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North Ossetia-Alania

by zeljok heimer 21-MAY-1996

Presentation of Ossetia
North Ossetian Flag
South Ossetian Flag

See also:

Presentation of Ossetia

Status: North Ossetia: A constituent republic of the Russian Federation.
South Ossetia: Self-proclaimed independence from the Republic of Georgia, which whom conflict continues.

Notes: Despite their loyalty to the Soviet state, Communist divide-and-rule policies dictated the division of Ossetians lands into two regions. A North Ossetian Autonomous Region was created in 1924, two years after a South Ossetian Autonomous Region. To further complicate matters (as it was surely intended to), North Ossetia was part of Russia and South Ossetia part of Georgia.

This ethnic time-bomb duly exploded when Georgia became a separate state. Ossetians in South Ossetia, desiring union with their kinsmen in the north, declared their republic a part of Russia rather than Georgia in 1989. A year later (Georgia having abolished the autonomous status of the region) South Ossetia declared independence and armed conflict, which has still not been resolved, erupted.

The Ossetians are said to be descendents of the Sarmatians, a Central Asiatic people who migrated westwards into the region in the 7th century BC.

stuart notholt 05-OCT-1995

The North Ossetia has changed its name to North Ossetia-Alaniya, to reflect their heritage,
robert czernkowski

North Ossetian Flag

The North Ossetian flag is a horizontal tricolour of (I think) white-purple-yellow. I suppose the white-red-yellow tricolour might be used by Ossetian nationalist who wish to unite their two republics, but I have no evidence to back this up.

stuart notholt

South Ossetian Flag

by stuart notholt 05-OCT-1995

The flag of South Ossetia has similar colours to North Ossetian, but different proportions. On the red stripe is a white image of a snow lion. Red is said to stand for military virtue; white for intelligence and the spiritual life of the nation; and yellow for the well-being of the people.
stuart notholt 05-OCT-1995