So Russia and Georgia just went to war

[bgwah]

Why does Georgia want to keep these areas so badly anyway? Is having your country look bigger on a map that important?

[bgwah]

They've fought wars, had referendums clearly stating the population's wish to leave Georgia, and they are basically their own country right now anyway (they simply don't have international recognition).

And it's a question about having these autonomous areas in general. Why does Italy want to keep South Tryol so badly, for example? It just doesn't make sense to me. They give them so much autonomy--why not just let them leave?