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Republics of the Soviet Union

In its final decades of its existence, the Soviet Union Soviet Union

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , more commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a Communist state [i] ... 

 consisted of 15 Soviet Socialist Republics , often called simply Soviet republics. Within the USSR they were also called union republics. All of them were socialist republics, and all of them, with the exception of Russia Russia

Russia , also the Russian Federation , is a country [i] that stretches over a vast expanse of Eurasia [i] ... 

 had their own Communist parties. They are all independent countries now; 12 of them are very loosely organized under the heading Commonwealth of Independent States Commonwealth of Independent States

|+ style="font-size: larger; margin-left: inherit;" | ??????????? ??????????? ??????????Commonwealth ... 

. Constitutionally, the Soviet Union was a federation Federation

A federation is a union [i] comprised of a number of partially self-governing states or ... 

. In accordance with article 72 of the Soviet constitution adopted in 1977, each republic retained the right to secede from the USSR.

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In its final decades of its existence, the Soviet Union Soviet Union

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , more commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a Communist state [i] ... 

 consisted of 15 Soviet Socialist Republics , often called simply Soviet republics. Within the USSR they were also called union republics. All of them were socialist republics, and all of them, with the exception of Russia Russia

Russia , also the Russian Federation , is a country [i] that stretches over a vast expanse of Eurasia [i] ... 

 had their own Communist parties. They are all independent countries now; 12 of them are very loosely organized under the heading Commonwealth of Independent States Commonwealth of Independent States

|+ style="font-size: larger; margin-left: inherit;" | ??????????? ??????????? ??????????Commonwealth ... 

.

Constitutionally, the Soviet Union was a federation Federation

A federation is a union [i] comprised of a number of partially self-governing states or ... 

. In accordance with article 72 of the Soviet constitution adopted in 1977, each republic retained the right to secede from the USSR. Throughout the Cold War Cold War

The Cold War was the protracted geopolitical [i], ideological [i], and economic [i]... 

, this right was widely considered to be meaningless, however Article 72 was used in December 1991 to effectively dissolve the Soviet Union, when Russia Russia

Russia , also the Russian Federation , is a country [i] that stretches over a vast expanse of Eurasia [i] ... 

, Ukraine Ukraine

Ukraine is a country [i] in Eastern Europe [i]. ... 

, and Belarus Belarus

Belarus is a landlocked nation-state [i] in Eastern Europe [i], which borders Russia [i], Ukraine [i], ... 

 seceded from the USSR.

In practice, the USSR was a highly centralised entity from its creation in 1922 until the mid-1980s 1980s

The 1980s [i] officially refers to the years from 1980 [i] to 1989 [i]. ... 

 when political forces unleashed reforms undertaken by Mikhail Gorbachev Mikhail Gorbachev

Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachyov was leader of the Soviet Union [i] from 1985 until 1991. ... 

 resulted in the loosening of central control and its ultimate collapse History of the Soviet Union (1985-1991)

... 

. Under the constitution adopted in 1936 and modified along the way until October 1977, the political foundation of the Soviet Union Soviet Union

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , more commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a Communist state [i] ... 

 was formed by the Soviets of People's Deputies. These existed at all levels of the administrative hierarchy, with the Soviet Union as a whole under the nominal control of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, located in Moscow Moscow

Moscow is the capital [i] of Russia [i] and the country's principal political, economic, financial, edu ... 

.

Along with the state administrative hierarchy, there existed a parallel structure of party organizations, which allowed the Politburo to exercise large amounts of control over the republics. State administrative organs took direction from the parallel party organs, and appointments of all party and state officials required approval of the central organs of the party. General practice in the republics outside of Russia was that the head of state in a republic was a local official while the party general secretary was from outside the republic.

Each republic had its own unique set of state symbols: a flag Flags of the Soviet Republics

Flags of the Soviet [i] Socialist Republics [i] all featured predominant ... 

, a coat of arms Coats of arms of the Soviet Republics

The coats of arms of the Soviet [i] Socialist Republics [i] all featured ... 

, and, with the exception of the Russian SFSR, an anthem.

The Republics and the Collapse of the Soviet Union


The republics played an important role in the collapse of the Soviet Union History of the Soviet Union (1985-1991)

... 

. Under Mikhail Gorbachev Mikhail Gorbachev

Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachyov was leader of the Soviet Union [i] from 1985 until 1991. ... 

, glasnost and perestroika Perestroika

Perestroika is the Russian word for the economic reforms introduced in June 1987 [i] by the Soviet [i] ... 

 were intended to revive the Soviet Union. However, they had a number of effects which caused the power of the republics to increase. First, political liberalization allowed the governments within the republics to gain legitimacy by invoking democracy, nationalism or a combination of both. In addition, liberalization led to fractures within the party hierarchy which reduced Soviet control over the republics. Finally, perestroika allowed the governments of the republics to control economic assets in their republics and withhold funds from the central government.

Throughout the late 1980s, the Soviet government attempted to find a new structure which would reflect the increasing power of the republics. These efforts proved unsuccessful, and in 1991 the Soviet Union collapsed as the republic governments seceded. The republics then all became independent states, with the post-Soviet governments in most cases consisting largely of the government personnel of the former Soviet republics.

Soviet Union in its final state




Soviet Republics

  1. Armenian SSR Armenian SSR

    The Armenian SSR or Soviet Socialist Republic of Armenia came into being when the Communist Party of Armenia [i] ... 

  2. Azerbaijan SSR Azerbaijan SSR

    The Azerbaijan SSR or the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic was the name given to [[Azerbaijan]... 

  3. Byelorussian SSR
  4. Estonian SSR
  5. Georgian SSR
  6. Kazakh SSR
  7. Kyrgyz SSR
  8. Latvian SSR
  9. Lithuanian SSR
  10. Moldavian SSR Moldavian SSR

    The Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union [i] from 1940 to ... 

  11. Russian SFSR
  12. Tajik SSR
  13. Turkmen SSR
  14. Ukrainian SSR Ukrainian SSR

    The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic a.k.a.... 

  15. Uzbek SSR


Independent Countries

Armenia Armenia

Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked [i] mountainous country in the South ... 

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan , is a country in the South Caucasus [i]. ... 

Belarus Belarus

Belarus is a landlocked nation-state [i] in Eastern Europe [i], which borders Russia [i], Ukraine [i], ... 

Estonia Estonia

Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia , is a country in Northern Europe [i]. ... 

Georgia Georgia

Georgia may mean:

  • Georgia [i], a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia: **Formerly ... 



Kazakhstan Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan, also spelled Kazakstan, , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a country th... 

Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan, formerly the Kyrgyz Republic, is a country in Central Asia [i]. ... 

Latvia Latvia

Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in Eastern Europe [i]. ... 

Lithuania Lithuania

Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania , is a country in northern Europe.... 

Moldova Moldova

The Republic of Moldova is a landlocked [i] country in eastern Europe [i], located between Romania [i] ... 

Russia Russia

Russia , also the Russian Federation , is a country [i] that stretches over a vast expanse of Eurasia [i] ... 

Tajikistan Tajikistan

The Republic of Tajikistan is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia [i]. ... 

Turkmenistan Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan is a country in Central Asia [i]. ... 

Ukraine Ukraine

Ukraine is a country [i] in Eastern Europe [i]. ... 

Uzbekistan Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan , is a doubly landlocked [i] ... 



Sorted by region


  • Russian SFSR


  • The Baltic Republics Baltic Republics

    The term Baltic Republics referred to the three Soviet Republics [i] of Estonian SSR [i] ... 

    • Estonian SSR
    • Latvian SSR
    • Lithuanian SSR


  • The Caucasus Caucasus

    The Caucasus or Caucasia is a region in Eurasia [i] bordered on the south by Turkey [i] and Iran [i] ... 

    • Armenian SSR Armenian SSR

      The Armenian SSR or Soviet Socialist Republic of Armenia came into being when the Communist Party of Armenia [i] ... 

    • Azerbaijan SSR Azerbaijan SSR

      The Azerbaijan SSR or the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic was the name given to [[Azerbaijan]... 

    • Georgian SSR


  • Republics of Central Asia Central Asia

    Central Asia is a vast landlocked [i] region of Asia [i]. ... 

    • Kazakh SSR
    • Kyrgyz SSR
    • Tajik SSR
    • Turkmen SSR
    • Uzbek SSR


  • The West
    • Byelorussian SSR
    • Moldavian SSR Moldavian SSR

      The Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union [i] from 1940 to ... 

    • Ukrainian SSR Ukrainian SSR

      The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic a.k.a.... 




In area, Russia is the largest of the fifiteen Soviet Republics as well as the most populated. The next largest in population, are, in order: Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.


Other Soviet republics

  • Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia were from 1922 until 1936 organized in the Transcaucasian SFSR Transcaucasian SFSR

    [i], [[Armenia]... 

    .
  • The Karelo-Finnish SSR existed between March 31, 1940 and July 16, 1956.
  • Under the threat of intervention, the formally independent Far Eastern Republic Far Eastern Republic

    The Far Eastern Republic sometimes called Chita Republic was a nominally independent state [i] establish ... 

     was carved out of Russian territory to become a buffer state on April 6, 1920, and was again merged with Russia on November 15, 1922. Its capital was Verkhneudinsk before October 1920, and then Chita.
  • An attempt to declare the Polish Soviet Socialist Republic was made during the Soviet assault in the Polish-Soviet War Polish-Soviet War

    The PolishSoviet War was an armed conflict between Soviet Russia [i] and the Second Polish Republic [i] ... 

     of 1919–1922, by the Polish Provisional Revolutionary Committee headed by Julian Marchlewski in Bialystok Bialystok

    Bialystok is the largest city in north-eastern Poland [i] and the capital of the Podlachian Voivodeship [i] ... 

    .

Timeline

  • 1922 - Soviet Union Soviet Union

    The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , more commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a Communist state [i] ... 

     formed from Russian SFSR, Transcaucasian SFSR Transcaucasian SFSR

    [i], [[Armenia]... 

    , Ukrainian SSR Ukrainian SSR

    The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic a.k.a.... 

    , Byelorussian SSR
  • 1924 - Uzbek SSR and Turkmen SSR are formed from the Turkestan ASSR Turkestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic

    Turkestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was created from the Turkestan Krai [i] of Imperial Russia [i] ... 

     in the Russian SFSR.
  • 1929 - Tajik SSR split from Uzbek SSR
  • 1936 - in compliance with 1936 Soviet Constitution Kazakh ASSR and Kyrgyz ASSR were split from RSFSR and transformed into Kazakh SSR and Kyrgyz SSR
  • 1936 - Transcaucasian SFSR Transcaucasian SFSR

    [i], [[Armenia]... 

     split into Georgian SSR, Armenian SSR Armenian SSR

    The Armenian SSR or Soviet Socialist Republic of Armenia came into being when the Communist Party of Armenia [i] ... 

     and Azerbaijan SSR Azerbaijan SSR

    The Azerbaijan SSR or the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic was the name given to [[Azerbaijan]... 

    .
  • 1939 - Part of Poland Poland

    Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country located in Central Europe [i]. ... 

      annexed and added to Byelorussian SSR and Ukrainian SSR Ukrainian SSR

    The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic a.k.a.... 

    .
  • 1940 - Estonia Estonia

    Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia , is a country in Northern Europe [i]. ... 

    , Latvia Latvia

    Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in Eastern Europe [i]. ... 

     and Lithuania Lithuania

    Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania , is a country in northern Europe.... 

     conquered, transformed into Estonian SSR, Latvian SSR, Lithuanian SSR.
  • 1940 - Karelo-Finnish SSR created from Karelian ASSR in Russia
  • 1940 - Part of Ukraine's Moldavan ASSR made into Moldavian SSR Moldavian SSR

    The Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union [i] from 1940 to ... 

     along with territory annexed from Romania Romania

    Romania: is a country in Southeastern Europe [i]. ... 

  • 1941 - Lithuania revolts and proclaims independence but is soon occupied by Germany.
  • 1944 - The Soviet Union annexes the Tuvinian People's Republic Tuvinian People's Republic

    The Tuvinian People's Republic was a state in the territory of the former Tuva [i]n protectorate [i] of ... 

    , which is then made a part of the Russian SFSR.
  • 1944 - Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia re-occupied by Soviet Union.
  • 1944 - repressions to Caucasus and Crimea peoples, deportations Population transfer in the Soviet Union

    Population transfer in the Soviet Union may be classified into the following broad categories: deportati... 

    , all AO and ASSR reorganized
  • 1945 - Part of East Prussia East Prussia

    East Prussia was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia [i] and the Free State of Prussia [i] from 1773-18 ... 

     annexed from Germany Germany

    Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country [i] in central Europe [i]. ... 

     and added to Russian SFSR as the Kaliningrad oblast Kaliningrad Oblast

    Kaliningrad Oblast , informally called Yantarny kray is a federal subject [i] ... 

     exclave Enclave and exclave

    In political geography [i], an enclave is a country or part of a country lying wholly within the boundar ... 

  • 1945 - Crimea ASSR transformed to Crimea Oblast, remaining in RSFSR
  • 1945 - Kuril islands Kuril Islands

    The Kuril Islands or Kurile Islands in Russia [i]'s Sakhalin Oblast [i] region, stretch approxima... 

     and the southern part of Sakhalin Sakhalin

    [i] transliteration Sahalin, , also Saghalien, is a large elongated [[island]... 

     added to Russian SFSR from Japan Japan

    is an island country [i] in East Asia [i]. ... 

  • 1945 - Carpathian Ruthenia Carpathian Ruthenia

    Carpathian Ruthenia, Transcarpathian Ruthenia, Sub-Carpathian Rus, or Subcarpathia is ... 

     ceded by Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia

    Czechoslovakia was a country in Central Europe [i] that existed from 1918 until early 1993 . ... 

     and integrated into the Ukrainian SSR Ukrainian SSR

    The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic a.k.a.... 

  • 1954 - Crimea Crimea

    Crimea /kra?'mia/ or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea is an autonomous republic [i] of Ukraine [i] ... 

     transferred from Russian SFSR to Ukrainian SSR Ukrainian SSR

    The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic a.k.a.... 

  • 1956 - Karelo-Finnish SSR became the Karelian ASSR in Russia again
  • 1990 - Lithuania and Latvia declare independence .
  • 1991 - Soviet military attempt to crackdown Lithuanian independence.
  • 1991 - Estonia declares independence.

References