While most of the Abkhazians are nominal Russian Orthodox Christians, the Abaza are Muslims. The Abaza have lived in the Caucasus Mountain region for thousands of years. In the 1800's, the Abaza fell under Russian control and rebelled against Russian authority several times until the early 1900's. The Abaza have retained their language and culture, despite attempts during the Communist era to discourage them from doing so. The great majority of the Abaza are farmers and animal herders.
Tobacco is their major crop, but tea, fruits, and vegetables are also important.
Many people of the Caucasus region are also involved in breeding fowl, raising fish, keeping bees, and making wine. Cattle breeding is another important aspect of the Abaza economy. Nine out of ten Abaza live in rural areas. They live in small, isolated settlements high in the Caucasus Mountains, in the upper reaches of several river valleys. Their houses are typically built of brick or concrete and have either one or two stories.