'''South Ossetia''' (, less commonly ), officially the '''Republic of South Ossetia – the State of Alania''', or the '''Tskhinvali Region''', is a ''de facto'' state in the South Caucasus. It has an officially stated population of just over 53,000 people, who live in an area of 3,900 km2, south of the  Russian Caucasus, with 30,000 living in the capital city, Tskhinvali.  Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru, and Syria recognise the separatist polity of the Republic of South Ossetia (or the "State of Alania"). While Georgia does not control South Ossetia, the Georgian government and most members of the United Nations consider the territory part of Georgia, whose constitution designates the area as "the former autonomous district of South Ossetia", in reference to the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast disbanded in 1990. 