Abkhazia

Abkhazia, officially the Republic of Abkhazia, is a partially recognised state in the South Caucasus, which is internationally recognised by most countries as part of Georgia. It sits on the eastern coast of the Black Sea in West Asia. It covers 8,665 square kilometres (3,346 sq mi) and has a population of around 245,000. Its capital and largest city is Sukhumi. The region had autonomy as the Abkhaz Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic within the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic at the time when the Soviet Union began to disintegrate in the late 1980s. Simmering ethnic tensions between the Abkhaz, the region's titular ethnicity, and Georgians, the largest single ethnic group at that time, culminated in the 1992–1993 War in Abkhazia, which resulted in Georgia's loss of control over most of Abkhazia followed by de facto Abkhazian independence and the ethnic cleansing of Georgians from Abkhazia. The political status of Abkhazia is the central issue of the Abkhazia conflict and Georgia–Russia relations. Abkhazia is formally recognised as an independent state by four UN member states (Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Syria), with three other states having previously recognised but withdrawn their recognition (Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Nauru). The remainder of the international community recognises Abkhazia as de jure part of Georgia. Lacking effective control over the Abkhazian territory, Georgia maintains an Abkhaz government-in-exile. Russia has a major military and economic presence in Abkhazia, providing financial assistance which constitutes about half of Abkhazia's budget, without which the Abkhaz separatist government would not be able to function. There has been discussion around possible Russian annexation of the region. Despite a 1994 ceasefire agreement and years of negotiations, the dispute remains unresolved. The long-term presence of a United Nations Observer Mission and a Russian-led Commonwealth of Independent States peacekeeping force failed to prevent the flare-up of violence...