Abkhazia, officially the Republic of Abkhazia, is a partially recognised state in the South Caucasus, which is internationally recognised by most countries as part of Georgia. It sits on the eastern coast of the Black Sea in 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 region had autonomy as the Abkhaz Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic within the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic 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 followed by de facto Abkhazian independence and the ethnic cleansing of Georgians from Abkhazia.
The political status of Abkhazia is the central issue of the Abkhazia conflict and Georgia–Russia relations. Abkhazia is formally recognised as an independent state by four UN member states (Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Syria), with three other states having previously recognised but withdrawn their recognition (Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Nauru). The remainder of the international community recognises Abkhazia as de jure part of Georgia. Lacking effective control over the Abkhazian territory, Georgia maintains an Abkhaz government-in-exile. Russia has a major military and economic presence in Abkhazia, providing financial assistance which constitutes about half of Abkhazia's budget, without which the Abkhaz separatist government would not be able to function. There has been discussion around possible Russian annexation of the region.
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 the Russo-Georgian 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.
The Russian name Абхазия (Abkhaziya) is adapted from the Georgian აფხაზეთი (Apkhazeti).
The Abkhaz name Apsny (Abkhaz: Аԥсны, IPA [apʰsˈnɨ]) is etymologised as 'a land of the soul'; however, the literal meaning is 'a country of mortals'. It possibly first appeared in the seventh century in an Armenian text, perhaps referring to the ancient Apsilians.
In early Muslim sources, the term Abkhazia was generally used to mean the territory of Georgia.
Presumably considered as a successor of the Kingdom of Laziǩa (Egrisi in Georgian sources), this new polity continued to be referred to as Egrisi in some Byzantine era Georgian and Armenian chronicles (e.g. The Vitae of the Georgian Kings by Leonti Mroveli and History of Armenia by Hovhannes Draskhanakerttsi).
The Constitution of Abkhazia says the names of the "Republic of Abkhazia" and "Apsny" are equivalent and interchangeable.
Before the 20th century, the region was sometimes referred to in English language sources as Abhasia.
Between the 9th and 6th centuries BC, the territory of modern Abkhazia was part of the ancient Kingdom of Colchis. Around the 6th century BC, the Greeks established trade colonies along the Black Sea coast of present-day Abkhazia, in particular at Pitiunt and Dioscurias.
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 and Moschoi peoples somewhere in modern Abkhazia on the eastern shore of the Black Sea. This region was subsequently absorbed in 63 BC into the Kingdom of Laziǩa.
According to an Eastern tradition, Simon the Zealot died in Abkhazia during a missionary trip and was buried in Nicopsis; his mortal remains were later transferred to Anacopia.
According to scholar Donald Rayfield, in the 2nd century AD, Kartvelian tribes populated the shores of Colchis up to Dioscurias (modern-day Sukhumi) and were subject to Roman rule, although they were hostile to the Romans. In Dioscurias, Sanigs (Sanigae, Kartvelian Svans) and Abazgs (Abkhaz) escaped Roman jurisdiction. Tribal boundaries fluctuated constantly. Abkhaz claim of supposedly being original settlers of Abkhazia is disputed by many historians. Some researchers believe they are an indigenous people (along with the Georgians), while others argue that they migrated from the North Caucasus during the Middle Ages. Regardless of their origins, scholars generally agree that they were closely connected to the Georgians politically, economically, and culturally.
Within the Roman and Byzantine Empires
The Roman Empire conquered Lazica in the 1st century AD; however, the Roman presence was confined to port cities. According to Arrian, the Abasgoi and Apsilae peoples were nominal Roman subjects, and there was a small Roman outpost in Dioscurias. Abasgoi likely served in the Roman army in Ala Prima Abasgorum, which was stationed in Egypt. After the 4th century Lazica regained a measure of independence, but remained within the Byzantine Empire's sphere of influence. Anacopia was the principality's capital. The country was mostly Christian, with the archbishop's seat in Pityus. Stratophilus, the Metropolitan of Pityus, participated in the First Council of Nicaea in 325.
Around the middle of the 6th century AD, the Byzantines and the neighbouring Sassanid Persia fought for supremacy over Abkhazia, a conflict known as the Lazic War. During the war the Abasgians revolted against the Byzantine Empire and requested Sasanian assistance; the revolt was suppressed by General Bessas.
An Arab incursion into Abasgia, led by Marwan II, was repelled by Prince Leon I jointly with his Lazic and Iberian allies in 736. Leon I then married Mirian's daughter and a successor, King Leon II exploited this dynastic union to acquire Lazica in the 770s.