Abzakhs

The Abzakh (Circassian: Абдзэх, Abdzekh; Russian: абадзехи; also known as Abdzakhs or Abadzekhs) are one of the twelve major Circassian tribes, representing one of the twelve stars on the green-and-gold Circassian flag. Historically, they lived in the mountainous part of the modern Russian republics of Adygea and Krasnodar Krai. Major settlements or villages were located in the river valleys Kurdzhips, Psheha, Pshish, and Psekups.

However, today the vast majority of them live in diaspora in Turkey — about 500,000 people, which are the descendants of those expelled from their homeland as a result of the Russian–Circassian War. After Kabardians, the Abzakh are the second-largest Adyghe tribe in Turkey, other diaspora countries, and in the world in general. They are also the second-largest Adyghe tribe in Israel (after Shapsugs), largest in Jordan, and the sixth-largest in Russia. The Abzakhs are not to be confused with the Abkhazians or the Abaza, yet the naming "abadz'ekh" in Circassian language means "the people who live under the Abazas", but they are different in language.