Where are Abkhaz and Abaza spoken?

The Abkhaz and Abaza languages are closely related members of the Abkhazo-Adyghian (Northwest Caucasian) group, and they are spoken in the following regions:

• Abkhaz: Primarily spoken in the republic of Abkhazia, located on the southern slopes of the western Greater Caucasus in northwestern Georgia.12
• Abaza: Primarily spoken in Karachay-Cherkessia, Russia, north of the main Caucasus mountain chain around the sources of the Kuban and Zelenchuk rivers. Additionally, the Abaza language is spoken in the western part of the Caucasus Mountains and in northeastern Turkey.123

Due to historical migrations, speakers of these languages—along with other members of the Abkhazo-Adyghian group—can also be found in various countries across the Middle East, including Turkey, Syria, Jordan, and Iraq.2