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The Abazin, Abazinians or Abaza (Abaza language and Abkhaz language: Абаза; Circassian: Абазэхэр; ; ; ) are an ethnic group of the Caucasus, closely related to the Abkhaz people and Circassians peoples. Today, as a result of atrocities committed by Russian Empire during the Circassian genocide, they live mostly in Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Egypt and in Karachay-Cherkessia and Stavropol Krai in the North Caucasus region of Russia. The Tapanta (Тапанта), a branch of the Abaza, lived between the Besleney and Kabardian princedoms on the upper Kuban.
Abaza people historically speak the Abaza language, a Northwest Caucasian language most closely related to Abkhaz language, and more distantly related to the Ubykh language and Circassian languages. There are two dialects of Abaza spoken in Karachay-Cherkessia: Ashkharua and Tapanta. The culture and traditions of the Abazin are similar to those of the Circassians. On many old maps Abazin territory is marked as part of Circassia (Adygea).
According to the 2010 Russian census, there were 43,341 Abazins in Russia.
There is a significant Abazin presence in Turkey. An estimated 150,000 Abaza live in the provinces of Eskişehir, Samsun Province, Yozgat Province, Adana Province, Kayseri Province, and Sakarya Province, as well as İzmit and Istanbul.
Most of them belong to Ashkharua clan that fought against the Tsarist army and emigrated to Turkey after losing the battle of Kbaada (Krasnaya Polyana in today's Sochi), whereas the Tapanta clan fought with the Russian forces. A prominent example in Egypt is the Abaza family, a large Egyptian Abazin clan.
The Abazins are dominantly Sunni Muslims. The Abazins first encountered Islam during their migrations to the Abazinia region via contact with the Nogais and other Muslim people. The Abazins adopted Islam via the influence of Muslim merchants and missionaries from the 16th to 19th centuries.
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