The Soviet Empire

Largest Country in the world

U.S.S.R. Union of Soviet Socialist Republics a former communist country in eastern Europe and northern Asia; established in 1922; included Russia and 14 other soviet socialist republics (Ukraine and Byelorussia an others); officially dissolved 31 December 1991 Similar Words: Soviet Union, Russia, USSR

The Former Soviet Union

Soviet Culture Land The Soviet Union was the largest country that ever existed. It covered more than 8.6 million square miles (22.3 million square kilometers) in Europe and Asia—almost two and one half times the area of the United States. The Soviet Union was made up of 15 republics, or states. The largest and most powerful was the Russian republic, now called Russia. The modern names for the other republics are Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. The capital of the Soviet Union was Moscow. People In its last years, the Soviet Union had the world's third-largest population— more than 290 million people. The country had more than 100 groups of different peoples. Ethnic Russians made up the largest group by far. The next-largest groups were Ukrainians, Uzbeks, Belarusians, and Kazakhs. Russian was the official language, but more than 200 other languages existed in the country.

Soviet Culture Religion The Soviet government did not approve of religion. Even so, the Russian Orthodox Christian church survived. There were also many Muslims, or followers of Islam, in some republics. The government of the Soviet Union controlled all parts of life in the country. The people were not allowed to speak openly to oppose the government. During the late 1920s and 1930s the government even put a stop to free artistic expression. Artists and writers were allowed to say only good things about the Soviet system. The government put many artists and writers in prison. Others left the country.

Economy During its most powerful period, the Soviet Union had one of the world's strongest economies. Agriculture, mining, and heavy industry all made big contributions to national wealth. The government completed many large projects such as dams and canals. According to Communist teachings, individuals should not be allowed to own businesses. So the government owned almost all businesses and factories in the Soviet Union. Communist Party leaders decided what kinds of products would be made and how much the people would pay for them. The system led to shortages of many of the products that people needed. The Communist system was also supposed to give farmers and workers a fair share of the country's wealth. However, farmers suffered greatly when the government took their land and created large farms called collective farms. By the 1970s the Soviet Union had to buy food from other countries to feed its people.

Government The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics began with Russia and three other republics: Belorussia, Ukraine and the Transcaucasian Republic (composed of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia). On Dec. 30, 1922, Russia and three other republics formed the constitution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. The government had an executive branch, called the Central Executive Committee, along with a legislative organization called the Council of People’s Commissars. Government members were elected by local councils, known as “Soviets,” that went on to the Congress of Soviets. The picture is Lenin depicted in a 1917 painting.

Government Josef Stalin followed Lenin as head of the Communist Party, and therefore head of the USSR, ruling the country for its first three decades. Stalin instituted “five-year plans” designed to advance industrialization and build the USSR into a world power. During his rule, Stalin shaped the international reputation of the Soviet Union, which grew to 15 republics by 1940. Stalin oversaw the defeat of Nazi Germany on the Eastern Front of World War II (known as the Great Patriotic War in Russia), a victory that marked the emergence of the USSR into a world superpower. His domestic reign was marked by government and army purges, the creation of a draconian secret police, and government-engineered famines that killed millions. After the war, the Soviet Union engaged in a four- decade Cold War against the United States and the capitalist world.