Ochamchire

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Ochamchire (sometimes referred to as Ochamchira; Abkhaz: Очамчыра; Georgian: ოჩამჩირე; Russian: Очамчира) is a seaside city on the Black Sea coast of Abkhazia, the breakaway republic of Georgia. According to the 1978 population census, Ochamchire had 18,700 residents. After the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict of 1992-93, Ochamchire experienced a significant population decline. Most of the internally displaced persons which were affected by the conflict have yet to return to the city. Ochamchire lies along the left bank of the Ghalidzga River at an elevation of five meters above sea level. The city is located 53 kilometers southeast of Sukhumi and 351 kilometers to the northwest of Tbilisi. Ochamchire's climate is humid subtropical with relatively warm winters and hot summers. The average annual temperature is 13.6 degrees Celsius. January's average temperature is 4.5 degrees Celsius while the average temperature in July is 23 degrees Celsius. Average annual precipitation is approximately 1300mm.

The ancient Greek colony of Gyenos was probably located near Ochamchire, though the identification cannot be considered as definitive because of doubts as to the actual location and the very poor preservation of the archaeologic site itself.^[1]

[edit] References

^ Mogens Herman, Hansen, Thomas Heine Nielsen (2003), An Inventory of Archaic and Classical Poleis, p. 953. Oxford University Press, ISBN 0198140991.