Sukhumi Okrug

The Sukhumi or Sukhum Okrug (Russian: Сухумский округ; Georgian: სოხუმის ოკრუგი; Abkhazian: Аҟəа aҭyҧ) was a special administrative okrug (county) in the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire, part of the Kutais Governorate from 1883 until 1905. The administrative center of the district was the Black Sea port city of Sukhum (Sukhumi). The okrug bordered the Kutais Governorate to the southwest, the Kuban Oblast to the north and the Black Sea Governorate to the northwest and in terms of its area corresponded to most of contemporary Abkhazia. During 1905-1917 the Sukhumi Okrug was one of the smallest independent (not part of any province or region) administrative units of the Russian Empire, second to the Zakatal Okrug.

Sukhumi Okrug
Сухумский округ
The Sukhumi Okrug in the Caucasus Viceroyalty
CountryRussian Empire
Political statusOkrug
RegionCaucasus
Established1883
Abolished1921
Area
 • Total8,621 km2 (3,329 sq mi)
Population
 (1916)
 • Total209,671
 • Density24/km2 (63/sq mi)

History

In 1864, when the Principality of Abkhazia was abolished, its territory, along with Tsebelda, Samurzakan, and the former Pskhu community, became the Sukhum Military District (Sukhumsky Voenny Otdel), with a total area of 6,942 square versts and a population of 79,195. Between 1864 and the uprising of 1866, the Sukhum Military District was administratively divided into three okrugs (Abkhaz, Bzyb, and Abzhua) and two pristavstvos (Tsebelda and Samurzakan).[1]

In 1883, the Sukhum Military District (otdel) became the Sukhum Okrug and was incorporated into the Kutais Governorate.[2]

In 1905, the Sukhum District (okrug) was removed from the Kutais Governorate and placed directly under the Viceroy of the Caucasus.[3]

Administrative divisions

The four uchastoks (sub-counties) of the Sukhumi Okrug were:

  • Gudauta (Гудаутский участок)
  • Gumista (Гумистинский участок)
  • Kodor (Кодорский участок)
  • Samurzakan (Самурзаканский участок)

Demographics

Russian Empire census (1897)

According to the Russian Empire census of 1897, the Sukhumi Okrug had a population of 106,179, including 59,836 men and 46,343 women. The majority of the population indicated Abkhazian to be their mother tongue, with significant Mingrelian, Armenian, Greek, and Russian speaking minorities.[4]

Linguistic composition of the Sukhumi Okrug in 1897[4]
Language Native speakers %
Abkhazian 58,697 55.28
Mingrelian 23,810 22.42
Armenian 6,552 6.17
Greek 5,393 5.08
Russian 5,135 4.84
Georgian 1,830 1.72
Turkish 1,347 1.27
Ukrainian 809 0.76
Estonian 604 0.57
German 406 0.38
Polish 234 0.22
Persian 186 0.18
Tatar[lower-alpha 1] 171 0.16
Imeretian 141 0.13
Jewish 136 0.13
Romanian 133 0.13
Svan 92 0.09
Lithuanian 72 0.07
Belarusian 67 0.06
Avar-Andean 26 0.02
Ossetian 11 0.01
English 6 0.01
Kurdish 2 0.00
Kazi-Kumukh 1 0.00
Other 318 0.30
TOTAL 106,179 100.00

Caucasian Calendar (1917)

The 1917 Caucasian Calendar which produced statistics of 1916 indicates 209,671 residents in the Sukhumi Okrug, including 127,619 men and 82,052 women, 135,838 of whom were the permanent population, and 73,833 were temporary residents.[5]

Nationality Center Rural TOTAL
Asiatic Christians[lower-alpha 2] 4,700 98,464 103,164 49.2%
Georgians[lower-alpha 3] 25,156 25,227 50,383 24.0%
Russians 18,890 6,585 25,475 12.2%
Armenians 8,250 12,493 20,743 9.9%
Other Europeans[lower-alpha 4] 1,720 4,928 6,648 3.2%
Turks 2,390 0 2,390 1.1%
TOTAL 61,974 147,697 209,671 100.0%

Notes
  1. Later known as Azerbaijani.
  2. Many Abkhazians and Greeks were included in the number of Asiatic Christians.
  3. Many Mingrelians were included in the number of Georgians.
  4. Many Estonians were included in the number of Europeans.

References
  1. Tsutsiev, Arthur (2014), Atlas of the Ethno-Political History of the Caucasus, New Haven and London, p. 173, ISBN 978-0-300-15308-8, OCLC 884858065, retrieved 2021-12-25
  2. Tsutsiev, Arthur (2014), Atlas of the Ethno-Political History of the Caucasus, New Haven and London, p. 162, ISBN 978-0-300-15308-8, OCLC 884858065, retrieved 2021-12-25
  3. Tsutsiev, Arthur (2014), Atlas of the Ethno-Political History of the Caucasus, New Haven and London, p. 174, ISBN 978-0-300-15308-8, OCLC 884858065, retrieved 2021-12-25
  4. "Демоскоп Weekly - Приложение. Справочник статистических показателей". www.demoscope.ru. Retrieved 2022-03-26.
  5. Кавказский календарь .... на 1917 год (in Russian). pp. 363–364.

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