Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic

Last updated
Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic
(1936–1990)
Кыргыз Советтик Социалисттик Республикасы (Kyrgyz)
Киргизская Советская
Социалистическая Республика
 (Russian)

Socialist Republic of Kyrgyzstan
(1990)
Социалисттик Кыргызстан Республикасы (Kyrgyz)
Социалистическая Республика Кыргызстан (Russian)

Republic of Kyrgyzstan
(1990–1991)
Кыргызстан Республикасы (Kyrgyz)
Республика Кыргызстан (Russian)
[1]
1936–1991
Flag of the Kyrgyz Soviet Socialist Republic.svg
Flag (1952–1991)
Emblem of the Kirghiz SSR.svg
State emblem
(1956–1991)
Motto: Бардык өлкөлөрдүн пролетарлары, бириккиле! (Kyrgyz)
Bardeuk oelkoeloerduen proletarlarymeu, birikkile! (transliteration)
"Workers of all nations, unite!"
Anthem:  Кыргыз Советтик Социалисттик Республикасынын Мамлекеттик Гимни
Kyrgyz Sovettik Sotsialisttik Respublikasynyn Mamlekettik Gimni
"Anthem of the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic"
(1946–1991)

Kirghiz SSR in the Soviet Union.svg
Location of Kirghizia (red) within the Soviet Union from 1956 to 1991
Status Soviet Socialist Republic
Capital Frunze
Common languagesOfficial languages:
Kirghiz  · Russian
Minority languages:
Uzbek
Religion
State atheism
Demonym(s) Kirghiz
Soviet
Government Unitary Marxist-Leninist single-party soviet republic (1936–1990)
Unitary presidential republic (1990–1991)
First Secretary  
 19361937 (first)
Moris Belotsky
 19851990 (last) [2]
Absamat Masaliyev
Head of state  
 19361937 (first)
Abdukadyr Urazbekov
 19901991 (last)
Askar Akayev
Head of government  
 19361937 (first)
Bayaly Isakeyev
 1991 (last)
Andrei Iordan
Legislature Supreme Soviet
History 
  Kirghiz ASSR formed
11 February 1926
 Elevation to a Union Republic
5 December 1936
  Osh riots
June 1990
 Sovereignty declared
30 December 1990
 Independence declared
31 August 1991
 Independence recognized
26 December 1991
HDI  (1990)0.640
medium
Currency Soviet rouble (руб) (SUR)
Calling code +7 319/331/332/334/335
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Flag of Russia (1918-1920).svg Kirghiz ASSR
Kyrgyzstan Flag of the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic (reverse).svg

The Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic (Kirghiz SSR), [lower-alpha 1] also known as the Kyrgyz Soviet Socialist Republic (Kyrgyz SSR) [3] or Kirgiz Soviet Socialist Republic (Kirgiz SSR), was one of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union (USSR) from 1936 to 1991. It was also known by the names Kyrgyzstan and Soviet Kyrgyzstan [lower-alpha 2] in the Kyrgyz language, and as Kirghizia and Soviet Kirghizia [lower-alpha 3] in the Russian language. [4] Landlocked and mountainous, it bordered Tajikistan and China to the south, Uzbekistan to the west and Kazakhstan to the north. The Kirghiz branch of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union governed the republic from 1936 until 1990.

Contents

On 30 October 1990, the Kirghiz SSR was renamed to the Socialist Republic of Kyrgyzstan; on 15 December, after declaring its state sovereignty, it was renamed again to the Republic of Kyrgyzstan. On 31 August 1991, it transformed into independent Kyrgyzstan.

Etymology

The name Kyrgyz is believed to have been derived from the Turkic word for forty, in reference to the forty clans of Manas, a legendary hero who united forty regional clans against the Uyghur Khaganate. The name Kyrgyzstan or Kirghizstan means 'land of the forty tribes', combined from three words: kyrg (kyrk) meaning 'forty', yz (uz) meaning 'tribes' in East Turkic, and -stan meaning 'land' in Persian. [5] Politically, the name of the republic was the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic as stated in the 1937 and 1978 constitutions.

From 30 October to 15 December 1990 it was renamed the Socialist Republic of Kyrgyzstan (or Kirghizia). Afterwards, the socialist prefix was dropped and it became the Republic of Kyrgyzstan. Officially, in Russian, the name of the country in Kyrgyz, Kyrgyzstan, began to be used instead of the Russian Kirghizia. Later, the official name of the state was changed to the Kyrgyz Republic, which was retained after independence. [1]

History

Established on 14 October 1924 as the Kara-Kirghiz Autonomous Oblast of the RSFSR, it was transformed into the Kirghiz ASSR (Kirghiz Autonomous Socialist Soviet Republic) on 1 February 1926, still being a part of the RSFSR. [6] The borders were not divided by ethnic or linguistic lines, however. [7]

On 5 December 1936, with the adoption of the 1936 Soviet Constitution, it became a separate constituent republic of the USSR as the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic during the final stages of the national delimitation in the Soviet Union. [8]

At the time of formation of Kirghizia, its territory was divided into districts (raions). On November 21, 1939, five oblasts (regions) were created: Jalal-Abad, Issyk Kul, Osh, Tyan Shan, and Frunze Oblasts. [9] [10] In 1944, Talas Oblast was established from Frunze but was abolished in 1956. In 1959 the Frunze, Issyk-Kul and Jalal-Abad oblasts were abolished. Frunze and Issyk-Kul became territories under direct republic jurisdiction while Jalal-Abad joined Osh. Tyan Shan was the last oblast to be abolished in 1962, and by this point, the rest of the republic with the exception of Osh was divided into districts of republican subordination. In 1970, Issyk-Kul and Naryn (formerly Tien Shan) were restored, and in 1980 so was Talas. In 1988, the Naryn and Talas oblasts were again abolished where the former was merged with Issyk-Kul while the later was merged with Osh. However, in 1990 they were restored and at the same time, Jalal-Abad and Chüy (formerly Frunze) were reestablished. These districts were particularly known for their heavy application of fertilizers after independence. [11]

The Osh Massacre in 1990 undermined the position of the first secretary. That same year, on 15 December, the Kirghiz SSR was reconstituted as the Republic of Kyrgyzstan after declaring its sovereignty. On 17 March 1991, Kirghizia supported the Union preservation referendum with a 95.98% turnout.

However, this did not come to pass when the hardliners took control of Moscow for three days in August 1991. Askar Akayev, the first president, unequivocally condemned the putsch and gained fame as a democratic leader. The country declared its independence on 31 August 1991 and the Soviet Union was formally dissolved on 26 December 1991. [12] However, the 1978 constitution remained in effect after its independence until 1993.

Politics

Similar to that of the other Soviet republics, Kirghizia's government took place in the framework of a one-party socialist republic with the Communist Party of Kirghizia as the sole legal political party. The First Secretary of the Communist Party of Kirghizia served as the head of the party, while the Chairmen of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet functioned as the executive heads of state and the Chairmen of the Council of Ministers led the legislative branch.

Economy

Demographics

In 1926, the republic had a population of 1,002,000 people. In 1939, 1,458,000 people were recorded. The population grew significantly in the decades after World War II; the republic had 2,065,837 people in 1959, 2,932,805 people in 1970, and 3,529,030 people in 1979. In the final Soviet census of 1989, the republic had grown to 4,257,755 people. [13] The majority of the population were ethnic Kyrgyz people. However, because large numbers were sent there in deportations, at times there were other significant ethnic groups. Between March and May 1944 alone, it was reported in the Kremlin that 602,193 residents of the North Caucasus region had been deported to the Kirghiz and Kazakh SSRs, of which 496,460 were Chechens and Ingush, 68,327 of which were Karachays and 37,406 were Balkars. [14] The majority of the Kyrgyz population are Muslims and speak a Turkic language. Bishkek had the largest concentration of Russians in the country, some 22% of the population by independence, with Uzbek minorities in the Fergana Valley especially constituting some 13% of the population. In 1990, violent clashes between the Uzbek and Kyrgyz peoples broke out in the Osh Region; ethnic tensions still remain in the region. [15]

Religion

Under Soviet rule, Islam in Kirghizia was heavily suppressed with people actively encouraging atheism.[ citation needed ]Soviet authorities permitted limited religious activity in all the majority-Muslim Soviet republics. Most of the Russian population of Kirghizia were atheist or Russian Orthodox. After independence, the country enjoyed greater religious freedom and remains to this day a secular state.

Geography

A map of modern Kyrgyzstan, with the same borders as the former Kirghizia Kyrgyzstan.png
A map of modern Kyrgyzstan, with the same borders as the former Kirghizia

Kirghizia, a landlocked republic in Soviet Central Asia shared its borders with Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as well as China on the outside lying between latitudes 39° and 44° N, and longitudes 69° and 81° E. It is farther from the sea than any other individual country, and all its rivers flow into closed drainage systems which do not reach the sea. The mountainous region of the Tian Shan covers over 80% of the country, [16] with the remainder made up of valleys and basins.

Issyk-Kul Lake, or Ysyk-Köl in Kyrgyz, in the north-eastern Tian Shan is the largest lake in Kyrgyzstan and the second largest mountain lake in the world after Titicaca. The highest peaks are in the Kakshaal Too range, forming the Chinese border. Peak Jengish Chokusu, at 7,439 m (24,406 ft), is the highest point and is considered by geologists to be the northernmost peak over 7,000 m (22,966 ft) in the world. Heavy snowfall in winter leads to spring floods which often cause serious damage downstream. The runoff from the mountains is also used for hydro-electricity.

Culture

As the Soviet Union respected other cultures even after delimitation, there are a wide variety of cultural items in Kirghizia listed here:

Traditions

Apart from celebrating the New Year each 1 January, Kirghizia, like all Soviet Republics, observed the Great October Socialist Revolution on 7 November. Its festivals and traditions such as Nowruz and Ulak Tartish were suppressed by the Soviet authorities.

The tradition of bride kidnapping, which remains illegal to this day, was suppressed by the Soviet regime. [18] It is debatable whether bride kidnapping is actually traditional. Some of the confusion may stem from the fact that arranged marriages were traditional, and one of the ways to escape an arranged marriage was to arrange a consensual "kidnapping". [19]

Legacy

Rusted Soviet hammer and sickle in Kyrgyzstan Rusted Soviet hammer and sickle in Kyrgyzstan.jpg
Rusted Soviet hammer and sickle in Kyrgyzstan

According to a 2013 Gallup poll, 62% of Kyrgyz people said that the collapse of the Soviet Union harmed their country, while only 16% said that the collapse benefited it. [20] The poll also showed that well-educated Kyrgyz people were more likely to say that the breakup harmed their country. [20]

See also

Notes

    • Kyrgyz: Кыргыз Советтик Социалисттик Республикасы (Кыргыз ССР), romanized: Kyrgyz Sovettik Sotsialisttik Respublikasy (Kyrgyz SSR)
    • Russian: Киргизская Советская Социалистическая Республика (Киргизская ССР), romanized: Kirgizskaya Sovetskaya Sotsialisticheskaya Respublika (Kirgizskaya SSR)
  1. Kyrgyz: Кыргызстан, Советтик Кыргызстан, romanized: Kyrgyzstan, Sovettik Kyrgyzstan
  2. Russian: Киргизия, Советская Киргизия, romanized: Kirgiziya, Sovetskaya Kirgiziya

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transport in Kyrgyzstan</span> Overview of the transport in Kyrgyzstan

Transport in Kyrgyzstan is severely constrained by the country's alpine topography. Roads have to snake up steep valleys, cross passes of 3,000 m (9,843 ft) altitude and more, and are subject to frequent mud slides and snow avalanches. Winter travel is close to impossible in many of the more remote and high-altitude regions. Additional problems are because many roads and railway lines built during the Soviet period are today intersected by international boundaries, requiring time-consuming border formalities to cross where they are not completely closed. The horse is still a much used transport option, especially in rural and inaccessible areas, as it does not depend on imported fuel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyrgyzstan</span> Country in Central Asia

Kyrgyzstan, officially the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia, lying in the Tian Shan and Pamir mountain ranges. Bishkek is the capital and largest city of the country. Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the south, and China to the east and southeast. With a population of 6.7 million, Kyrgyzstan is the 34th-most populous country in Asia, and the 4th-most populous country in Central Asia. Ethnic Kyrgyz make up the majority of the country's seven million people, followed by significant minorities of Uzbeks and Russians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karakol</span> Place in Issyk-Kul Region, Kyrgyzstan

Karakol, formerly Przhevalsk, is the fourth-largest city in Kyrgyzstan, near the eastern tip of Lake Issyk-Kul, about 150 kilometres (93 mi) from the Kyrgyzstan–China border and 380 kilometres (240 mi) from the capital Bishkek. It is the administrative capital of Issyk-Kul Region. Its area is 44 square kilometres (17 sq mi), and its resident population was 84,351 in 2021. To the north, on highway A363, is Tüp, and to the southwest Jeti-Ögüz resort.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of Kyrgyzstan</span> National flag

The national flag of Kyrgyzstan consists of a red field charged with a yellow sun that contains a depiction of a tunduk, the opening in the center of the roof of a yurt. Adopted in 1992, just over seven months after the country's independence was declared, to replace the flag of the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR), it has been the flag of the Kyrgyz Republic since that year. The red on the flag is said to be inspired by the pennant lifted by Manas, the country's folk hero.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emblem of Kyrgyzstan</span> National emblem of Kyrgyzstan

The National emblem of Kyrgyzstan was adopted in 2016. The emblem has a circular form which mostly bears the color blue. Light blue is known as the Kyrgyz color of courage and generosity. To the left and right of the coat of arms, wheat and cotton are displayed. In the upper part, the name of the country appears in Kyrgyz "Кыргыз Республикасы". It was designed by A. Abdraev and S. Dubanaev.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naryn Region</span> Region of Kyrgyzstan

Naryn Region is the largest region (oblus) of Kyrgyzstan. It is located in the east of the country and borders with Chüy Region in the north, Issyk-Kul Region in the northeast, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China in the southeast, Osh Region in the southwest, and Jalal-Abad Region in the west. Its capital is Naryn. Its total area is 44,160 km2 (17,050 sq mi). The resident population of the region was 292,140 as of January 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Razzakov</span> Town in Batken, Kyrgyzstan

Razzakov, formerly known as Isfana, is a small town in the extreme western end of Batken Region in southern Kyrgyzstan. The town is located in the southern part of the Fergana Valley, in a region surrounded on three sides by Tajikistan. It was renamed by President Sadyr Japarov in honour of Iskhak Razzakov on March 18, 2022.

Sultan Ibraimovich Ibraimov was a Soviet politician who served as Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic from 22 December 1978 until his assassination in 1980. The slow movement of the investigation created distrust in the Soviet system during a period of intense corruption, and the eventual discovery of the perpetrator's identity as an ethnic Russian ethnonationalist exacerbated ethnic tensions. Since his death, Ibraimov has become an important figure in Kyrgyzstan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soviet Central Asia</span> Section of Central Asia formerly controlled by the Soviet Union

Soviet Central Asia was the part of Central Asia administered by the Soviet Union between 1918 and 1991, when the Central Asian republics declared independence. It is nearly synonymous with Russian Turkestan in the Russian Empire. Soviet Central Asia went through many territorial divisions before the current borders were created in the 1920s and 1930s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyrgyz Premier League</span> Football league

Kyrgyz Premier League or OLIMPBET Premier League for sponsorship purposes is the division of professional football in Kyrgyzstan. It was created in 1992 after the Dissolution of the Soviet Union. The league is composed of eight teams. The most successful team is Dordoi Bishkek who have won the league thirteen times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan relations</span> Bilateral relations

Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan relations refers to the bilateral diplomatic relations between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Kyrgyz Republic. Uzbekistan dominates southern Kyrgyzstan both economically and politically, based on the large Uzbek population in that region of Kyrgyzstan and on economic and geographic conditions. Much of Kyrgyzstan depends entirely on Uzbekistan for natural gas; on several occasions, former president of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov has achieved political ends by shutting pipelines or by adjusting terms of delivery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Communist Party of Kirghizia</span> Ruling political party in Soviet Kyrgyzstan

The Communist Party of Kirghizia was the ruling political party and the section of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Semirechye Oblast</span> 1867–1924 oblast of the Russian Empire

The Semirechyenskaya Oblast was an oblast (province) of the Russian Empire. It corresponded approximately to most of present-day southeastern Kazakhstan and northeastern Kyrgyzstan. It was created out of the territories of the northern part of the Khanate of Kokand that had been part of the Kazakh Khanate. The name "Semirechye" itself is the direct Russian translation of the historical region of Jetysu. Its site of government was Verniy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Myktybek Abdyldayev</span> Kyrgyz politician

Myktybek Yusupovich Abdyldayev is a Kyrgyz politician, and current member of the Supreme Council of Kyrgyzstan as deputy for the Bir Bol party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kazakhstan–Kyrgyzstan border</span> International border

The Kazakhstan–Kyrgyzstan border is 1,212 kilometres (753 mi) and runs from the tripoint with Uzbekistan to the tripoint with China. Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital, is situated just 16 km to the south of this boundary, and Almaty is situated just 29 kilometres (18 mi) to the north of it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan border</span> International border

The Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan border is 1,314 kilometres (816 mi) in length and runs from the tripoint with Kazakhstan to the tripoint with Tajikistan. It is Kyrgyzstan's longest external boundary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Supreme Soviet of the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic</span> Legislature in the Central Asian USSR component

The Supreme Soviet of the Kirghiz SSR was the supreme soviet of the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic, which was a constituent republics of the Soviet Union. The Soviet was purely ceremonial as power was concentrated in the Communist Party of Kirghizia (CPK).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iskhak Razzakov</span> First secretary of Communist Party of Kirghizia

Iskhak Razzakov was a Kyrgyz politician who served as the first secretary of Communist Party of Kirghizia from 7 July 1950 to 9 May 1961.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kasymaly Jantöshev</span> Kyrgyz novelist and playwright (1904–1968)

Kasymaly Jantöshev was a Kyrgyz writer and playwright. Jantöshev is regarded as one of the most important Kyrgyz writers, and is considered to be one of the founders of Kyrgyz drama and theatre. Many of his works portray the transformation of Kyrgyz society during the 20th-century, and contain socialist themes. One of Jantöshev's novels, Kanybek, has become part of Kyrgyzstan's cultural heritage, and remains very popular within the country.

References

  1. 1 2 A Political Chronology of Central, South and East Asia. From 15 October 1990 to 15 December 1990, it was named the Socialist Republic of Kirghizia.
  2. On 27 October 1990, article 6 on the monopoly of the Communist Party of Kirghizia on power was excluded from the Constitution of the Kirghiz SSR
  3. Cholpon Chotaeva. History of Kyrgyzstan (Lecture book) (PDF).
  4. Nelson World Atlas, A Metric Atlas - Nelson, 1974
  5. Forty tribes and the 40-ray sun on the flag of Kyrgyzstan Archived 2009-10-07 at the Wayback Machine , SRAS–The School of Russian and Asian Studies
  6. Bennigsen, Alexandre; Broxup, Marie (3 June 2014). The Islamic Threat to the Soviet State (Routledge Revivals). Routledge. pp. 42–. ISBN   978-1-317-83171-6.
  7. Dana, Leo Paul (1 January 2002). When Economies Change Paths: Models of Transition in China, the Central Asian Republics, Myanmar & the Nations of Former Indochine Française. World Scientific. p. 65. ISBN   978-981-277-745-4.
  8. Group, Taylor & Francis (2004). Europa World Year. Taylor & Francis. p. 2543. ISBN   978-1-85743-255-8.
  9. Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia , 1969–1978 (in Russian)
  10. Encyclopedia Americana. Grolier Incorporated. 1993. p. 141. ISBN   9780717201242.
  11. Mudahar, Mohinder S. (1 January 1998). Kyrgyz Republic: Strategy for Rural Growth and Poverty Alleviation. World Bank Publications. p. 86. ISBN   978-0-8213-4326-5.
  12. Sakwa, Professor of Russian and Foreign Policy Richard; Sakwa, Richard (17 August 2005). The Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union. Routledge. p. 480. ISBN   978-1-134-80602-7.{{cite book}}: |first1= has generic name (help)
  13. Pavlenko, Aneta (2008). Multilingualism in Post-Soviet Countries. Multilingual Matters. p. 206. ISBN   978-1-84769-087-6.
  14. Tishkov, Valery Aleksandrovich (15 May 2004). Chechnya: Life in a War-Torn Society. University of California Press. p. 25. ISBN   978-0-520-93020-9.
  15. Rubin, Don; Pong, Chua Soo; Chaturvedi, Ravi; Ramendu Majumdar; Minoru Tanokura (January 2001). The World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre: Asia/Pacific. Taylor & Francis. p. 274. ISBN   978-0-415-26087-9.
  16. Escobar, Pepe (26 March 2005). "The Tulip Revolution takes root". Asia Times Online. Archived from the original on 27 March 2005.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  17. Aidar, Iliyas. "Kyrgyz Style – Production – Souvenirs". Kyrgyzstyle.kg. Archived from the original on 11 November 2006. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  18. Lom, Petr (March 2004). "Synopsis of "The Kidnapped Bride"". Frontline/World.
  19. "Reconciled to Violence: State Failure to Stop Domestic Abuse and Abduction of Women in Kyrgyzstan". Human Rights Watch Report. September 2006, Vol. 18, No.9.
  20. 1 2 Esipova, Neli; Ray, Julie (2013-12-19). "Former Soviet Countries See More Harm From Breakup". Gallup .

Further reading

42°52′N74°36′E / 42.867°N 74.600°E / 42.867; 74.600