ABKHAZIA ( REPUBLIC OF ABKHAZIA / Аҧсны Аҳәынҭқарра )

Abkhazia  ( Аҧсны Аҳәынҭқарра/ Республика Абхазия) is a de facto sovereign state that is recognized by most countries as an autonomous republic of Georgia. It lies in the South Caucasus on the eastern coast of the Black Sea, south of the Greater Caucasus mountains in northwestern Georgia. It covers 8,660 square kilometres (3,340 sq mi) and has a population of around 240,000. Its capital is Sukhumi. The status of Abkhazia is a central issue of the Georgian–Abkhazian conflict and Georgia–Russia relations. The polity is recognised as a state by Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru and Syria. While Georgia lacks control over Abkhazia, the Georgian government and most United Nations member states consider Abkhazia legally part of Georgia, whose constitution designates the area as the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia. The region had autonomy within Soviet Georgia at the time when the Soviet Union began to disintegrate in the late 1980s. Simmering ethnic tensions between the Abkhaz—the region's titular ethnicity—and Georgians—the largest single ethnic group at that time—culminated in the 1992–1993 War in Abkhazia, which resulted in Georgia's loss of control of most of Abkhazia, the de facto independence of Abkhazia and the ethnic cleansing of Georgians from Abkhazia. 

The Abkhazians call their homeland Аԥсны (Apsny, Aṗsny), popularly etymologised as "a land/country of the soul", yet literally meaning "a country of mortals (mortal beings)". It possibly first appeared in the seventh century in an Armenian text as Psin(oun), perhaps referring to the ancient Apsilians. Although the term "Abkhazeti" first appeared in the Georgian annals, giving rise to the name Abkhazia. It was used to denote Abasgia proper and entire Western Georgia within the Kingdom of Georgia. In early Muslim sources, the term "Abkhazia" was generally used in the meaning of Georgia. The Russian Абхазия (Abkhaziya) is adapted from the Georgian აფხაზეთი (Apkhazeti). Abkhazia's name in most languages are derived directly from the Russian. The state is formally designated as the "Republic of Abkhazia" or "Apsny".

Stamps have been produced purporting to be from the Republic of Abkhazia, that is not recognised as a sovereign state by all but few countries. Most stamps of Abkhazia are believed to be bogus, produced in foreign countries solely for sale to collectors, Abkhazia restarted their international postal services from September 2018, on the day of their 25th Independence. Abkhazia issued a series of new postage stamps, and also opened the post office in Gagra too. 

Similar to South Ossetia, Abkhazia also got new country code "AB" for registered mails, but it is not officially given by ISO 3166. With the support of Russian post, the tracking numbers in this code looks working, the first registered mail with "AB" code to India delivered to my address on June 03, 2019. And the postmark also has changed, now it has new postcode. Sukhum 384900 and Gagra got 384870. As per the latest news, The Gagra post office temporarily closed, only the Sukhum post office is working. There is no separate philatelic division, but all the past and present stamps are available to buy depends on its stock.

 This is another cover from Abkhazia with new postage stamps, posted from another post office called Gagra. The cover posted on April 23, 2019, and delivered into my post box on June 03, 2019.The stamps with bird pictures are legal issues too, but the postmaster do not want to put postmark on them, he was adamant to postmark only once on the envelope.

One of the rarest and special covers in my collection from the partially recognized country called Abkhazia. The sender Victoria went to Sukhum post office and instructed to postmark on Abkhazia stamps, and when the covers reached in Sochi international sorting centre in Russia, They put Sochi Krasnodar postmark too. The covers posted on February 15, 2016 and I received on March 07,2016.

This is my second cover from Abkhazia came with Abkhazian stamps (This is the a legally issued stamp of Abkhazia to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Independence of Abkhazia ). 

And I got another cover with Russian stamps but postmarked by Abkhaz Post. Abkhazian stamps are not valid for international postage because Abkhazia is not a UPU member and it is considered as Autonomous Republic of Georgia.

This is my first airmail cover from the country called Abkhazia. It is considered as one of the rarest in cover collectors. my friend sent this cover from Sukhum post office during his visit. He sent more than 10 covers from there with Abkhazia post postmark on the backside and Russian stamps on the front side with postmark from 'Sochi' - Krasnodar region of Russia. Because, Abkhazia stamps cannot be used for postage on international letters, Russia is taking care of all postal services outside Abkhazia. I had two Abkhazia stamps issued in 1993, I affixed them to get local Abkhazia postmark on them . Unfortunately the postman was very angry and he put Russian postmark on them and not affixed Abkhazia postmark on the envelope.The post office staff are not very much interested in philately, and the postal service is also working partially. so it results less interest in philately and related customers.

This is the old postmark which was used till 2017, till the Abkhazian post resumed the postal services.