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Sochi

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Sochi is a very large resort city located in Russia.

Krasnodarsky krai Sochi
Krasnodarsky krai Sochi

It sits along the Black Sea in the North Caucasus region. The name Sochi likely means "seaside" or "coast." This comes from the Ubykh words for sea and side. Most people live in a narrow strip near the water. The city stretches across a long area of land. It is actually the longest city in Europe by territory.

Sochi administrative division
Sochi administrative division

The land in Sochi has a special shape. The city sits on the slopes of the Western Caucasus mountains. These mountains descend directly down into the Black Sea. Many rivers cut through the landscape to reach the coast. The Mzymta and the Shakhe are the biggest rivers there. Other rivers include the Ashe, the Sochi, and the Khosta. Much of the area is part of the Sochi National Park.

Морской порт Сочи и прилегающая территория 02
Морской порт Сочи и прилегающая территория 02

Sochi has a very long and changing history. Long ago, many different tribes lived in this area. These included the Zygii, the Abkhaz, and the Ubykh people. In the 1300s, the Republic of Genoa had trading posts nearby. Later, the Russian Empire took control of the coastline in 1829. Many different groups of people moved there to live. This included Russians, Armenians, Greeks, and many others. By 1900, Sochi began to grow into a famous sea resort.

Church in Sochi 2014 08
Church in Sochi 2014 08

The weather in Sochi is known as a humid subtropical climate. This means the winters are mild and the summers are warm. You can see different kinds of palm trees growing there. These include the Sabal palmetto and the Phoenix canariensis. Sochi also has the most northern tea plantations in the region. In the summer, the sea temperature can reach about 26.9 degrees Celsius.

Dendrarium Sochi Mauritanian arbour
Dendrarium Sochi Mauritanian arbour

The city gets about 2,200 hours of sunshine every year.

Today, Sochi is a very busy place for big events. It hosted the 2014 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Many Olympic events happened at the Rosa Khutor ski resort. The city also hosted the 2018 FIFA World Cup. From 2014 to 2021, it held the Formula 1 Russian Grand Prix.

Sochi adler aerial view 2018 23
Sochi adler aerial view 2018 23

About two million people visit the area every summer. It is a famous place for both the sea and the mountains.

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Standard of Cyrus the Great (Achaemenid...
File:Vexilloid of the Roman Empire.svg
Vexilloid of the Roman Empire.svg
File:Byzantine imperial flag, 14th century.svg
Byzantine imperial flag, 14th century.svg
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Flag of the Kingdom of Egris-Abkhazia v2.svg
File:Flag of the Mongol Empire 3.png
Flag of the Mongol Empire 3.png
File:Principality of Abkhazia coat of arms.svg
Principality of Abkhazia coat of arms.svg
File:Krasnodarsky krai Sochi.PNG
Krasnodarsky krai Sochi.PNG
File:Sochi administrative division.png
Sochi administrative division.png
File:Sochi Symphony Orchestra Soldatov Beisteiner December 2013.jpg
Sochi Symphony Orchestra Soldatov...
File:Letniy theatre Sochi.jpg
Letniy theatre Sochi.jpg
File:Dendrarium Sochi Mauritanian arbour.jpg
Dendrarium Sochi Mauritanian arbour.jpg
File:Church in Sochi 2014 08.jpeg
Church in Sochi 2014 08.jpeg

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