Java, South Ossetia Explained

Official Name:Java
Native Name:ჯავა
Дзау
Native Name Lang:geo
Settlement Type:Town
Pushpin Map:South Ossetia#Georgia (country)#Shida Kartli
Mapsize:280px
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: Georgia
Subdivision Type1:De facto state
Subdivision Type2:Mkhare
Subdivision Name2:Shida Kartli
Subdivision Type3:District
Subdivision Name3:Dzau
Population Total:1,500
Timezone:Georgian Time
Utc Offset:+4
Utc Offset Dst:+5
Coordinates:42.3903°N 43.9236°W
Elevation M:1040
Pushpin Relief:y
Module:
Wikidata:yes
Zoom:14
Frame-Height:260
Stroke-Width:1

Java or Dzau (Georgian: ჯავა in Georgian pronounced as /dʒava/; Ossetian; Ossetic: Дзау, Dzaw; Russian: Джава Dzhava) is a town of approximately 1,500 people in the disputed de facto independent Republic of South Ossetia, internationally considered part of Shida Kartli, Georgia (except by the Russian Federation and four other UN member states). According to Georgia's current official administrative division, Java is a main town of Java district in the north of Shida Kartli region. According to the South Ossetian side Dzau is an administrative center of Dzau district. The town is situated on the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus, within the Greater Liakhvi Gorge, 1040m (3,410feet) above sea level.

Java is the second largest urban settlement in South Ossetia, after Tskhinvali. It is located outside the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe-defined boundaries of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone – an area within a 15-km radius of Tskhinvali.[1] [2] [3]

The town played a major role in the Russo-Georgian War, with most of the South Ossetian military forces being located there[4] at the time of the Georgian offensive. During the Battle of Tskhinvali, the government of South Ossetia relocated to Java.

Georgia had accused the Russian military of building a large military base in Java before the war. These concerns were brought by the President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, to the attention of the UN General Assembly on September 26, 2007.[5] After the war, Russia announced it was constructing military bases in Java and Tskhinvali, which would be ready in 2010.

Notes and References

  1. http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/UNTC/UNPAN019224.pdf GEORGIA: AVOIDING WAR IN SOUTH OSSETIA
  2. http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=19435 New Agreement in Force
  3. http://www.assemblee-ueo.org/en/documents/sessions_ordinaires/rpt/2008/2029.pdf?PHPSESSID=c5c9e0ec398a3f33f6ddef840036e19a European security after the war in Georgia
  4. Web site: Main Page. cast.ru.
  5. http://www.civil.ge/eng/detail.php?id=15884 Saakashvili Attacks Russia in UN Speech