View source for Java, South Ossetia

{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Java
| native_name        = ჯავა<br/>Дзау
| native_name_lang   = geo
| settlement_type    = Town
| image_skyline      = Russian Military Base in Java 01.jpg
| image_caption      = A Russian military base in Java in 2008
| imagesize          = 250px
| pushpin_map        = South Ossetia#Georgia (country)#Shida Kartli
| mapsize            = 280px
| map_caption        = Location of Java in [[South Ossetia]]##Location of Java in Georgia##Location of Java in [[Shida Kartli]]
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = {{flag|Georgia}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[List of sovereign states#Other states|''De facto'' state]]
| subdivision_name1  = {{flag|South Ossetia}}<ref>{{South Ossetia-note}}</ref>
| subdivision_type2  = [[Mkhare]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Shida Kartli]]
| subdivision_type3  = District
| subdivision_name3  = [[Dzau District|Dzau]]
| area_total_km2     = 
| area_land_km2      = 
| area_water_km2     = 
| population_as_of   = 
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 1,500
| population_metro   = 
| population_density_km2 = 
| timezone           = Georgian Time
| utc_offset         = +4
| timezone_DST       = <!-- No DST in Georgia since 2005 -->
| utc_offset_DST     = +5
| coordinates        = {{coord|42|23|25|N|43|55|25|E|region:GE|display=inline,title}}
| website            = 
| footnotes          = 
| elevation_m        = 1040
| pushpin_relief     = y
| module             = {{Infobox mapframe |wikidata=yes |zoom=14|frame-height=260 | stroke-width=1 |coord={{WikidataCoord|display=i}}}}
}}

'''Java''' or '''Dzau''' ({{lang-ka|ჯავა}} {{IPA|ka|dʒava||Java.ogg}}; {{langx|os|Дзау}}, ''Dzaw''; {{langx|ru|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 (country)|Georgia]] (except by the [[Russian Federation]] and [[international recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia|four other UN member states]]). According to Georgia's current official administrative division, Java is a main town of [[Java district, Georgia|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 River|Greater Liakhvi Gorge]], {{convert|1040|m|0|abbr=on}} 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.<ref>[http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/UNTC/UNPAN019224.pdf GEORGIA: AVOIDING WAR IN SOUTH OSSETIA] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070630224302/http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/UNTC/UNPAN019224.pdf |date=2007-06-30 }}, p. 4. [[International Crisis Group]] Europe Report N°159. 26 November 2004</ref><ref>[http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=19435 New Agreement in Force]. Civil Georgia. 8 September 2008</ref><ref>[http://www.assemblee-ueo.org/en/documents/sessions_ordinaires/rpt/2008/2029.pdf?PHPSESSID=c5c9e0ec398a3f33f6ddef840036e19a European security after the war in Georgia]{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, p. 9. European Security and Defence Assembly Assembly of WEU. 4 December 2008</ref>

The town played a major role in the [[Russo-Georgian War]], with most of the [[Military of South Ossetia|South Ossetian military forces]] being located there<ref name="cast">{{Cite web|url=http://cast.ru/eng/?id=328|title=Main Page|website=cast.ru}}</ref> 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.<ref>[http://www.civil.ge/eng/detail.php?id=15884 Saakashvili Attacks Russia in UN Speech]{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. ''Civil Georgia''. September 26, 2007.</ref> After the war, Russia announced it was constructing military bases in Java and Tskhinvali, which would be ready in 2010.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Cities and towns in Georgia (country)}}
{{Java Municipality}}
{{Administrative divisions of South Ossetia}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Java (Town)}}
[[Category:Populated places in Dzau District]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in Shida Kartli]]
[[Category:Tiflis Governorate]]

{{Kartli-geo-stub}}
{{SouthOssetia-geo-stub}}