Gagra district
Encyclopedia
Gagra District is a district of Abkhazia
. It corresponds to the Georgian district by the same name. In medieval times, it was known as the southern part of Sadzen
. It is located in the western part of Abkhazia, and the river Psou serves as a border with Krasnodar Kray of Russia
. Its capital is Gagra
, the town by the same name. The population of the Gagra town zone in 1989 was 77,079, but this number dropped dramatically following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the 1992-1993 war in Abkhazia, (including the ethnic cleansing of Georgians
), to 37,002 at the time of the 2003 census. Ethnic Armenians now constitute a plurality in the district.
, on 6 September 2011 Ketsba was dismissed upon his own request and temporarily replaced by his deputy Teimuraz Kapba.
The district is mostly mountainous except for the Bzyb lowland in the southern part of it (where Pitsunda is located) and is crossed by several ranges (Gagra, Arabika and others).
Abkhazia
Abkhazia is a disputed political entity on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the south-western flank of the Caucasus.Abkhazia considers itself an independent state, called the Republic of Abkhazia or Apsny...
. It corresponds to the Georgian district by the same name. In medieval times, it was known as the southern part of Sadzen
Sadzen
Sadzen was an ill-defined region on the eastern shore of the Black Sea, which used to be settled by the Sadz people, hence the name. In the mid-19th century, it came to be known in Russian and Western literature as Lesser Abkhazia....
. It is located in the western part of Abkhazia, and the river Psou serves as a border with Krasnodar Kray of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. Its capital is Gagra
Gagra
Gagra is a town in Abkhazia, Georgia’s breakaway republic, sprawling for 5 km on the northeast coast of the Black Sea, at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains...
, the town by the same name. The population of the Gagra town zone in 1989 was 77,079, but this number dropped dramatically following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the 1992-1993 war in Abkhazia, (including the ethnic cleansing of Georgians
Ethnic cleansing of Georgians in Abkhazia
The Ethnic Cleansing of Georgians in Abkhazia, also known as the Massacres of Georgians in Abkhazia and Genocide of Georgians in Abkhazia — refers to ethnic cleansing, massacres and forced mass expulsion of thousands of ethnic Georgians living in Abkhazia during the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict...
), to 37,002 at the time of the 2003 census. Ethnic Armenians now constitute a plurality in the district.
Administration
On 25 May 2005, Administration head Vitali Bganba was released from office by President Bagapsh upon his own request, and succeeded by Astamur Ketsba. In turn, after the election of Alexander AnkvabAbkhazian presidential election, 2011
A presidential election was held in Abkhazia on 26 August 2011. This was the fifth such election since the post of President of the Republic of Abkhazia was created in 1994...
, on 6 September 2011 Ketsba was dismissed upon his own request and temporarily replaced by his deputy Teimuraz Kapba.
List of heads of the administration
| # | Name | From | Until | President | Comments | ||
| Leonid Enik | Vladislav Ardzinba Vladislav Ardzinba Vladislav Grigori-ipa Ardzinba was the first President of Abkhazia. A historian by education, Ardzinba led Abkhazia to de facto independence in the 1992-1993 War with Georgia, but its de jure independence from Georgia remained internationally unrecognised during Ardzinba's two terms as President... |
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| Valeri Bganba | 25 May 2005 | Sergei Bagapsh Sergei Bagapsh Sergei Uasyl-ipa Bagapsh was the second President of the Republic of Abkhazia. He was Prime Minister from 1997 to 1999 and was later elected as President in 2005. He was re-elected in the 2009 presidential election... |
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| Astamur Ketsba | 25 May 2005 | 29 May 2011 | |||||
| 29 May 2011 | 6 September 2011 | Alexander Ankvab Alexander Ankvab Alyksandr Zolotinska-ipa Ankvab is an Abkhaz politician and businessman who has been President of Abkhazia since 2011. Under President Sergei Bagapsh, he previously served as Prime Minister from 2005 to 2010 and Vice-President from 2010 to 2011.... |
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| Teimuraz Kapba | 6 September 2011 | Incumbent | Acting |
Demographics
According to 2003 census, the population of the district included:- Armenians (44.1%)
- Abkhaz (27.7%)
- Russians (20.0%)
- Georgians (3.3%)
- Greeks (0.7%)
Settlements
The district's main settlements are:- GagraGagraGagra is a town in Abkhazia, Georgia’s breakaway republic, sprawling for 5 km on the northeast coast of the Black Sea, at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains...
- PitsundaPitsundaPitsunda is a resort town in Gagra district of Abkhazia.The town was founded by the Greeks in the 5th century BC as a trade colony Pityus or Pitiunt. Excavations guided by Andria Apakidze unearthed remains of three 4th-century churches and a bath with superb mosaic floors...
- Gyachripsh
- Tsandripsh
- Bzyb
The district is mostly mountainous except for the Bzyb lowland in the southern part of it (where Pitsunda is located) and is crossed by several ranges (Gagra, Arabika and others).