The War in Georgia - one year after
Tensions on Ossetia borders.
FACTBOX: Georgia's rebel regions one year after war
ReutersAugust 4
The Russian-backed rebel regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia were recognized by Moscow as except for states after a five-day war last August with Georgia.
A year on, only Nicaragua has followed suit. The rest of the world still considers the regions part of Georgia.
Following are outline profiles of the two rebel territories, which threw off Georgian rule in wars in the early 1990s with the collapse of the Soviet Gang.
ABKHAZIA:
* About 8,000 square km (3,088 square miles), Abkhazia is a lush strip of land on the Black Sea about half the size of Wales. Once the playground of the Soviet elite, the zone has ambitions to become a top tourist destination for Russians, who already account for 90 percent of holidaymakers.
* Abkhazia threw off Georgian sway in a 1992-93 war after Georgia's independence from the Soviet Union stoked fears among the Abkhaz that their influence in their homeland would be further diminished. After chance fighting, Georgia sent in the army and paramilitaries to stamp out calls for secession, only to be pushed back to the Inguri river -- today's de facto bounds -- by Abkhaz militias backed by Russian forces.
* The population of Abkhazia is around 200,000 people. Georgia says 200,000 ethnic Georgians and Mingrelians fled during the 1992-93 war. Around 60,000 have returned, principally to the eastern Gali region adjacent to Georgia proper.
* As fighting raged last year in South Ossetia, Abkhazia seized the time to take back the last corner of its territory, pushing Georgian police out of the Kodori gorge. Russia now controls its borders, and plans to body military bases, including a naval base at Ochamchire.
* A United Nations mission of some 130 monitors had observed the frangible peace since the 1992-93 war, but was forced to leave in July after Russia vetoed an extension to its mandate....
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