The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 has left many of its former constituent republics with a legacy of unrest, separatism and conflict. The South Caucasus republic of Georgia is still struggling to overcome these issues today.

Georgia, with a population of some 4.4 million people, has been wrestling with two breakaway regions within its territory since it declared independence in April 1991.

Internal diplomacy and international mediation have failed to have any impact on the twin issues of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, both of which declared de facto independence from Georgia in the early 1990s. Today, separatists and Georgian forces face each other in a tense standoff along the de facto borders.

Abkhazia - in the northwest - wants full independence and international recognition, while South Ossetia - in the north - wants secession from Georgia and possible integration with the Russian Federation. The Georgian leadership has consistently refused to consider these demands, while Russia has always maintained that the rebels have a right to choose.

Relations between Moscow and Tbilisi dipped even further after the staunchly pro-United States Mikheil Saakashvili headed a peaceful revolution in 2003 to oust former Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze as Georgian president.

Saakashvili wants Georgia - which hosts part of a pipeline pumping oil from the Caspian Sea to the European Union - to join NATO and the European Union, further angering Moscow which regards Georgia and other former Soviet countries as part of its sphere of influence.

The economies of both areas have suffered from years of uncertainty and economic blockades. In addition, South Ossetia has acquired a reputation for lawlessness, and has become a haven for organised criminals and smugglers.

Tensions over South Ossetia exploded in August 2008 when Georgia tried to assert control over the region with tanks and rockets. Russia immediately sent troops, tanks and bombers across the border to repel the assault.

After entering South Ossetia, Russian forces pushed beyond the breakaway region into the Georgian heartland, overrunning the Georgian army.

Hundreds were killed during the heavy fighting.

Russia has withdrawn from Georgian heartland but is keeping troops in South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Moscow's military action sparked alarm in the West and led to angry exchanges reminiscent of the Cold War.

The United Nations says more than 127,000 people fled their homes in South Ossetia and nearby areas. Click here for details of the displacement.

Moscow has also poured troops and armour into Abkhazia.

Russia stoked tensions with Georgia and the West further by recognising both regions' independence.

Georgia, which wants to join NATO, has been bolstering its military capacity in recent years. Military spending surged by more than 140 percent to $146 million in 2005, the biggest increase worldwide that year, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. By 2008, annual military spending was $989 million and troop numbers had been boosted to 37,000.

Fighting could erupt again, warns the International Crisis Group in a June 2009 report. Violent incidents and the lack of an effective security regime in and around South Ossetia and Abkhazia have created a dangerous atmosphere, says the Belgium-based think-tank.

Georgia's northern border is defined by the Caucasus mountain range. South Ossetia lies to the south of the mountains, firmly within Georgia itself. It maintains close ties with the neighbouring Russian region of North Ossetia, on the north side of the mountains.

In the rebel-held part of South Ossetia live roughly 70,000 people who are ethnically distinct from Georgians, and speak their own language. They use the Russian rouble as their currency and almost all the population hold Russian passports given to them by the Russian government in recent years.

Abkhazia, home to 200,000 people, is sandwiched between the Caucasus mountains and the Black Sea. Its scenic coastline and popular resorts swarm with Russian tourists. It was isolated for years after its 1992-93 war against Georgia but has since forged closer ties with Russia, which has given Abkhaz residents passports and pensions.

Georgia sees both areas as being part of its sovereign territory and refuses to consider losing either. In addition, handing over such areas to Russia would have grave geopolitical and security implications for Tbilisi, which is fiercely proud of its independence and has a strong and distinct national and cultural identity.

The Ossetian people have always had a strong bond with Moscow and indeed backed the Soviet Army when it first occupied Georgia in the early 1920s. Soon afterwards the South Ossetian Autonomous Region was established within Georgia and North Ossetia was formed in Russia.

The end of the Soviet Union paved the way for ambitious nationalist politicians to take advantage of the growing resentment towards Moscow.

As the Soviet Union began to crumble, nationalist feeling within Georgia and its regions started to rise. Soviet forces were sent to the area in 1989 following a series of clashes between Georgians and Ossetians in the South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali. There was further violence the following year after South Ossetia declared its intention to leave Georgia altogether.

Georgia itself became independent in April 1991. Sporadic fighting involving its interior ministry troops, irregular forces and Ossetian fighters continued until 1992 when Russia, Georgia and South Ossetia agreed to deploy trilateral peacekeepers in the disputed area. Hundreds of people were killed in the clashes.

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili is determined to keep the breakaway territories within Georgia, but has offered them deals which involve considerable autonomy for their leaders.

In November 2006, South Ossetia held a referendum intended to reaffirm independence from Georgia. Both Georgia and the West said the poll was illegal, but Russia said it should be respected. In effect, South Ossetia runs its own affairs with Russian support but is recognised internationally as part of Georgia.

After a war between Georgia and Russia in August 2008, South Ossetia declared independence. Moscow has since recognised South Ossetia's independence.

The Black Sea resort area of Abkhazia has long been popular with the Russian elite, and it was Stalin's fondness for the region that originally led to its incorporation into his home country of Georgia in 1931.

Before this, Abkhazia had enjoyed full autonomous status within the Soviet Union. After 1931, the area was autonomous in name only. Georgian and Russian were the only official languages, and the Abkhaz tongue and culture were suppressed.

Over the years, many Georgians moved to the area until, at the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union, they outnumbered ethnic Abkhaz by five to one. However, this did little to quell the area's nationalist ambitions.

In 1992, Tbilisi decided to send in forces to quell separatism. However, these soldiers were attacked and forced out of the area the following year.

Several thousand people were killed in the fighting, which also led to hundreds of thousands being displaced to other parts of Georgia. The majority have still not been able to return home.

Aside from enjoying normal trade and transport relations with its neighbour Russia, Abkhazia is still struggling under an economic embargo imposed by Georgia and has very high levels of poverty.

While Abkhazia declared its independence in 1994, it remains unrecognised by the international community and its status has never been resolved.

After the war between Russia and Georgia in August 2008, Russia recognised both South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent countries. Only Nicaragua followed Moscow's lead.

Georgia has already acted decisively to bring another region of the country, Ajaria, under the full control of Tbilisi.

The southwestern area of Ajaria, which shares a border with Turkey and includes the important Black Sea oil port of Batumi, had autonomous status and was led by the autocratic Aslan Abashidze from 1991 to 2004.

However, Saakashvili's victory in Georgia's 2003 presidential elections - later dubbed the Rose Revolution - brought issues to a head. The pro-Moscow Abashidze declared a state of emergency in Ajaria, claiming that Georgia was about to invade the tiny region, and refused to recognise Saakashvili's authority.

Under extreme pressure from Tbilisi and following demonstrations by his own people, Abashidze stepped down and later left the area. Saakashvili was welcomed by the Ajarians, but later made changes to the laws giving autonomy to the area, effectively bringing it under Georgian control.