International recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia

Abkhazia and South Ossetia are two regions that broke away from Georgia amidst the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. South Ossetian separatists declared independence during the South Ossetia war from January 1991 to June 1992 and were followed by Abkhaz separatists during the Abkhazia war from August 1992 to September 1993. Both separatist movements received support from Russia, but their declarations of independence gained only limited international recognition.

The Georgian government eschews the choronym "South Ossetia" ("South" relative to Russia's North Ossetia—collectively Ossetia) and instead refers to it as the "Tskhinvali Region" within Shida Kartli, although the eponymous capital city Tskhinvali is not controlled by Georgia. In addition to Georgia, the majority of the international community regards Abkhazia and South Ossetia as Georgian territory under Russian occupation.

After the Russian invasion of Georgia in August 2008, Russia recognised Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent sovereign states. Four United Nations members besides Russia recognise Abkhazia and South Ossetia: Nicaragua in September 2008; Venezuela in September 2009; Nauru in December 2009; and Syria in May 2018. Two other United Nations members formerly recognised the separatist regions' independence: Vanuatu granted recognition in May 2011, but rescinded in March 2019; and Tuvalu granted recognition in September 2011, but rescinded in March 2014.

Beyond United Nations members, Abkhazia and South Ossetia recognise each other. They are also recognised by two states with limited or no international recognition: Transnistria (1993/1994) and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (2010). Furthermore, three internationally unrecognised states that no longer exist had recognised Abkhazia and South Ossetia: the Republic of Artsakh (2006) within Azerbaijan; and the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic (both 2014/2022) within Ukraine. Excluding the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and the erstwhile Republic of Artsakh, all of the internationally unrecognised states that have diplomatic ties with Abkhazia and South Ossetia are similarly classified as Russian-occupied territories.

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