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Sukhumi

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Sukhumi is a city located on the eastern coast of the Black Sea.

On quay. Sukhum
On quay. Sukhum

It sits inside a wide bay and serves as the capital of Abkhazia. Most countries consider this area to be part of Georgia. The city is a very busy place for many different reasons. It is a major port and a large rail junction.

Railway station Suhum
Railway station Suhum

People also visit Sukhumi as a holiday resort. They come for the beaches and the mineral-water spas. The semitropical climate makes it a warm and pleasant place to visit.

The city works as a hub for travel and trade. Travelers can arrive by plane at the local airport. Many people also use the trains to reach the city.

Beslet bridge
Beslet bridge

During the summer, the city becomes much busier than usual. The number of people can double or even triple. This happens because so many international tourists arrive for holidays. The city also hosts a beautiful botanical garden for visitors to explore.

Botanical garden.Sukhum
Botanical garden.Sukhum

Sukhumi has a history that goes back to the 6th century BC. Greek settlers first arrived and named the city Dioscurias.

Colchis coin
Colchis coin

They traded goods like salt, timber, and linen with local tribes. Later, the city was known as Sebastopolis under the Roman Empire. Much of the ancient city now lies under the Black Sea. The city was later called Tskhumi during the Georgian Golden Age. At that time, it was a summer home for kings.

Many different groups have controlled the city over the years. The Ottoman Empire held the area in the 1570s.

Gamba - view of sukhumi fortress
Gamba - view of sukhumi fortress

They built forts and called the town Suhum-Kale. In 1810, the Russian Empire conquered the city. Later, Sukhumi was part of the Soviet Union. During that time, it was a very popular holiday spot. The city saw many changes in its official name and spelling.

Recent history has brought many changes to the people living there. There was a conflict between 1992 and 1993 that caused much damage.

Suhumi Prokudin-Gorskii
Suhumi Prokudin-Gorskii

Because of this, the population changed a lot. In 1989, about 120,000 people lived in the city. By 2017, the population was about 65,716 people. The city is still rebuilding from the effects of the past. It remains a very important place on the Black Sea coast.

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🖼️ Images & Media (7)
File:Colchis coin.jpg
Colchis coin.jpg
File:Gamba - view of sukhumi fortress.JPG
Gamba - view of sukhumi fortress.JPG
File:Botanical garden.Sukhum.jpg
Botanical garden.Sukhum.jpg
File:On quay. Sukhum.jpg
On quay. Sukhum.jpg
File:Suhumi Prokudin-Gorskii.jpg
Suhumi Prokudin-Gorskii.jpg
File:Beslet bridge.JPG
Beslet bridge.JPG
File:Railway station Suhum.jpg
Railway station Suhum.jpg
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