the buzz log

As the conflict between Russia and the Republic of Georgia continues to unfold, increasing numbers of searchers have turned to the Web for background on what's happening. On Friday, citizens from around the world sent "georgia russia" (+3,805%) and "south ossetia" (+1,984%) surging into the top movers. Since then, lookups seeking more information continue to pour in. Below, we offer a quick run-down of the main questions people have about the unsettling regional clash.

What's going on?
Queries for "russia invades georgia" and "georgia russia conflict" have leapt. Some folks have boiled it down to the simplest expression of confrontation: "russia vs. georgia," while others have already dubbed it "georgia russia war." Among the many sources working to explain and track the crisis, Huffington Post and Yahoo! News have earned votes from Buzz readers.

Where is it happening?
While many people have asked "where is georgia," most have gone straight for the resources of a regional map. In particular, searchers have sought "russia georgia map," "georgia south ossetia map," and "map of russia and georgia." 

After reports surfaced that Ukraine was taking a stand against Moscow, demand for "ukraine map" shot upwards. As Russia expanded its bombing on Sunday and word escaped of naval skirmishes on the Black Sea, queries for "black sea map" surged into our top 300 movers. This guide and map from the C.I.A. World Factbook offers a speedy look at Georgia and its neighbors.

What's South Ossetia's background?
Interest in this breakaway region has rattled the Search box. People want to know not only where the area is, but who its officials are, what its Wikipedia page says, and whether or not it really sparked a war. We recommend staring with this topic page from The New York Times.

How strong is Russia's might?
As the Russian military pushes further into Georgia, queries investigating the muscle of its armed forces have heaved upwards. Demand for "russian army," "russian military," "russian navy," and "russian tanks" have all spiked. In Buzz, a PRI audio report on "the state of Russia's military" has drawn attention, while a Jalopnik post on Russian military vehicles has moved up the charts.

What are they saying about this in Russia?
Demand for "russian news," "russian newspapers," and "russian tv" has surged.