Gagra District

The Psou River forms most of the border between Gagra District and Russia. The district is mostly mountainous with multiple ridges of the Greater Caucasus Mountains. == History ==

In 1904, Gagra and its surroundings were transferred from the Sukhumsky District of Abkhazia to the Sochi District, which was under the control of Prince Oldenburgsky, and in 1917 it was returned to this position. In 1929, thanks to the Abkhaz authorities, the Pilenkovskaya volost between Gagra and Psou was returned to Abkhazia. It was then that Gagra was established as a separate district. Today it includes the city of Gagra, the urban settlements of Pitsunda, Tsandrypsh, as well as eleven villages – Alahadzi, Khishkha, Bzyp, Psahara, Gechripsh, Ldzaa, Mahadyr, Mkalripsh, Hashpsy, Askhuzara. ==Administration==

Grigori Enik was reappointed as Administration Head on 10 May 2001 following the March 2001 local elections. In December 2002, Enik was appointed Head of the State Customs Committee, he was succeeded by Valeri Bganba. On 25 May 2006, Bganba was released from office by President Bagapsh upon his own request, and succeeded by Astamur Ketsba. In turn, after the election of Alexander Ankvab, on 6 September 2011 Ketsba was dismissed upon his own request and temporarily replaced by his deputy Teimuraz Kapba. On 15 November, Grigori Enik, who had previously headed the Presidential Administration, was appointed Acting Head of Gagra District. On 28 May 2012, Enik was permanently appointed. Following the May 2014 Revolution and the election of Raul Khajimba as President, he dismissed Enik and replaced him with MP Beslan Bartsits (as acting Head) on 22 October. Bartsits was confirmed in his post the following year. On 16 May 2016, Bartsits became Head of the Presidential Administration. The same day, Gagra Forestry Director Zaur Bganba was appointed acting District Head. Bganba was confirmed in his post on 2 June. List of governors ==Demographics==

The population of the Gagra town zone in 1989 was 77,079, Ethnic Armenians now constitute a plurality in the district. As of the 2011 census, this had risen to 40,217 (2011 census). Ethnic groups According to 2011 census, the ethnic composition was: ==Settlements==

The district's main settlements are: • Gagra • Pitsunda • Leselidze • Gantiadi • Bzyb The district is mostly mountainous except for the Bzyb lowland in the southern part of it (where Pitsunda is located) and is crossed by several ranges (Gagra, Arabika and others). ==See also==