Soviet Union
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was a socialist state that spanned much of Eastern and Central Europe and Western Asia between 1922 to 1991. It was the largest country in the world, covering more than 8,600,000 square miles, and spanning eleven time zones.
It was a federal union of multiple national republics, however in practice its government was highly centralized, with Moscow as its capital. Prior to 1990, it was a one-party state, governed by the Communist Party. In August 1991, the republics, led by Russia and Ukraine, declared independence. All the republics emerged from the dissolution of the Soviet Union as independent states. The Russian Federation assumed the Soviet Union's rights and obligations and is recognized as its continued legal personality in world affairs.
The USSR produced many significant social and technological achievements. It was considered a superpower, boasting the world's second-largest economy and the largest standing military in the world. The USSR was recognized as one of the five nuclear weapons states. It was a founding permanent member of the United Nations Security Council as well as a member of the OSCE, the WFTU and the leading member of the Warsaw Pact.
