Ochamchire or Ochamchira ( ka, ოჩამჩირე, ; , ''Ochamchyra''; , ''Ochamchira'') is a seaside city on the

Black Sea The Black Sea is a marginal sea, marginal Mediterranean sea (oceanography), mediterranean sea lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bound ...

coast of

Abkhazia Abkhazia, officially the Republic of Abkhazia, is a List of states with limited recognition, partially recognised state in the South Caucasus, on the eastern coast of the Black Sea, at the intersection of Eastern Europe and West Asia. It cover ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

, and a center 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 Population decline, also known as depopulation, is a reduction in a human population size. Throughout history, Earth's total world population, human population has estimates of historical world population, continued to grow but projections sugg ...

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 southeast of the Abkhazian capital of

Sokhumi Sukhumi or Sokhumi is a city in a wide bay on the Black Sea's eastern coast. It is both the Capital city, capital and largest city of Abkhazia, a partially recognised state that most countries consider a part of Georgia (country), Georgia. The ...

Climate

Ochamchire's climate is

humid subtropical A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between la ...

, 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 .

History

Ochamchire evolved as a town from a small maritime settlement, which was a scene of fighting between the

Russians Russians ( ) are an East Slavs, East Slavic ethnic group native to Eastern Europe. Their mother tongue is Russian language, Russian, the most spoken Slavic languages, Slavic language. The majority of Russians adhere to Eastern Orthodox Church ...

and Turkish- Abkhaz forces in 1877. The

ancient Greek Ancient Greek (, ; ) includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the classical antiquity, ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Greek ...

colony of Gyenos () is supposed to have been located near Ochamchire, though the identification can't be considered as definitive because of doubts as to the actual location and the very poor preservation of the archaeologic site itself. The archaeological evidence demonstrates the influence of the Greek culture, if not necessarily Greek settlement starting from 6th century BC. According to Itar Tass, in 2009, Russia began discussing plans to construct a new naval base for its

Black Sea Fleet The Black Sea Fleet () is the Naval fleet, fleet of the Russian Navy in the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov and the Mediterranean Sea. The Black Sea Fleet, along with other Russian ground and air forces on the Crimea, Crimean Peninsula, are subordin ...

( based at

Sevastopol Sevastopol ( ), sometimes written Sebastopol, is the largest city in Crimea and a major port on the Black Sea. Due to its strategic location and the navigability of the city's harbours, Sevastopol has been an important port and naval base th ...

) in Ochamchire. The invasion of Ukraine and the attacks on the Russian fleet in

Crimea Crimea ( ) is a peninsula in Eastern Europe, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, almost entirely surrounded by the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov. The Isthmus of Perekop connects the peninsula to Kherson Oblast in mainland Ukrain ...

provided new impetus to those plans in October 2023. After Aslan Bzhania met with

Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, having previously served from 2000 to 2008. Putin also served as Prime Minister of Ru ...

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 prospective base were to be built, it would be considered to be relatively safe from Ukrainian attacks. In January 2024,

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

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 A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manche ...

facilities exist around the beaches of Ochamchire as of 2023.Russia Signs Agreement To Open Naval Base In Abkhazia
Foreign Military Studies Office, 3 January 2024.

Notable people

The former Georgian Soviet footballer

Vitaly Daraselia Vitaly Kukhinovich Daraselia ( ka, ვიტალი დარასელია; Abkhaz: Витали Кәыхьын-иԥа Дараселиа; 9 January 1957 – 13 December 1982) was a Georgian football player. Playing career Club Daraselia ...

was from Ochamchire.

International relations

Twin towns — Sister cities

Ochamchire is twinned with the following cities: *

Kostroma Kostroma (, ) is a historic city and the administrative center of Kostroma Oblast, Russia. A part of the Golden Ring of Russian cities, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Volga and Kostroma. In the 2021 census, the population is 267, ...

* Bender,

Transnistria Transnistria, officially known as the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic and locally as Pridnestrovie, is a Landlocked country, landlocked Transnistria conflict#International recognition of Transnistria, breakaway state internationally recogn ...

Moldova Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova, is a Landlocked country, landlocked country in Eastern Europe, with an area of and population of 2.42 million. Moldova is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. ...

References

Sources

* '' Georgian State (Soviet) Encyclopedia.'' 1983. Book 7. p. 623.

External links

* {{Administrative divisions of Abkhazia Populated places in Ochamchira District Sukhumi okrug Greek colonies in Colchis