[1] Historically, they lived in the mountainous part of the modern Russian republics of Adygea and Krasnodar Krai.

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.

Before the Caucasian War, Abzakhs inhabited the northern slope of the Caucasus mountain range, near the land of the Shapsug tribe.

They were grouped into highland and lowland Abzakhs and favored close relations with the Ubykhs, whom they practically regarded as their own kin.

In 1958, Abzakhs (and other Adyghe tribes) of Israel were allowed to enter military service, which gave them a number of privileges.