Abkhazia travel guide

Abkhazia (or /æbˈkɑziə/, Аҧсны Apsny, აფხაზეთი Apkhazeti or Abkhazeti, Абха́зия Abhazia) is a region in Caucasus. It is a de facto independent republic, with no international recognition. It is located within the internationally recognized borders of Georgia. Abkhazia is located on the eastern coast of the Black Sea, bordering the Russian Federation to the north. Within Georgia, it borders the region of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti to the east.
Abkhazia’s independence is not recognized by any international organization or country and it is recognized as an autonomous republic of Georgia (აფხაზეთის ავტონომიური რესპუბლიკა, Abkhaz:), with Sukhumi as its capital.
A secessionist movement of Abkhaz ethnic minority in the region led to the declaration of independence from Georgia in 1992 and the Georgian-Abkhaz armed conflict from 1992 to 1993 which resulted in the Georgian military defeat and the mass exodus and ethnic cleansing of Georgian population from Abkhazia. In spite of the 1994 ceasefire accord and the ongoing UN-monitored and Russian-dominated CIS peacekeeping operation, the sovereignty dispute has not yet been resolved and the region remains divided between the two rival authorities, with over 83 percent of its territory controlled by the Russian-backed Sukhumi-based separatist government and about 17 percent governed by the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia, recognized by Georgia as the legal authority of Abkhazia, located in the Kodori Valley, part of Georgian-controlled Upper Abkhazia. (...) more....