INTRODUCTION
The State of Adzhatia is a democratic republic in the Barentzsea, north east of Norway. Originally the island was solely inhabited by Finno-Ugric people close to Finns and Karelians, but during and after the second world war, the entire people of the Adzhatians were transported to the island, where they mingled with the indigenous inhabitants. The Adzhatic language contains a lot of Finno-Ugric and Russian loan words, a development which isn't likely to slow down any time soon, as there is a discussion about granting the most important Finno-Ugric dialect official status.

In 1950 Adzhatia became an Autonomous Socialist Soviet Republic (A.S.S.R.), headed by the Adzhatian communist party leader Miheĺ Iĺicśŭn. He was briefly deposed from 1982 to 1984, and died two years later, after which his brother Pjotaŕ Iĺicśŭn took over. He died however during one of the uprisings in 1990 that lead to the independence of Adzhatia eventually, and his son Miheĺ Pjotarśŭn took over. Although elections were held regularly, Pjotarśŭn's power didn't seem to be affected much by them, and his actual dictatorship continued until 2004, when he was deposed. Politics remained unsteady for some years after that, the former government of prime minister Ereh Ħĭnzei finally managing to lead the country into a calmer period. Many Adzhatians wish that their country join NATO and the EU, but this seems unlikely to happen any time soon; it has however joined FICTS in 2008; in 2011 FICTS was replaced by FICT and Adzhatia became a member of the new organisation.

Official name: Adźać Valteciŕ ('State of Adzhatia')
Area: 77,618 km2
Inhabitants: 669,629 (1-1-2012)
Density: 8.63 inh./km2
Form of government: parliamentary republic
Official holiday: 14 June ('Dawn of Democracy')

PEOPLE
Growth rate: 0.2% (2011)
Life expectancy: male 64.4, female 69.0 years
City top five (with inhabitants):
    Ashtinok (112,622)
    Kercei (84,457)
    Kosegińdrăt (66,801)
    Ćŭŕdveź (65,130)
    Alidaŕ (24,279)
Languages: Adzhatic (which has official Cyrillic and Latin alphabets), Finn-Ugric dialects (unofficial)
Literacy: 96.9%
Religion: Russian Orthodox (94%)
University: Technical University of Pruteilăć (founded in 1955), Adzhatian State University (2011)

GOVERNMENT
Capital: Ashtinok (Aśtinok, Аштінок), known from 1957 to 2011 as Bazăŕ Gĕĺ
Administrative Division: nine districts: Kŏpunceźiś Krais (capital: Ashtinok); Gĕĺa Koŕzăm Krais (Kosegińdrăt); Kerceze Krais (Kercei); Pruteze Krais (Pruteilăć), Sarăm Krais (Ćŭŕdveź); Drezeńe Adźaciaisa Krais (Alidaŕ); Ĕnćeve Adźaciaisa Krais (Ħŭŕć); Śaińe Adźaciaisa Krais (Sańdźiś Miheleze Lăć); Jantăsănkăm Krais (Ŏvanalăć)
Head of state: president Ăŕva Bekina (since 9 October 2010)
Parliament: Dumća (142 members, 27 of which are chosen every four years through regional representation, while the other 115 are chosen by proportional representation every four years - but not necessarily at the same time)
Main political parties: Năve Komunistiće Partića (N.K.P.; New Communist Party), Secializdźiś (socialists), Adźać Valteźiś Ŏdźa Demokradźiś (A.V.Ŏ.D.; liberal-democrats), Bloc-Ħĭnzei (conservative liberal party of Ereh Ħĭnzei), Ĕrevi Śviveź (Friends of Europe), Partića Ŏdźai Adźaciai (P.Ŏ.A.; Party for a Free Adzhatia), Oi Vŭo Mihelun Pjotarśŭnin ('We want Miheĺ Pjotarśŭn; old communist party), Partića Demokratićai Adźaciai (P.D.A.; democrats)
Head of government: mr. Eigĕń Hameen (since 30 December 2011)
Minister of foreign affairs: dr. Ońa Iśśeŕ (since 30 December 2011)

GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE
Highest mountain: Demokraciaisa Verkciŕ (1396 m.)
Longest river: Taiś
Climate: ET (Tundra)
Average temperature in January and July: -15°C, 10°C
Average quantity of rain: 750 mm. a year

ECONOMY
GNP: $6,388 million
Currency: 1 Adzhatian Peka (AZP) = €0.11
Inflation: 1.41% (2011)
Unemployment: 4.9% (2011)
Working population: agriculture: 16.5%; industry: 45.9%; services: 37.6%
Export: chemical products, refrigerators, fish, ships
Import: oil, technological products, cars, provisions, raw materials
Main partners: Russia, Norway, Iceland, European Union, United States, Canada
Main businesses: Śŏdźak (whale processing), Kosegińdrădze Produkciaś (blast furnaces), Miheĺśŭńze Jan (refrigerators), Valteića Vervźiś (National Shipyards)
Main newspapers: Śaizeźiś Jatća ('Voice of the People', 1950), Adźaciaisa Prăvda ('Newspaper of Adzhatia', 1992)

INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS
Member of: United Nations (2004), Nordic Council (2004), FICTS (2008 - 2011), FICT (2011)

TIME
Time zone: GMT + 2

ANTHEM AND FLAG
Anthem: "Аса, zŏ zварош нош Аџаціча" / "Asa, dzŏ dzvaroś noś Adźacića" ("God, save our Adzhatia"), lyrics and music by Aliksandre Baśvahei (*1968), adopted in 2011
Flag: The flag used between 1990 and 2012 was based on the flag that was used when Adzhatia was still part of the USSR. The second government of Ŕanije Erijeź issued a state symbol reform which was completed in 2011 with the design and adoption through a referendum of a new flag: a yellow Scandinavian cross on a green background. The black cross is the cross used by Ukrainian and Adzhatian kozaks. Green symbolises the forests that the Adzhatians used to live in before they were moved to the island of Valya.

New flag

Old flag