Ossetia

Ossetia is an ethnogeographic region in the central Caucasus, divided between the Russian Federation to the north and the country of Georgia to the south. The northern portion, North Ossetia-Alania, is a federal subject of Russia with its capital at Vladikavkaz. The southern portion, South Ossetia, is a de facto state with its own government based in Tskhinvali, but it is recognized by only a limited number of countries and is considered by most states to be part of Georgia.

Geography and climate: Ossetia lies largely in the mountainous zone of the central Caucasus. The Greater Caucasus range forms much of its northern boundary, and the Roki Tunnel links North and South Ossetia.

People and language: The Ossetians are an Iranian-speaking people. The Ossetian language has two main varieties, Iron and Digor. In North Ossetia-Alania, Ossetian is recognized and used alongside Russian; in South Ossetia, Ossetian and Russian are widely used in administration and education.

History: The Ossetians are linked to the medieval Alans. The region was part of various Georgian and Caucasian polities before incorporation into the Russian Empire in the 18th–19th centuries. In the Soviet era, North Ossetia was established as an autonomous oblast within the RSFSR in 1924 and later became a republic; South Ossetia was an autonomous oblast within the Georgian SSR. After the dissolution of the USSR, South Ossetia declared independence in the early 1990s, leading to armed conflict and a frozen dispute. The 2008 Russo-Georgian War resulted in de facto Russian influence and recognition for South Ossetia by Russia and a few other states; most governments regard it as part of Georgia.

Economy and demographics: North Ossetia-Alania has a diversified economy with industry, agriculture, and transport, and a population of several hundred thousand, predominantly Ossetian. South Ossetia is smaller, with a fragile economy dependent on Russia and limited cross-border trade.