Before the current crisis, about 30% of the breakaway region's population was ethnic Georgian.

BBC: S Ossetia 'emptied of Georgians'

The conflict quickly spread to other parts of Georgia and to Abkhazia, another breakaway region.

CNN: Georgia signs cease-fire with Russia

It insists that South Ossetia, and the other breakaway region, Abkhazia, must participate in upcoming talks in Geneva on settling the conflict.

ECONOMIST: Russia and its neighbours

Its independence was followed by social unrest and a conflict with the breakaway region of Abkhazia that led to the displacement of more than 250, 000 people, according to the European Commission.

CNN: Country profile: Georgia

The motorcade, carrying Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and Polish President Lech Kaczynski, was passing a checkpoint near Georgia's breakaway South Ossetia region -- site of intense conflict between Russian and Georgian troops in August -- when shots were fired Sunday, according to the Georgian Interior Ministry.

CNN: Russia: We did not fire on presidential motorcade