South Ossetia is a region located in the South Caucasus, bordered by Georgia to the west and Russia to the north. It has a complex history and is recognized by a few countries as an independent state, while most of the international community considers it part of Georgia. The capital city is Tskhinvali. The region declared independence from Georgia in the early 1990s, leading to conflicts that escalated in 2008. Following the war, Russia recognized South Ossetia as an independent nation, and it has since maintained a military presence there. The population primarily consists of ethnic Ossetians.