Tkvarcheli, Tkuarchal, also Tkvarchal (Abkh. Tҟәarchal, Georgian ტყვარჩელი) is a city (since 1942) in Abkhazia, in the Tkuarchal region of the partially recognized Republic of Abkhazia, according to the administrative division of Georgia – a city of republican significance of the Abkhaz Autonomous Republic. City-hero of the partially recognized Republic of Abkhazia.

Geography and climate
The city itself is clearly divided geographically (due to the local relief) into the upper and lower parts, which were called the upper and lower platforms and are interconnected by a ring road, a cable car and a long staircase with 232 steps. Tkvarcheli is a city that is completely ringed by mountains, and only one road leads to the entrance and exit (including the railway).

Tkuarchal has excellent natural and climatic conditions. The climate is subtropical: warm summers (average July temperature – 28 ° C), moderately mild and warm winters (average January temperature – + 8 ° C); rainfall over 2000 mm per year. The city is located on the Aaldzga River (called Galidzga on the maps of the Soviet period), which flows into the Black Sea. Another mountain river Gidzhirka flows. In the area of ​​​​the village of Gup there is the Gupsky waterfall, towards the village of Akarmara – Akarmara.

History
The city was founded as the industrial center of Abkhazia in 1942.
In Soviet times, the city was called Tkvarcheli and was part of the Abkhaz ASSR, which was part of the Georgian SSR.
There was no administrative division in the city, as such, however, Kvezani, as the city center was called, included nearby villages, such as Akarmara, Dzhantukha, Polyana, etc.
The architecture of the city is interesting and unique in its own way. Most of the administrative and public buildings, as well as the housing stock in the central part of Tkvarcheli, were built by captured German soldiers after 1943-44. German architects and engineers participated in the design of the buildings. This left a unique imprint on the city and made it different from all other small towns.
The war of 1992-1993 caused irreparable damage to the city. Many buildings were destroyed, others simply fell into disrepair without proper repair. During the war in Abkhazia in 1992-1993, the city experienced a severe blockade that lasted 413 days. Several hundred civilians became victims of the blockade and bombing of the Georgian troops. citizens.

Industry
Before the 1992-93 war, Tkuarchal was a large industrial city in Abkhazia. The basis of industry was the extraction and enrichment of coal. The mined coal was transported to the processing plant, the products of which were intended to supply the Rustavi Metallurgical Plant with coking coal concentrates. The city also operated a state district power station, a dolomite factory and factories producing building materials, electromechanical products, lemonade and soft drinks, sausages, oxygen, asphalt, reinforced concrete structures, and clothing items.
In the post-war years, as a result of economic sanctions imposed against Abkhazia by the CIS, the industrial potential of Tkuarchal was completely destroyed, and industrial production fell by more than 90%.

Currently, the basis of the economic potential of the city is coal mining. Since 2002, the Abkhazian-Turkish company “Tamsash” has been engaged in coal mining and its subsequent export to Turkey, investing over $ 20 million in production. Since December 2009, the enterprise has been transformed into the Abkhazian Tkuarchalugol LLC. The district budget is 90% dependent on this company. Coal mining is carried out in an open way, which leads to pollution of the Aaldzga River and causes discontent among local residents and a number of politicians. There are factories for the production of gloves, lamps, roofing material, which employs 60 workers (in 1989 there were 1000 workers); a nail factory with about 40 employees; state bakery.
With the support of the central authorities, the largest Zarya plant, which produces components for agricultural machinery of one of the Russian plants, has resumed work. It was planned to build a cement plant, the products of which will be exported to Russia for the construction of Olympic facilities in Sochi.
The Tkuarchal railway station is connected by a railway line (26 km) to the Ochamchira station. As of August 2015, coal freight trains operate at a frequency of approximately one pair per day. As of January 2018, coal mining has been suspended, the branch is not active. Coal is delivered to the port of Ochamchira by rail from Russia.

Tourism and cultural life
The city has a theater balneological resort – mineral weakly radioactive sources are used to treat diseases of the organs of movement and support and the peripheral nervous system.
Until 1993, a cable car operated in the city.
There are no hotels.