Abkhazia (/ æ b ˈ k ɑː z i ə / ab-KAH-zee-ə or / æ b ˈ k eɪ z i ə / ab-KAY-zee-ə), officially the Republic of Abkhazia, is a de facto state in the South Caucasus, recognised by most countries as part of Georgia, which views the region as an autonomous republic. It lies on the eastern coast of the Black Sea, south of the Greater Caucasus mountains in northwestern Georgia.

The Circassians refer to themselves as Adyghe (also transliterated as Adyga, Adiga, Adige, Adığe, Adyge, Adygei).According to one view, the name derives from Atyghe (Adyghe: Iатыгъэ, romanized: 'atığə) meaning "high" to signify a mountaineer, as the Circassian people have lived in the mountains for thousands of years.. Circassian, Cherkess. The word Circassian (/ s ər ˈ k æ …