Georgia: Census in breakaway Abkhazia

(Tbilisi, January 15, 2003. Civil Georgia) - Reports say de facto Abkhaz authorities hold the census of the population on January 14-20.

According to the census carried in 1989 up to 500,000 people lived the region. After the 1992-93 armed conflict the population of Abkhazia significantly reduced.

As Georgian authorities say 300,000 Georgians fled from the region and became IDPs.

Abkhaz de fact authorities say that at least 60% of the current population of the Abkhazia is already Russian citizen.