South Ossetia (Wikipedia) South Ossetia (/ɒˈsɛtiə/ o-SET-ee-ə, less common: /ɒˈsiːʃə/ o-SEE-shə), officially the Republic of South Ossetia or the State of Alania, is a partially recognised landlocked state in the South Caucasus. It has an officially stated population of just over 56,500 people (2022), who live in an area of 3,900 square kilometres (1,500 sq mi), with 33,000 living in the capital city, Tskhinvali.