The Republic of North Ossetia–Alania is a republic of Russia situated in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe. Its population according to the 2010 Census was 712,980. The republic's capital city is the city of Vladikavkaz, located on the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains.
Ossetia is an region located on both sides of the Greater Caucasus Mountains, inhabited by the indigenous Ossetians. The Ossetian language is part of the Eastern Iranian branch of the family of Indo-European languages. Most countries recognize the Ossetian-speaking area south of the main Caucasus ridge as lying within the borders of Georgia, but it has come under the control of the de facto government of the Russian-backed Republic of South Ossetia. The northern portion of the region consists of the republic of North Ossetia–Alania within the Russian Federation.
South Ossetia, officially the Republic of South Ossetia – the State of Alania, is a landlocked and partially recognised state in the South Caucasus. It has an officially stated population of just over 56,500 people (2022), who live in an area of 3,900 square kilometres (1,500 sq mi), on the south side of the Greater Caucasus mountain range, with 33,000 living in the capital city, Tskhinvali. Only Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru, and Syria recognise South Ossetia as a sovereign state. Although Georgia does not control South Ossetia, the Georgian government and the United Nations consider the territory part of Georgia, whose constitution designates the area as "the former autonomous district of South Ossetia", in reference to the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast disbanded in 1990.
Tskhinvali or Tskhinval is the capital of the disputed de facto independent Republic of South Ossetia, internationally considered part of Shida Kartli, Georgia, and previously the capital of the erstwhile Soviet Georgian South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast. It is located on the Great Liakhvi River approximately 100 kilometres (62 mi) northwest of the Georgian capital Tbilisi.
The Georgian–Ossetian conflict is an ethno-political conflict over Georgia's former autonomous region of South Ossetia, which evolved in 1989 and developed into a war. Despite a declared ceasefire and numerous peace efforts, the conflict remained unresolved. In August 2008, military tensions and clashes between Georgia and South Ossetian separatists erupted into the Russo-Georgian War.
South Ossetia, a mostly unrecognized republic in the South Caucasus, formerly the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast within the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic with its capital in Tskhinvali, held a referendum on independence on November 12, 2006.
The Provisional Administration of South Ossetia is an administrative body that Georgia regards as the legal government of South Ossetia. The administration was set up by the Georgian government as a transitional measure leading to the settlement of South Ossetia's status. As of 2007, Georgia is proposing the status of autonomous republic within the Georgian state. The area mainly lies within the Shida Kartli region.
The 2008 Russo-Georgian War was a war between Georgia, on one side, and Russia and the Russian-backed self-proclaimed republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, on the other. The war took place in August following a period of worsening relations between Russia and Georgia, both formerly constituent republics of the Soviet Union. The fighting took place in the strategically important South Caucasus region. It is regarded as the first European war of the 21st century.
This article describes the background of the Russo-Georgian War.
Abkhazia, officially the Republic of Abkhazia, is a partially recognised state in the South Caucasus, recognised by most countries as part of Georgia, which views the region as an autonomous republic. It lies on the eastern coast of the Black Sea, south of the Greater Caucasus mountains in northwestern Georgia. It covers 8,665 square kilometres (3,346 sq mi) and has a population of around 245,000. Its capital and largest city is Sukhumi.
The Russo-Georgian War included an extensive information war.
Russia–South Ossetia relations refers to the bilateral relationship between Russia and the Republic of South Ossetia, a disputed region in the South Caucasus, located on the territory of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast within the former Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic.
Dmitry Nikolayevich Medoyev, born 15 May 1960, is the foreign minister of South Ossetia. Previously, he was the Ambassador of South Ossetia to the Russian Federation. Previous to recognition of South Ossetian independence by Russia on 26 August 2008, he was the secessionist envoy to Moscow for the Republic of South Ossetia. He was widely cited during the 2008 South Ossetia War on President Eduard Kokoity's position on the August 8 invasion, and has since been involved in negotiating Georgia's presumed territorial sovereignty over the region.
The Russo-Georgian War had a huge humanitarian impact on the lives of civilians. In the aftermath of the war, ethnic Georgians were expelled from South Ossetia and most of the Georgian villages were razed.
The Transnistrian passport is issued to citizens of Transnistria for the purpose of international travel and for the purpose of legal identification within Transnistria.
South Ossetia does not issue visas. However, visitors are required to receive approval from the South Ossetian government in advance of their visit unless they are citizens of an exempt country. Because South Ossetia is only accessible through Russia, visitors are also required to hold a valid Russian visa that permits them to return to Russia unless they are Russian citizens or citizens of countries that are exempt from Russian visa requirements.
The occupied territories of Georgia are the territories occupied by Russia after the Russo-Georgian War in 2008. They consist of the regions of Abkhazia (autonomous) and the former South Ossetian Autonomous Region of Soviet Georgia, whose status is a matter of international dispute.
Visa requirements for South Ossetian citizens are administrative entry restrictions imposed on citizens of South Ossetia by the authorities of other states.
The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached South Ossetia in May 2020.
Tourism in the breakaway state of the Republic of South Ossetia – the State of Alania, widely recognised internationally as being part of Georgia, is rare. It is illegal to enter South Ossetia under Georgian law. However, South Ossetia remains accessible through Russia via the South Ossetia–Russia border. Non-Russian citizens are required to hold a valid Russian visa that permits them to return to Russia, unless they are citizens of countries that are exempt from Russian visa requirements. Visitors, unless they hold a South Ossetian passport or are from an exempt country, such as Russia, are required to receive approval from the South Ossetian government in advance of their visit.
South Ossetia 
