Ethnonyms “Adyghe” and “Abaza” at the Northwest Caucasus space in II-XVIII centuries

The article examines the problem of ethno-geograph-ical partition of the Northwest Caucasus space. The author reviews the written and cartographic materials, including the history of the spread of the term “Abaza" (“Abkhaz") at the Black Sea coast, as well as the causes of the emergence of the “Small Abaza". It is noted, that besides ethnographic factors, the major prerequisite for the separation of the peoples of the Northwest Caucasus into “Adyghe" (“Circassians") and “Abaza" was to which people a feudal sovereign of the territory belonged.