Abzhywa

Abzhywa (Abzhuaa - "middle people" – Абжьыуа, Abƶywa; also transliterates as Abzhua from Russian: Абжуа, Абжива; აბჟუა) is one of the seven historical regions in Abkhazia, and accordingly one of the seven stars on Flag of Abkhazia represents Abzhywa. Local residents belong to ethnographic group of Абжуйцы (Abzhui Abkhazians).

Territory
Prior to the Russian annexation of the Principality of Abkhazia, Abzhywa constituted its separate administrative district. Later, in the Russian Empire Abzhywa constituted an okrug of Abkhazia. It occupied most of the territory of modern Ochamchire, as well as part of the territory of the Tkvarcheli District of Abkhazia, between the Kodor and Okhurei rivers.

History
Abzhywa got its name from its middle location among the rest of the historical regions of Abkhazia. Some scholars argue that it was part of the principality of Apsilae in the ancient period. During the period of Russian rule in Abkhazia up to 1866, Abzhua was called "Abzhuiskiy district", in 1868-1883 - "Kodori district", in 1919-1930 - "Kodori district". Since 1930, Abzhua officially became known as the Ochamchira region (later - Ochamchire Municipality). The historical centers of Abjua were the villages of Mokva and Kutol (village). The territory appears as part of Abkhazian principality from the first half of the XVIII century. It was created after the Abkhazian principality annexed the northwestern part of the Samegrelo principality. The first governor of Abzhua was the son of the Abkhazian prince Kvapu Sharvashidze — Jikeshia Sharvashidze, who inherited the middle part of the principality from his father's inheritance, hence the etymology of the toponym.