Portal:Georgia (country)/Selected article/2

Abkhazia (Аҧсны Apsny, აფხაზეთი Apkhazeti or Abkhazeti, Абха́зия Abkhazia) is a disputed region on the eastern coast of the Black Sea. Since its declaration of independence from Georgia in 1991 during the Georgian–Abkhaz conflict, it is governed by the partially-recognized Republic of Abkhazia.

Georgia considers Abkhazia part of its territory and has designated the province, in its official subdivisions, as an autonomous republic (აფხაზეთის ავტონომიური რესპუბლიკა, Abkhaz: Аҧснытәи Автономтәи Республика, Apsnitei Avtonomtei Respublika), bordering the region of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti to the east. On 28 August 2008, the Parliament of Georgia passed a resolution declaring Abkhazia a "Russian-occupied territory." The Republic of Abkhazia, with Sukhumi as its capital, is recognised by Russia, Nicaragua, the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip, and the de facto independent republics of South Ossetia and Transnistria, while the European Union, NATO, and the rest of the UN members recognise Abkhazia as an integral part of the territory of Georgia.

The secessionist movement of the Abkhaz minority led to the Georgian–Abkhaz conflict. The War in Abkhazia resulted in a Georgian military defeat and the mass exodus and ethnic cleansing of the Georgian population from Abkhazia. In spite of the 1994 ceasefire agreement and the 15-year long UN-monitored and Russian-dominated CIS peacekeeping operation, the sovereignty dispute has not yet been resolved. This dispute remains a source of a conflict between Georgia and Russia.

More about Abkhazia...