Gulripsh district
Encyclopedia
Gulripsh district is a district of Abkhazia
, Georgia
’s breakaway republic. It corresponds to the eponymous Georgian district. Its capital is Gulripsh
, the town by the same name. Until the August 2008 Battle of the Kodori Valley
, the north-eastern part of Gulripsh district was part of Upper Abkhazia
, the corner of Abkhazia controlled by Georgia until the Battle of the Kodori Valley
during the August 2008 South Ossetia War
. Upper Abkhazia was home to 1,956 of the district's 19,918 inhabitants, most of whom were ethnic Svans (a subgroub of the Georgian people
). Most of these fled before the battle and have not yet returned.
Of note is the Dranda Cathedral
sitting over a shrine built by Justinian in 551. The medieval principality of Dal-Tsabal was centered in the district. Abkhazia's main airport, Sukhumi Dranda Airport
, is also located in Gulripsh district.
Abkhazia
Abkhazia is a disputed political entity on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the south-western flank of the Caucasus.Abkhazia considers itself an independent state, called the Republic of Abkhazia or Apsny...
, Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
’s breakaway republic. It corresponds to the eponymous Georgian district. Its capital is Gulripsh
Gulripsh
Gulripsh is an urban settlement in Abkhazia. It is located 12 km from the republic's capital, Sukhumi, and is the centre of Gulripsh raion.Nikolay Smetskoy built three sanatoria in Gulripsh between 1902 and 1913 for patients with pulmonary diseases and founded several parks with subtropical...
, the town by the same name. Until the August 2008 Battle of the Kodori Valley
Battle of the Kodori Valley
The Battle of Kodori Valley was a military operation in the Upper Kodori Valley, during the 2008 South Ossetia war, the only part of Abkhazia, which remained under Georgian control after the War in Abkhazia from 1992 to 1993. Hostilities started, during the 2008 South Ossetia war, the Abkhazian...
, the north-eastern part of Gulripsh district was part of Upper Abkhazia
Upper Abkhazia
Upper Abkhazia is a term introduced in 2006, to denote the northeastern part of the disputed territory of Abkhazia, that had remained under Georgian control after the 1992 - 1993 War in Abkhazia. From September 2006 until August 2008 its main village, Chkhalta, hosted the Government of the...
, the corner of Abkhazia controlled by Georgia until the Battle of the Kodori Valley
Battle of the Kodori Valley
The Battle of Kodori Valley was a military operation in the Upper Kodori Valley, during the 2008 South Ossetia war, the only part of Abkhazia, which remained under Georgian control after the War in Abkhazia from 1992 to 1993. Hostilities started, during the 2008 South Ossetia war, the Abkhazian...
during the August 2008 South Ossetia War
2008 South Ossetia war
The 2008 South Ossetia War or Russo-Georgian War was an armed conflict in August 2008 between Georgia on one side, and Russia and separatist governments of South Ossetia and Abkhazia on the other....
. Upper Abkhazia was home to 1,956 of the district's 19,918 inhabitants, most of whom were ethnic Svans (a subgroub of the Georgian people
Georgian people
The Georgians are an ethnic group that have originated in Georgia, where they constitute a majority of the population. Large Georgian communities are also present throughout Russia, European Union, United States, and South America....
). Most of these fled before the battle and have not yet returned.
Of note is the Dranda Cathedral
Dranda Cathedral
Dranda Cathedral is a Georgian Orthodox Cathedral located in Dranda, in the Gulripsh district of the de facto independent Republic of Abkhazia, internationally recognised to constitute a part of Georgia....
sitting over a shrine built by Justinian in 551. The medieval principality of Dal-Tsabal was centered in the district. Abkhazia's main airport, Sukhumi Dranda Airport
Sukhumi Dranda Airport
Sukhumi Dranda Airport is the main airport of Abkhazia. It is alternatively known as Sukhum Babushara Airport. Both Dranda and Babushara are villages located nearby...
, is also located in Gulripsh district.
Demographics
According to 2003 census, the population of the district included:- Armenians (47.5%)
- Abkhaz (24.5%)
- Georgians (13.7%)
- Russians (12.1%)
- Greeks (0.6%)
Settlements
The district's main settlements are:- GulripshGulripshGulripsh is an urban settlement in Abkhazia. It is located 12 km from the republic's capital, Sukhumi, and is the centre of Gulripsh raion.Nikolay Smetskoy built three sanatoria in Gulripsh between 1902 and 1913 for patients with pulmonary diseases and founded several parks with subtropical...
- Tsebelda
- Dranda
- Babushara
- ChkhaltaChkhaltaChkhalta is the largest village in the upper part of the Kodori Valley, situated in Gulripsh District, Abkhazia, a breakaway Republic from Georgia.-History:...
(the main village of what used to be Upper AbkhaziaUpper AbkhaziaUpper Abkhazia is a term introduced in 2006, to denote the northeastern part of the disputed territory of Abkhazia, that had remained under Georgian control after the 1992 - 1993 War in Abkhazia. From September 2006 until August 2008 its main village, Chkhalta, hosted the Government of the...
)