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Ossetia[osE´shu, Rus. usye´tEu] Pronunciation Key or Alania[AlAn´yA] Pronunciation Key, region of the central Caucasus, divided between the Republic of Georgia and Russia. On the northern slope is North Ossetia-Alania (1990 est. pop. 641,000), 3,100 sq mi (8,029 sq km), a constituent republic of the Russian Republic; Vladikavkaz (formerly Ordzhonikidze) is the capital. This region extends north beyond the Terek River. On the southern slope is South Ossetia (1990 est. pop. 100,000), 1,500 sq mi (3,885 sq km), an autonomous region in Georgia; Tskhinvali is its capital. The region extends southward almost to the Kura River.
Both sections of Ossetia have valleys that produce fruit, wine, grain, and cotton. Lumbering and livestock raising are important in the mountains. North Ossetia-Alania has lead, silver, zinc, and boron deposits and nonferrous metallurgical, oil-extracting, and food-processing industries. Ossetian artwork includes wood, stone, and silver carving.
The Ossetians, an Iranian-speaking people, are mainly Sunni Muslims in the north and Eastern Orthodox Christians in the south, where Georgian culture prevails. They are descended from the medieval Alans (see Sarmatia). During the 17th cent. the Northern Ossetians were subject to Karbada princelings. From the 18th cent. they came under strong Russian influence, and between 1801 and 1806 all of Ossetian territory was annexed to Russia.
In Mar., 1918, the entire area was declared an autonomous soviet republic, and in Jan., 1920, was renamed the Mountain Autonomous Republic. In 1922, South Ossetia was made part of Georgia; in 1924 North Ossetia-Alania (then called North Ossetia) became an autonomous region in the RSFSR. In 1936, North Ossetia was made an autonomous republic. North Ossetia-Alania was a signatory to the Mar. 31, 1992, treaty that created the Russian Federation (see Russia). In late 1992, Ingush inhabitants of the Prigorodny region of North Ossetia-Alania, which militants desired to incorporate into newly established Ingushetia, were expelled to the neighboring republic.
South Ossetia lost its autonomous region status by an act of the Georgian Supreme Soviet in 1990. Following Georgia's independence from the Soviet Union, Ossetian nationalists in South Ossetia demanded either independence from Georgia or incorporation into the North Ossetia-Alania. In Apr., 1992, the South Ossetian Autonomous Region was reestablished in Georgia. Fighting in the region between Georgian and Ossetian forces was ended by a truce in July, which left South Ossetia under the control of the Ossetians; further accords were signed in 1996.
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