On the southern slopes of the Main Caucasus range, on the territory of 3900 sq. km. is situated the Republic of South Ossetia (with the capital city of Tskhinval). It's a country of mountains and brisk, rapid rivers, a country, covered with the romanticism of the legends of antiquity.If one takes a careful look at the map of the Republic, he can notice that only one tenth of it's surface is occupied by foothills with a forest-steppe landscape. The rest of the territory is a multitude of mountains. The altitude here is from 1000 to 3000 meters above the sea level. The highest peak is Mount Halatsa (3941 m.).
South Ossetia is a land of natural contrasts, so sweet to a tourist's heart. Breathing is easy in the mountains for the abundance of oxygen. The mild southern climate, the numerous mineral springs, and , of course, the traditional hospitality, cordiality and friendliness of the locals make an indelible impression on visitors.
South Ossetia's nature is distinctive of it's special splendor. It's flora and fauna are such, as if they were created specially to be a pleasure for the eye. Can it really be possible to forget, even having seen them just once, the dour and harmonious oak-groves, the evergreen shrubbery, the sub-Alpine and Alpine meadows and miscellaneous representatives of the animal world, typical of the mountain landscape - roe, forest and stone marten, boar, dormouse, Caucasian pheasant, grosbeak, Alpine daw. And higher in the mountains one can quite often come across the beautiful Caucasian goat and light chamois.
© 1999 Soslan Tabuev