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The map above was published by the United States. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in 1991.
It shows union (Soviet Socialist) republics with area tints, republic names, and capital cities.
However, the USSR itself would be relegated to the dustbin of history that same year on December 25th (the final map would look like this).
Also interesting to note about this map is following quote from the map:
“The United States Government has not recognized the incorporation of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania into the Soviet Union. Other boundary representation is not necessarily authoritative.”
Here is a little bit more about each Republic by the numbers:
Geography, Size & History
Name | Capital | Established | Independence | Area (km2) In 1991 | Area % |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic | Yerevan | 02 December 1920 | 21 September 1991 | 29,800 | 0.13 |
Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic | Baku | 28 April 1920 | 18 October 1991 | 86,600 | 0.39 |
Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic | Minsk | 31 July 1920 | 25 August 1991 | 207,600 | 0.93 |
Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic[a] | Tallinn | 21 July 1940 | 08 May 1990 | 45,226 | 0.2 |
Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic | Tbilisi | 25 February 1921 | 09 April 1991 | 69,700 | 0.31 |
Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic | Alma-Ata | 05 December 1936 | 16 December 1991 | 2,717,300 | 12.24 |
Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic | Frunze | 05 December 1936 | 31 August 1991 | 198,500 | 0.89 |
Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic[a] | Riga | 21 July 1940 | 04 May 1990 | 64,589 | 0.29 |
Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic[a] | Vilnius | 21 July 1940 | 11 March 1990 | 65,200 | 0.29 |
Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic | Kishinev | 02 August 1940 | 27 August 1991 | 33,843 | 0.15 |
Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic | Moscow | 07 November 1917 | 12 December 1991 | 17,075,400 | 76.62 |
Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic | Dushanbe | 05 December 1929 | 09 September 1991 | 143,100 | 0.64 |
Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic | Ashkhabad | 13 May 1925 | 27 October 1991 | 488,100 | 2.19 |
Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic | Kiev | 10 March 1919 | 24 August 1991 | 603,700 | 2.71 |
Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic | Tashkent | 05 December 1924 | 01 September 1991 | 447,400 | 2.01 |
Population
Name | Official languages | Population In 1989 | Pop. % |
---|---|---|---|
Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic | Armenian, Russian | 3,287,700 | 1.15 |
Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic | Azerbaijani, Russian | 7,037,900 | 2.45 |
Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic | Byelorussian, Russian | 10,151,806 | 3.54 |
Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic[a] | Estonian, Russian | 1,565,662 | 0.55 |
Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic | Georgian, Russian | 5,400,841 | 1.88 |
Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic | Kazakh, Russian | 16,711,900 | 5.83 |
Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic | Kirghiz, Russian | 4,257,800 | 1.48 |
Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic[a] | Latvian, Russian | 2,666,567 | 0.93 |
Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic[a] | Lithuanian, Russian | 3,689,779 | 1.29 |
Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic | Moldavian, Russian | 4,337,600 | 1.51 |
Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic | Russian | 147,386,000 | 51.4 |
Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic | Tajik, Russian | 5,112,000 | 1.78 |
Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic | Turkmen, Russian | 3,522,700 | 1.23 |
Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic | Ukrainian, Russian | 51,706,746 | 18.03 |
Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic | Uzbek, Russian | 19,906,000 | 6.94 |
Flags Of The Republics of the Soviet Union
Here is a brief overview of each of the 15 republics that made up the Soviet Union, listed by their order of establishment:
1. Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR)
- Establishment: 1917
- History: The largest and most influential of the Soviet republics, the RSFSR was the heart of the Soviet Union, with Moscow as its capital. Russia’s Bolshevik revolution led to the creation of the Soviet Union in 1922. After the USSR dissolved in 1991, it became the Russian Federation.
2. Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (Ukrainian SSR)
- Establishment: 1919
- History: Ukraine played a significant role in Soviet industrial and agricultural output. It suffered through events like the Holodomor (famine in the 1930s) and was heavily impacted by World War II. It declared independence in 1991.
3. Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (Byelorussian SSR)
- Establishment: 1919
- History: Belarus was a crucial battleground during both world wars and suffered heavy losses. It was a founding member of the UN as part of the Soviet delegation and declared independence in 1991, becoming Belarus.
4. Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic (Uzbek SSR)
- Establishment: 1924
- History: Located in Central Asia, Uzbekistan was known for its cotton production, often tied to controversial forced labor policies. It became independent in 1991 and continues as Uzbekistan today.
5. Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic (Kazakh SSR)
- Establishment: 1936
- History: Kazakhstan was a key location for Soviet space programs (Baikonur Cosmodrome) and suffered from forced collectivization and famine. It declared independence in 1991 and became Kazakhstan.
6. Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic (Georgian SSR)
- Establishment: 1921
- History: Georgia, located in the South Caucasus, was annexed by Soviet forces in 1921. The birthplace of Joseph Stalin, it maintained a distinct cultural identity throughout Soviet rule. It gained independence in 1991.
7. Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic (Azerbaijan SSR)
- Establishment: 1920
- History: Azerbaijan was an important center for oil production during the Soviet period. After years of tensions with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, it declared independence in 1991 and became Azerbaijan.
8. Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (Lithuanian SSR)
- Establishment: 1940 (annexed by the USSR after initially being independent)
- History: Lithuania was annexed by the USSR during World War II and later became one of the first Soviet republics to declare independence in 1990, leading to the collapse of the USSR in 1991.
9. Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic (Moldavian SSR)
- Establishment: 1940
- History: Moldavia was formed from parts of Romania and Ukraine. It declared independence in 1991, becoming Moldova. The republic has faced ongoing tensions in the Transnistria region since independence.
10. Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (Latvian SSR)
- Establishment: 1940
- History: Latvia was annexed by the Soviet Union during World War II and experienced heavy deportations. It became one of the first republics to break away from the USSR in 1991, declaring independence.
11. Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic (Kirghiz SSR)
- Establishment: 1936
- History: Kyrgyzstan, in Central Asia, was largely rural and known for its agriculture. It declared independence in 1991 and is now the independent nation of Kyrgyzstan.
12. Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic (Tajik SSR)
- Establishment: 1929
- History: Tajikistan, one of the poorest republics, was known for agriculture, especially cotton. After the collapse of the USSR, it gained independence in 1991 and was soon engulfed in a civil war that lasted until 1997.
13. Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (Armenian SSR)
- Establishment: 1920
- History: Armenia has a long history and deep cultural heritage. It was incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1920. The country declared independence in 1991 amidst ongoing conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.
14. Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic (Turkmen SSR)
- Establishment: 1924
- History: Turkmenistan, with its large natural gas reserves, was a vital energy provider for the USSR. It became independent in 1991 and is now Turkmenistan, known for its strict authoritarian government.
15. Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic (Estonian SSR)
- Establishment: 1940
- History: Estonia was annexed by the Soviet Union during World War II. Like its Baltic neighbors, it maintained a strong national identity and was one of the first republics to declare independence in 1991.
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