels.com on July 2, 2007; Travel advice: Georgia. Australian Government, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved from Allsafetravels.com on July 2, 2007; Travel advice: Georgia, Irish Government, Department of Foreign Affairs. Retrieved on July 2, 2007.
32. Civil.ge, Abkhazia’s Beauty out of Sight, 22.08.2003
33. Rosbalt.ru, Багапш: Все больше туристов приезжает в Абхазию (Bagapsh: More and more tourists come to Abkhazia), 01.09.2006 (Russian)
34. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia :: Consular Service
35. National Bank of the Republic of Abkhazia, Основные показатели развития экономики и банковского сектора Республики Абхазия за 2006 год (Main indicators of the economy and banking industry of the Republic of Abkhazia, 2006) (Russian)
36. Statement of the Ministry of Environment Protection and Natural Resources of Georgia. OSCE Economic and Environmental Summit, Prague, May 2008.
37. Moscow Mayor Pledges More Investment in Abkhazia, Civil Georgia. July 9, 2007.
38. Country Report 2007: Abkhazia (Georgia). The Freedom House. Accessed on October 3, 2007.
39. "Russian Federation Withdraws from Regime of Restrictions Established in 1996 for Abkhazia". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia (2008-03-06). Retrieved on 2008-03-06.
40. Russia expands economic ties with Abkhazia, Georgia angry, CIS idle. Itar-Tass, 09.04.2008.
41. The European Commission's Delegation to Georgia, Overview of EC Assistance in Abkhazia & South Ossetia
42. Cornell, Svante E. (2001), Small Nations and Great Powers: A Study of Ethnopolitical Conflict in the Caucasus, p. 156. Routledge (UK), ISBN 0700711627)
43. Müller, D, 1999. Demography: ethno-demographic history, 1886-1989 in The Abkhazians: A handbook. Richmond: Curzon Press.
44. 1-я Всеобщая перепись населения Российской Империи 1897 г. Кутаисская губерния. Спб: 1905. С. 32б retrieved from "АБХАЗИЯ-1992: ПОСТОКОММУНИСТИЧЕСКАЯ ВАНДЕЯ" by Svetlana Chervonnaya
45. Sukhum, Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedia
46. Ментешашвили А.М. Исторические предпосылки современного сепаратизма в Грузии. - Тбилиси, 1998.
47. JRL RESEARCH & ANALYTICAL SUPPLEMENT ~ JRL 8226, Issue No. 24 • May 2004. SPECIAL ISSUE; THE GEORGIAN-ABKHAZ CONFLICT: PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE
48. 2003 Census statistics (Russian)
49. The International Crisis Group. Abkhazia Today. Europe Report N°176, p. 9. 15 September 2006.
50. "Georgia." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 30 April 2007.
51. Statistical Yearbook of Georgia, 2005: Population (607kb, Microsoft Word Document). The State Department of Statistics of Georgia. Retrieved on April 30, 2007.
52. Lortkipanidze M., The Abkhazians and Abkhazia, Tbilisi 1990.
53. Abkhazia Today. The International Crisis Group Europe Report N°176, 15 September 2006, page 4. Retrieved on April 21, 2007. Free registration needed to view full report
54. Causes and Visions of Conflict in Abkhazia. Ghia Nodia, 1997, page 27. Retrieved on August 5, 2007.
55. Conciliation Resources. Georgia-Abkhazia, Chronology
56. Парламентская газета (Parlamentskaya Gazeta). Референдум о сохранении СССР. Грузия строит демократию на беззаконии. Георгий Николаев, March 17, 2006 (Russian)
57. Svante E. Cornell (2001), Small Nations and Great Powers: A Study of Ethnopolitical Conflict in the Caucasus, pp. 345-9. Routledge, ISBN 0700711627.
58. On Ruins of Empire: Ethnicity and Nationalism in the Former Soviet Union, pg 72, by Georgiy I. Mirsky, published by Greenwood Publishing Group, sponsored by the London School of Economics
59. Full Report by Human Rights Watch. Human Rights Watch. Georgia/Abkhazia. Violations of the laws of war and Russia's role in the conflict Helsinki, March 1995. p. 22
60. Chervonnaia, Svetlana Mikhailovna. Conflict in the Caucasus: Georgia, Abkhazia, and the Russian Shadow. Gothic Image Publications, 1994, Introduction
61. CSCE Budapest Document 1994, Budapest Decisions, Regional Issues
62. Lisbon OSCE Summit Declaration
63. Istanbul OSCE Summit Declaration
64. * Zarkovic Bookman, Milica (1997). The Demographic Struggle for Power: The Political Economy of Demographic Engineering in the Modern World. ISBN 0714647322. 
65. Tbilisi-Based Abkhaz Government Moves to Kodori, Civil Georgia, July 27 2006. URL accessed on 2007-07-28.
66. Abkhazia: UN Reports Progress, 26.01.2007
67. Conflict in the Caucasus: Georgia, Abkhazia, and the Russian Shadow, S. A. Chervonnaia
68. Federal practice: exploring alternatives for Georgia and Abkhazia, Coppieters, Bruno
69. Inheritance of history: ethnic conflicts in Soviet and Post-Soviet Central Asia Mohapatra, Nalin Kumar.
70. Civil.ge, Tbilisi Turns Kodori into ‘Temporary Administrative Center’ of Abkhazia, 27.09.2006
71. Abkhazia: Ways Forward, International Crisis Group, Europe Report N°179, 18 January 2007
72. Resolutions 849, 854, 858, 876, 881 and 892 adopted by the UN Security Council
73. From the Resolution of the OSCE Budapest Summit, 6 December 1994 [1]
74. Lisbon Summit Declaration of the OSCE, 2-3 December 1996
75. U.S. Senator Urges Russian Peacekeepers’ Withdrawal From Georgian Breakaway Republics. (MosNews).
76. Solana fears Kosovo 'precedent' for Abkhazia, South Ossetia. (International Relations and Security Network).
77. Russia 'not neutral' in Black Sea conflict, EU says, EUobserver, October 10, 2006.
78. SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS GEORGIA MISSION UNTIL 15 APRIL 2007, The UN Department of Public Information, October 13, 2006.
79. The HALO Trust. Abkhazia
80. Flashpoints Site Directory. Abkhazia-Georgia
81. Александр Крылов. ЕДИНАЯ ВЕРА АБХАЗСКИХ "ХРИСТИАН" И "МУСУЛЬМАН". Особенности религиозного сознания в современной Абхазии.
82. Georgia: International Religious Freedom Report 2005. The United States Department of State. Retrieved on May 24, 2007.
83. Constitution of the Republic of Abkhazia, art. 12 (Russian)

Links

• Wikimedia Atlas of Abkhazia

• (English)/(Russian)/(Georgian) Government of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia. Official web-page
• (English)/(Russian)/(Turkish)/(Abkhaz) President of the Republic of Abkhazia. Official site
• (English)/(Russian)/(Turkish) Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia. Official Site
• (English) BBC Regions and territories: Abkhazia
• (English) The Autonomous Republic of Abkhazeti - from Georgian National Parliamentary Library
• (English) Abkhazia.com Official website of the refugees from Abkhazia
• (Russian) State Information Agency of the Abkhaz Republic
• (English) Abkhazia Provisional Paper Money
• (Russian) Orthodox Churches of Abkhazia
• (English) Abkhazia and South Ossetia: Georgia's rebel regions news portal
• (Russian) Archaeology and ethnography of Abkhazia. Abkhaz Institute of Social Studies. Abkhaz State Museum

This guide is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.