Administrative divisions of Abkhazia

In Soviet times, the Abkhazian ASSR was divided into 6 raions (districts) named after their respective capitals: Gagra, Gudauta, Sukhumi, Ochamchira, Gulripsh and Gali.

The administrative divisions of the Republic of Abkhazia (international status disputed) have stayed the same, with one exception: in 1995 a new raion was created around the town of Tkvarcheli from parts of the Ochamchira and Gali raions.

Districts of Abkhazia

Districts of Abkhazia

• (1) Gagra
• (2) Gudauta
• (3) Sukhumi
• (4) Gulripsh
• (5) Ochamchira
• (6) Tquarchal
• (7) Gali

Towns of Abkhazia

Map of Abkhazia

• Gagra
• Gali
• Gudauta
• New Athos
• Ochamchira
• Pitsunda (since 2007)^[1]
• Sukhumi
• Tkvarcheli

Urban settlements of Abkhazia

• Bzyb
• Gulripsh
• Gyachripsh
• Myussera
• Tsandripsh

Historic regions of Abkhazia

Abkhazia has traditionally been divided into several historical regions^[2] (they roughly correspond to modern districts that are given in parentheses):

• Sadzen (Gagra district and Sochi region which is now in Russia)
• Bzyb (Gudauta district)
• Gumaa (Sukhumi district)
• Abzhywa (Ochamchira and partly Tkvarcheli districts)
• Samurzakan (Gali and partly Tkvarcheli district)
• Dal-Tsabal (Gulripsh district)

These are the regions mentioned in the Abkhazian Constitution of 1994^[3][4]. According to the popular (but erroneous^[5]) belief the seven stripes of the Abkhazian flag correspond to the seven historical regions of the country, the seventh one being Pskhu-Aibga.

References

1. ^ Lenta.ru, Абхазский курорт Пицунда превратился в город (Abkhazian resort Pitsunda became a city), 10.02.2007
2. ^ Археогия и этнография Абхазии, http://kolhida.ru
3. ^ Constitution_of_Abkhazia (English)
4. ^ President of Abkhazia official site, Конституция Республики Абхазия (Russian)
5. ^ Аргун Ю.Г. (Argun Yu. G.), О Государственном флаге (On the state flag (XLVIII итоговая научная сессия (11-13 мая). тезисы докладов. - Сухум: АбИГИ, 2004, с. 3-4)