South Ossetia

**South Ossetia** (, <small>less commonly</small> ), officially the **Republic of South Ossetia – the State of Alania**, or the **Tskhinvali Region**, is a _de facto_, disputed territory recognized as part of Georgia in the Caucasus region.

South Ossetia was a Soviet oblast (region) with some self-rule and controlled big parts of the region. When it declared its independence in 1990, Georgia tried to take back the region by force and it led to the 1991-1992 South Ossetia War. Georgia tried to retake South Ossetia again in 2004 and in 2008. In 2008, Ossetia's fighters were backed by Russian troops and they gained full control of the region, but its separation from Georgia has only been recognized by three other countries (Russia, Nicaragua and Venezuela) and Abkhazia (a similar place), and it is de jure (officially) a part of the Georgian region (mkhare) of Shida Kartli.

Internationally regarded as a Russian occupied territory of Georgia, Georgia itself refuses to recognize rebel South Ossetia as an independent state; the government calls it by the medieval name of Samachablo or, more recently, Tskhinvali region (after the republic's capital).

South Ossetia is a geographical state that borders North Ossetia-Alania to the north which is not an independent entity due to it being part of Russia.

South Ossetia relies heavily on Russian aid.

Sometimes, South Ossetia, Transnistria, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Abkhazia are named collectively as post-Soviet "frozen conflict" zones.

## Geography

South Ossetia is situated at central Caucasus, a border between Asia and Europe. It occupies a part of Greater Caucasus range and the foothills of Kartalin Valley. South Ossetia is a very mountainous region.

## Related pages

- North Ossetia
- Valery Gergiev

## Infobox (country)

- **conventional long name**: Republic of South Ossetia – The State of Alania
- **common name**: South Ossetia
- **image map**: Asia location South Ossetia (with Georgia and Abkhazia).png
- **map caption**: South Ossetia (green), Georgia, and Abkhazia (light grey).
- **image map2**: South Ossetia overview map.png
- **map caption2**: Map of South Ossetia.
- **image flag**: Flag of South Ossetia.svg
- **image coat**: National Emblem of the Republic of South Ossetia.svg
- **symbol type**: Emblem
- **national anthem**: National Anthem of South Ossetia

- **regional languages**: Georgian language, Georgian
- **status**: List of states with limited recognition, Partially recognized state
International recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Recognized by the United Nations as _Occupied territories of Georgia, de jure_ part of Georgia (country), Georgia
- **capital**: Tskhinvali
- **largest city**: capital
- **leader title1**: President of South Ossetia, President
- **leader name1**: Alan Gagloyev
- **leader title2**: Prime Minister of South Ossetia, Prime Minister
- **leader name2**: Gennady Bekoyev
- **legislature**: Parliament of South Ossetia, Parliament
- **sovereignty type**: Independence
- **established event1**: Formed as part of USSR
- **established date1**: 20 September 1990
- **established event2**: Act of state independence
- **established date2**: 21 December 1991
- **established event3**: Recognized
- **area km2**: 3,900
- **area sq mi**: 1,506
- **percent water**: negligible
- **population census**: 53,532
- **population census year**: 2015
- **population census rank**: 212th
- **population density km2**: 13.7
- **gdp nominal**: US$0.1 billion
- **gdp nominal year**: 2017
- **gdp nominal per capita**: US$2,000
- **calling code**: +995 34
- **currency**: Russian ruble
- **currency code**: RUB
- **time zone**: Moscow Time, MSK
- **utc offset**: +03:00
- **drives on**: right
- **footnote a**: Ossetian language, Ossetian and Russian language, Russian languages are official languages