Sukhumi is the capital of Abkhazia

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...

, a disputed region on the Black Sea

Black Sea

The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...

 coast. The city suffered heavily during the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict

Georgian-Abkhaz conflict

The Georgian–Abkhazian conflict refers to the ethnic conflict between Georgians and Abkhazians in Abkhazia, which is presently a de facto independent partially recognized republic...

 in the early 1990s.
In Abkhaz, the city is known as (Aqwa) which according to native tradition signifies water. In Georgian, the city is known as (Sokhumi) or აყუ (Aqu), in Megrelian

Megrelian language

Mingrelian, or Megrelian , is a Kartvelian language spoken in Western Georgia , primarily by Georgians of Mingrelian origin. The language was also called Iverian in the early 20th century...

 as აყუჯიხა (Aqujikha), and in Russian as (Sukhum) or (Sukhumi).

The etymology of the name Sokhumi is disputed.