Ochamchire (original) (raw)

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Seaside town in Abkhazia

Town in Abkhazia, Georgia

Ochamchire ოჩამჩირე, Очамчы́ра
town
Fountain in OchamchireFountain in Ochamchire
Location of Ochamchire within AbkhaziaLocation of Ochamchire within Abkhazia
Ochamchire is located in GeorgiaOchamchireOchamchireLocation of Ochamchire in Georgia
Coordinates: 42°43′00″N 41°28′00″E / 42.71667°N 41.46667°E / 42.71667; 41.46667
Country Georgia
Partially recognized independent country Abkhazia[1]
District Ochamchire
Population (2011)[2]
• Total 5,280
Time zone UTC+3 (MSK)
• Summer (DST) UTC+4

Ochamchire or Ochamchira (Georgian: ოჩამჩირე, [otʃʰamtʃʰiɾe] ⓘ; Abkhaz: Очамчыра, Ochamchyra; Russian: Очамчира, Ochamchira) is a seaside city on the Black Sea coast of Abkhazia,[3] Georgia, and a centre of an eponymous district.

According to the 1989 Soviet population census, Ochamchire had 20,078 residents. After the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict of 1992–93, Ochamchire experienced a significant population decline due to ethnic cleansing of Georgians. Most of the displaced persons affected by the conflict have yet to return to the city. Ochamchire lies along the left bank of the Ghalidzga River where it enters the sea. The city is located 53 kilometres (33 miles) southeast of the Abkhazian capital of Sukhumi.

Ochamchire's climate is humid subtropical, with mild winters and hot summers. The average annual temperature is 13.6 degrees Celsius. January's average temperature is 4.5 degrees Celsius while the average temperature in July is 23 degrees Celsius. Average annual precipitation is approximately 1,552 mm (61 in).

Ochamchire evolved as a town from a small maritime settlement, which was a scene of fighting between the Russians and Turkish-Abkhaz forces in 1877.[4]

The ancient Greek colony of Gyenos (Greek: Γυένος) is supposed to have located near Ochamchire, though the identification cannot be considered as definitive because of doubts as to the actual location and the very poor preservation of the archaeologic site itself.[5] The archaeological evidence demonstrates the influence of the Greek culture, if not necessarily Greek settlement starting from 6th century BC.[6]

According to Itar Tass, in 2009, Russia began discussing plans to construct a new naval base for its Black Sea Fleet (as of 2009[update] based at Sevastopol) in Ochamchire.[7] The invasion of Ukraine and the attacks on the Russian fleet in Crimea provided new impetus to those plans in October 2023.[8] After Aslan Bzhania met with Vladimir Putin in Moscow in October 2023, he told the newspaper Isvestiya that a treaty about the establishment of a Russian naval base in Ochamchire had been signed. As the town is notionally in neutral Georgia, if the pros[ectove base were to be built, it would be considered to be relatively safe from Ukrainian attacks.[9][10]

In January 2024, Russia signed an agreement with Abkhazia to host the Ochamchire Russian naval base. Some Abkhazians believe the agreement is principally a manifestation of political and information war conflict between pro-Russian and more independence-oriented Abkhazians, but have allowed that, at minimum, if the base is built, it would be a vital refueling port facility for the Russian Navy. However, no deepwater port facilities exist around the beaches of Ochamchire as of 2023.[11]

The former Georgian Soviet footballer Vitaly Daraselia was from Ochamchire.[_citation needed_]

International relations

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Twin towns — Sister cities

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Ochamchire is twinned with the following cities:

  1. ^ The political status of Abkhazia is disputed. Having unilaterally declared independence from Georgia in 1992, Abkhazia is formally recognised as an independent state by 5 UN member states (two other states previously recognised it but then withdrew their recognition), while the remainder of the international community recognizes it as de jure Georgian territory. Georgia continues to claim the area as its own territory, designating it as Russian-occupied territory.
  2. ^ (in Russian) Infos at ethno-kavkaz.narod.ru
  3. ^ The political status of Abkhazia is disputed. Having unilaterally declared independence from Georgia in 1992, Abkhazia is formally recognised as an independent state by 5 UN member states (two other states previously recognised it but then withdrew their recognition), while the remainder of the international community recognizes it as de jure Georgian territory. Georgia continues to claim the area as its own territory, designating it as Russian-occupied territory.
  4. ^ "Очемчиры" [(Ochemchiry)]. Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary (1890-1906) www.brocgaus.ru. Retrieved 2 May 2008.
  5. ^ Mogens Herman, Hansen; Thomas Heine Nielsen (2003). An Inventory of Archaic and Classical Poleis. Oxford University Press. p. 953. ISBN 0-19-814099-1..
  6. ^ David, Braund (1994). Georgia in Antiquity. A History of Colchis and Transcaucasian Iberia 550 BC AD 562. Calendon Press. p. 105. ISBN 0198144733.
  7. ^ Gorst, Isabel (2009-01-27). "Russia to relocate fleet to Abkhazia". Financial Times. Retrieved 2009-01-27.
  8. ^ Chatterjee, Phelan (5 October 2023). "Abkhazia: Russia to build naval base in Georgian separatist region, says local leader". BBC News. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  9. ^ Stöber, Silvia. "Russlands Schwarzmeerflotte - Hafen unter Palmen" [Russia's Black Sea Fleet - port under palm trees]. tagesschau.de (in German). Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  10. ^ "Russia's new Black Sea naval base alarms Georgia". BBC News. 13 December 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  11. ^ Russia Signs Agreement To Open Naval Base In Abkhazia, Foreign Military Studies Office, 3 January 2024.
  12. ^ "8 октября Бендеры отмечают 605-летие со Дня первого летописного упоминания о городе" [On October 8, Bendery celebrates the 605th anniversary of the first chronicled mention of the city]. Apsnypress. 8 October 2013. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2013.