Abzhywa ( ab , Abzhuaa - "middle people" – Абжьыуа, ''Abƶywa''; also transliterates as Abzhua from
Russian: Абжуа, Абжива; ka, აბჟუა) is one of the seven historical regions in
Abkhazia
Abkhazia, ka, აფხაზეთი, tr, , xmf, აბჟუა, abzhua, or ( or ), officially the Republic of Abkhazia, is a partially recognised state in the South Caucasus, recognised by most countries as part of Georgia, which vi ...
, and accordingly one of the seven stars on
Flag of Abkhazia represents Abzhywa. Local residents belong to
ethnographic group of (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 The Apsilae were an ancient tribe inhabiting the territory of Apsilia, in modern Abkhazia.
Location
The tribal territory was located on the Black Sea coast of the northwest Caucasus, between present day town of New Athos and the village of Tsebelda ...
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 .
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 — , who inherited the middle part of the principality from his father's inheritance, hence the etymology of the toponym.
Literature
Maan O. V. Abzhua. Historical and ethnological sketches of the Ochamchira region of Abkhazia. Sukhum, 2006
References
Regions of Abkhazia
Subdivisions of Abkhazia
{{Abkhazia-geo-stub