Abazinia

Abazinia, Abazashta or Abaza is a historical country at the northern mountainside of the Caucasus Major, now the northern part of Karachay-Cherkessian Republic, Russia. Abazinia is a home of the Abazins, a people related to the Abkhaz people and speaking the Abazin language.

Abazinia once was a part of the Kingdom of Abkhazia. The ancestors of the Abazins were the Sadz, lived at the Black Sea, but forced to resettle to the mountains under the Ubykh pressure. In 16th-18th century Abazinia was a part of Kabarda and was often raided by the Crimeans. Since the 19th century Abazinia is a part of the Russian Empire. During the rule of Kabardians, Crimeans and Russians some Abazins were forcibly resettled from their homeland.

Modern times

The Soviet power was proclaimed there in 1918. Since April 1, 1918 Abazinia is a part of Kuban Soviet Republic, since May 28 - Kuban-Black Sea Soviet Republic, in July 5-December 1918 - North Caucasus Soviet Republic. Since January 20, 1921 it is a part of Mountainous ASSR, since January 12, 1922 it is a part of Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Oblast, South-Eastern Krai, since April 26 it is a part of Cherkess Autonomous Oblast, Stavropol Krai, since January 9, 1957 it is a part of recreated Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Oblast, Stavropol Krai.

In 1990-1991 the Abazin national movements "Adgylara" («Адгылара») and "Apsadghyl" («Апсадгъыл»,) as well as the Congress of Abaza and Circassian people claimed a national region for the Abazins. Circass-Abazin and Nogai-Abazin Republics were proposed to produce a region without Karachays dominance, but the consensus wasn't found.

At the congress of the Abazin deputies in November 1991 the Abazin Republic was proclaimed with the capital in the aul of Psyzh. The republic wasn't recognized by the authorities of the RSFSR. The Abazinia remained a part of Karachay-Cherkessia, which gained a republic status at November 30, 1990.

In January 1995 the congress of the Abazin people claimed a national district within Stavropol Krai. At June 27, 2005 a Special Congress of the Abazin People bound the head of 13 Abazin auls, situated in 5 different districts of Karachay-Cherkesia to leave this districts to emerge to Abazinsky District. At December 25, 2005 referendum 99% of Abazinia population voted for the establishment of this district. July 1, 2006 the premier-minister of the Russian Federation decreed the district with center in Psyzh. Munitipalities Psyzh, Elburgan, Inzhich-Chugun, Kubina and Kara-Pago was passed from the Prikubansky District, Ust-Dzhegutinsky District and Khabezsky District. Abazinsky District will be eventually formed at January 1, 2009.

Links and references

* [http://www.abazashta.ru/ Abazin site]
* [http://www.hrono.ru/heraldicum/russia/subjects/karacaj.htm]
* [http://abazapress.chat.ru/abazaru.htm]
* [http://millet.narod.ru/smirnova2.html]