Geography of Abkhazia
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Abkhazia is a region in South Caucasus. It is a de facto independent republic, but internationally is mostly recognized as part of Georgia.
Geography
Abkhazia covers an area of about 8,660 square kilometres (3,340 sq mi)
The region is extremely mountainous (nearly 75% is classified as mountains or foothills) and settlement is largely confined to the coast and a number of deep, well-watered valleys.
Landscape
The landscapes of Abkhazia range from coastal forests (
plantations.The world's deepest known cave, Krubera (Voronja) Cave, is located in Abkhazia's western Caucasus mountains. The latest survey (as of September 2007) has measured the vertical span of this cave system as 2,191 m (7,188 ft) between its highest and lowest explored points.
The foothills, up to an elevation of 600 meters (1,969 ft) above sea level, are covered by
Climate
Because of Abkhazia's proximity to the Black Sea, its climate is very mild, considering the northern latitude. The Caucasus Mountains are greatly responsible for moderating the region's climate, as they shield Abkhazia from cold northerly winds.
The coastal areas of the Republic have a subtropical climate, where the average annual temperature in most regions is around 15 °C (59 °F). Average winter (January) temperatures vary between 4 and 6 °C (39.2 and 42.8 °F), while average summer (July) temperatures are anywhere between 22 and 23 °C (71.6 and 73.4 °F). The coastal territory rarely experiences strong frosts during the winter.
Higher elevations of Abkhazia, above 1,000 meters (3,281 ft) above sea level have a maritime, mountain climate, experiencing relatively cold winters and long, warm summers. Elevations above 2,000 meters (6,562 ft) above sea level have colder winters and shorter summers. Abkhazia's highest regions have a cold, summerless climate throughout the year.
Abkhazia receives high amounts of precipitation, but is known for its unique micro-climate (transitional from subtropical to mountain) along most of its coast, causing lower levels of humidity. The annual precipitation along the coast ranges from 1,200 to 1,400 mm (47.2 to 55.1 in).
Climate data for Sukhumi | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 10.0 (50.0) |
10.7 (51.3) |
12.8 (55.0) |
16.8 (62.2) |
20.4 (68.7) |
24.2 (75.6) |
26.5 (79.7) |
26.8 (80.2) |
24.1 (75.4) |
20.3 (68.5) |
15.6 (60.1) |
12.0 (53.6) |
18.3 (65.0) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 2.2 (36.0) |
2.7 (36.9) |
4.5 (40.1) |
8.3 (46.9) |
12.2 (54.0) |
16.2 (61.2) |
19.0 (66.2) |
18.6 (65.5) |
14.8 (58.6) |
10.4 (50.7) |
6.6 (43.9) |
3.9 (39.0) |
10.0 (49.9) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 102 (4.0) |
76 (3.0) |
102 (4.0) |
102 (4.0) |
92 (3.6) |
89 (3.5) |
83 (3.3) |
107 (4.2) |
120 (4.7) |
114 (4.5) |
104 (4.1) |
108 (4.3) |
1,199 (47.2) |
Average rainy days | 17 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 160 |
Source 1: climatebase.ru[2] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: Georgia Travel Climate Information[3] |
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 978-1-59339-837-8.
- ^ "Sukhumi". climatebase.ru. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
- ^ "Georgia, Sukhumi climate information". Travel-climate.com. Retrieved 2016-06-26.