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Sukhumi is the capital of Abkhazia, a de facto independent state that is internationally recognised, however, as being part of Georgia. It has a population of 121,406 (1989).
It is located on a wide bay of the Black Sea in western Georgia and serves as a port, rail junction and a holiday resort. It is known for its beaches, sanatoriums, mineral-water spas and semitropical climate. Sukhumi is also an important air link for Abkhazia, as the Sukhumi Dranda Airport is located within the city. Sukhumi contains a number of hotels, as well as a lively artist scene. The city also maintains historic botanical gardens. Until 1992 it remained a multi-cultural city, in which nine different languages were spoken.
The city contains a number of research institutes and the Abkhaz State University. In Soviet times, it contained a renowned ape breeding station. From 1945 to 1954, the city's electron physics laboratory was involved in the Soviet program to develop nuclear weapons.
The Greek colony of Dioscurias was founded here in the 6th century BC. It was known as Sebastopolis during Roman and Byzantium occupation. It was the Turkish fortress of Sukhum-Kale when Russia occupied it in 1810.
Sukhumi was the centre of the war between Georgia and Abkhazia in the early 1990s. The conflict damaged much of the city, with several important buildings, such as the National Archives, being destroyed completely. Although much of the city has been rebuilt, the city is still suffering the after-effects of the war, and it has not regained its earlier ethnic diversity.
de:Suchumi
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