The Abkhazians or Abkhaz (Abkhaz: Аҧсуа, Georgian: აფხაზები, Turkish: Abhazlar) are a Caucasian ethnic group, mainly living in Abkhazia, de jure an autonomous republic of Georgia. A large Abkhazian diaspora lives in Turkey who are descendants of Abkazians who emigrated from the Abkhaz homeland in late 19th century^{[citation needed]}. Many also live in other parts of former USSR like Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine.^[1] Abkhaz is a Northwest Caucasian language spoken in Georgia and Turkey. ... The Eastern Orthodox Church is a Christian body that views itself: as the historical continuation of the original Christian community established by Jesus Christ and the Twelve Apostles. ... Sunni Islam (Arabic سنّة) is the largest denomination of Islam. ... Islam (Arabic:  ) is a monotheistic religion based upon the teachings of Muhammad, a 7th century Arab religious and political figure. ... The Abazins (self-designation: Abaza) are a people who live mostly in Karachay-Cherkessia and Adygeya of Russia. ... Circassians is a term derived from the Turkic Cherkess (Çerkes), and is not the self-designation of any people. ... Abkhaz is a Northwest Caucasian language spoken in Georgia and Turkey. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Caucasus Mountains. ... National anthem Aiaaira Official languages Abkhaz, with Russian having co-official status and widespread use by government and other institutions Political status De facto independent Capital Sukhumi Capitals coordinates President Sergei Bagapsh Prime Minister Alexander Ankvab Independence  â€“ Declared  â€“ Recognition From Georgia  23 July 1992  none Currency Russian ruble Official... Look up De jure in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A significant number of autonomous republics can be found within the successor states of the Soviet Union, but the majority are located within Russia. ...

Origins

The origins of the Abkhaz are disputed for several reasons. The language of the Abkhaz belongs to the North Caucasian languages group, a sub-group of Caucasian languages which is distinct from the Georgian (Kartvelian) language family. However, scholarly opinion (mostly Western and Georgian) favors the notion that the indigenous people of Abkhazia were directly related to the Heniochi tribe, a proto-Georgian group that lived along the northeastern shores of the Black Sea, on the southern slopes of the Caucasus Mountains. According to Professor David Marshall Lang, the Henoichi tribe lived near the border of Colchis (Western Georgian Kingdom) and were eventually absorbed into that state in the first millennium BC.^[2] Abkhaz is a Northwest Caucasian language spoken in Georgia and Turkey. ... North Caucasian languages is a blanket term for two distinct, but possibly related, phyla of languages spoken in the north Caucasus and in Turkey. ... The term Caucasian languages is loosely used to refer to a large and extremely varied array of languages spoken by more than 7 million people in the Caucasus region of Eastern Europe, between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. ... NASA satelite image of the Black Sea Map of the Black Sea The Black Sea is an inland sea between southeastern Europe and Anatolia that is actually a distant arm of the Atlantic Ocean by way of the Mediterranean Sea. ... The Caucasus Mountains are a mountain system between the Black and Caspian seas in the Caucasus region, usually considered the southeastern limit of Europe. ... David Marshall Lang (May 6, 1924 – March 20, 1991), was a Professor Emeritus of Caucasian Studies, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. ... In ancient geography, Colchis (sometimes spelled also as Kolchis) (Greek: Κολχίς, kŏl´kĬs; Georgian: კოლხეთი, Kolkheti) was a nearly triangular district in Caucasus. ... BC or B.C. may stand for: Before Christ, a year before the beginning of the year count that starts with the conventional year of the birth of Jesus British Columbia, a Canadian province B.C. (comic), syndicated comic strip by Johnny Hart BC wheel, the impossible wheel, a unicycle...

Religion

Main article: Islam in Georgia (country)#Abkhazians

The main religion of Abkhaz living in Abkhazia is Orthodox Christianity. According to Professor Lang Saint Nino's evangelization included the Western Georgian Kingdoms of Lazica, Colchis and Abkhazia.^[3] Islam in Georgia was introduced in 645 A.D. when army sent by Second Caliph of Islam, Umar, conquered Eastern Georgia and established Muslim rule in Tbilisi. ... The Eastern Orthodox Church is a Christian body that views itself: as the historical continuation of the original Christian community established by Jesus Christ and the Twelve Apostles. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Egrisi (or Kolkheti) was a kingdom in the western part of Georgia, which flourished between the 6th century BC and the 7th century AD. It was covered the territory of the former kingdom Kolkha (Colchis) and the territory of modern Abkhazia). ... In ancient geography, Colchis (sometimes spelled also as Kolchis) (Greek: Κολχίς, kŏl´kĬs; Georgian: კოლხეთი, Kolkheti) was a nearly triangular district in Caucasus. ... The Abkhazian Kingdom or the Kingdom of the Abkhazians refers to an early medieval feudal state in the Caucasus which lasted from the 780s until being united, through dynastic succession, with the Kingdom of the Georgians (see Tao-Klarjeti) in 1008. ...

Later, during the 15th century Ottoman invasion of Abkhazia, many people adopted Islam. Many Abkhazians who were Muslim migrated in the 19th century to the Ottoman Empire. Motto: دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) Anthem: Ottoman imperial anthem Borders in 1680, see: list of territories Capital Söğüt (1299-1326) Bursa (1326-1365) Edirne (1365-1453) Constantinople (Istanbul) (1453-1922) Language(s) Ottoman Turkish Government Monarchy Sultans  - 1281–1326 Osman I  - 1918–1922 Mehmed VI... Islam (Arabic:  ) is a monotheistic religion based upon the teachings of Muhammad, a 7th century Arab religious and political figure. ...

History

In the early middle ages, the Abkhazian Kingdom coexisted together with the Georgian Kingdom. The Abkhaz and Georgian kingdoms were eventually unified into a single, Georgian State by the beginning of the 11th century. In the 1860s, Abkhazia was annexed by the Russian Empire, at a time when Georgia had disintegrated into various local kingdoms and statelets (principalities). During this period and soon afterward, a significant part of the Abkhazian population (which confesses a mixture of Islamic, Christian and pagan beliefs) was either expelled or freely moved into the adjacent Ottoman Empire. The Abkhazian Kingdom or the Kingdom of the Abkhazians refers to an early medieval feudal state in the Caucasus which lasted from the 780s until being united, through dynastic succession, with the Kingdom of the Georgians (see Tao-Klarjeti) in 1008. ... The recorded history of Georgia dates back more than 4,000 years and the Georgian language is one of the oldest living languages in the world. ... Islam (Arabic: ; ( ▶ (help· info)), the submission to God) is a monotheistic faith, one of the Abrahamic religions and the worlds second-largest religion. ... Christians believe that Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant (see Hebrews 8:6). ...

After the 1917 revolution, Abkhazia became a part of the Democratic Republic of Georgia, but was conquered by the Red Army soon thereafter and eventually entered the Soviet Union as a sovereign republic in the composition of what was called the Transcaucasian Federation, a status that was confirmed in 1925 in the new constitution of Abkhazia. This status, however, was lowered in 1931 to an Autonomous Republic, and Abkhazia became a part of Georgia once again. The Russian Revolution of 1917 was a series of political and social upheavals in Russia, involving first the overthrow of the tsarist autocracy, and then the overthrow of the liberal and moderate-socialist Provisional Government, resulting in the establishment of Soviet power under the control of the Bolshevik party. ... Anthem: Dideba Zetsit Kurtheuls (Praise Be To The Heavenly Bestower of Blessings) Map of the Democratic Republic of Georgia from November 1918 to May 1920. ... Combatants •  Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic •  Republic of Turkey •  Georgian SSR •  Democratic Republic of Georgia Commanders •  Anatoli Gekker • Mikhail Velikanov • Grigoriy Ordzhonikidze •  Kazım Karabekir • Giorgi Kvinitadze • Giorgi Mazniashvili • Valiko Jugheli Strength ~50,000 (Red Army) ~35,000 Casualties Unknown, dead estimated at 5,500 Soviet soldiers Unknown, dead estimated... The Trans-Caucasian Democratic Federative Republic (TCDFR, Закавказская демократическая Федеративная Рес&#1087... 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar). ... 1931 (MCMXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link is to a full 1931 calendar). ...

During the Soviet period (especially under Stalin), Abkhazia underwent "Georgification", and Abkhazians experienced discrimination. Lavrenty Beria, the head of the Georgian Communist Party in 1930, played an active role in implementing this policy. As a result, the population of Abkhazians sharply changed during the next two generations. By 1989, the number of Abkhazians was about 93,000 (18% of the population of the republic), while the Georgian population numbered 240,000 (45%). The number of Armenians (15% of the entire population) and Russians (14%) also substantially grew. The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Lavrenty Beria Lavrentiy Pavlovich Beria (Georgian: ლავრენტი ბერია; Russian: Лаврентий Павлович Берия; (29 March 1899 – 23 December 1953), was a Soviet politician and chief of the Soviet security and police apparatus. ...

In 1993, the majority of the ethnic Georgian population was expelled from Abkhazia, so after this year, Abkhazians form an ethnic plurality in Abkhazia (45%), with Russians, Armenians, Georgians, Greeks, and Jews comprising most of the remainder of the population of Abkhazia. There are about 200,000 ethnic Abkhazians in all, of whom 150,000 live in Abkhazia. The total population of Abkhazia is estimated at 340,000 people.

However, the exact demographic figures for the region are disputed and alternative figures are available. ^[4]

See also

• Abkhazia
• Georgia (country)
• Georgian-Abkhaz conflict

National anthem Aiaaira Official languages Abkhaz, with Russian having co-official status and widespread use by government and other institutions Political status De facto independent Capital Sukhumi Capitals coordinates President Sergei Bagapsh Prime Minister Alexander Ankvab Independence  â€“ Declared  â€“ Recognition From Georgia  23 July 1992  none Currency Russian ruble Official... Motto: (Georgian) Strength is in Unity Anthem: (Freedom) Capital (and largest city)  Tbilisi Official languages Georgian (also Abkhaz within the Abkhazian Autonomous Republic) Government Unitary republic  - President Mikheil Saakashvili  - Prime Minister Zurab Noghaideli Consolidation    - Establishment of first Georgian Kingdoms of Colchis and Iberia c. ... Combatants Abkhaz separatists Confederation of Mountain Peoples of the Caucasus Russian Cossacks Russian Forces1 Georgian Interior and Defense Ministry forces Paramilitary groups and volunteer batallions Commanders Iysuph Soslanbekov, Musa Shanibov, Shamil Basaev, Beslan Barghandjia, Anri Djergenia Geno Adamia, Guram Gubelashvili, Gia Kharkharashvili, Davit Tevzadze, Soso Akhalaia Casualties ~2,500-4...

Notes

References