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==Geography==

==Geography==

Located in the middle and northern latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, the Soviet Union's 22.4 million square kilometers included one-sixth of the earth's inhabited land area. Its western portion, more than half of all Europe, made up 25 percent of its area; this, however, was where the overwhelming majority (about 72 percent) of the people lived and where most industrial and agricultural activities were concentrated. Despite its European ties, the Soviet Union was largely an Asian country because of Siberia, a land between the Urals and the Pacific that for centuries was infamous as a place of exile, a land of endless expanses of snow and frigid temperatures.  

Located in the middle and northern latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, the Soviet Union's 22.4 million square kilometers included one-sixth of the earth's usable land area. Its western portion, more than half of all Europe, made up 25% of its area; this, however, was where 72% of the people lived and where most industrial and agricultural activities were concentrated. The latgest region was the lightly populated Siberia, a land between the Urals and the Pacific that for centuries was infamous as a place of exile, a land of endless expanses of snow and frigid temperatures.  

The Soviet Union measures some 10,000 kilometers from Kaliningrad on the Gulf of Danzig in the west to Ratmanova Island (Big Diomede Island) in the Bering Strait, or roughly equivalent to the distance from Edinburgh, Scotland, east to Nome, Alaska. From the tip of the Taymyr Peninsula on the Arctic Ocean to the Central Asian town of Kushka near the Afghan border extend almost 5,000 kilometers of mostly rugged, inhospitable terrain.

Extending for over 60,000 kilometers, the Soviet border was the world's longest national frontier, sharing a common border with twelve countries, six on each continent. In Asia, its neighbors were the [[Democratic People's Republic of Korea]] (North Korea), [[China]], [[Mongolia]], [[Afghanistan]], [[Iran]], and [[Turkey]]; in [[Europe]], it bordered [[Romania]], [[Hungary]], [[Czechoslovakia]], [[Poland]], [[Norway]], and [[Finland]].  

Extending for over 60,000 kilometers, the Soviet border was once the world's longest national frontier, sharing a common border with twelve countries, six on each continent. In Asia, its neighbors were the [[Democratic People's Republic of Korea]] (North Korea), [[China]], [[Mongolia]], [[Afghanistan]], [[Iran]], and [[Turkey]]; in [[Europe]], it bordered [[Romania]], [[Hungary]], [[Czechoslovakia]], [[Poland]], [[Norway]], and [[Finland]].  

Approximately two-thirds of the frontier was bounded by water, forming the longest and, owing to its proximity to the North Pole, probably the most useless coastline of any country. Apart from Murmansk, which receives the warm currents of the Gulf Stream, the northern coast is locked in ice much of the year. The search for a warm water port was a central theme in Russian history.

Approximately two-thirds of the frontier was bounded by water, forming the longest and, owing to its proximity to the North Pole, probably the most useless coastline of any country. Practically all of the lengthy northern coast is well above the Arctic Circle and, with the important exception of Murmansk, which receives the warm currents of the Gulf Stream, is locked in ice much of the year. A dozen seas, part of the water systems of three oceans--the Arctic, Atlantic, and Pacific--washed over  Soviet shores.  

A dozen seas, part of the water systems of three oceans--the Arctic, Atlantic, and Pacific--washed over  Soviet shores.  

*Size: Approximately 22,402,200 square kilometers (land area 22, 272,000 square kilometers); slightly less than 2.5 times size of United States.  

*Size: Approximately 22,402,200 square kilometers (land area 22, 272,000 square kilometers); slightly less than 2.5 times size of United States.  

*Location: Occupies eastern portion of European continent and northern portion of Asian continent. Most of country north of 50° north latitude.  

*Location: Occupies eastern portion of European continent and northern portion of Asian continent. Most of country north of 50° north latitude.  

===Administrative-Political-Territorial Divisions===

===Administrative-Political-Territorial Divisions===

Since 1956 the enormous territory of the Soviet Union had consisted of fifteen union republics - the largest administrative and political units - officially known as Soviet republics or union republics. Nationality, size of the population, and location were the determinants for republic status. By far the largest and most important of the union republics was the Russian Republic, containing about 51 percent of the population. Largely because it encompasses Siberia, the Russian Republic alone accounted for 75 percent of Soviet territory and formed the heartland of both the European and the Asian portions of the Soviet Union. Although in 1989 Russians made up over 51 percent of the Soviet population and were in many ways the dominant nationality, they are just one of more than 100 nationality groups that make up Soviet society. Fourteen other major nationalities also have their own republics: in the European part are the [[Lithuania]]n, [[Latvia]]n, [[Estonia]]n, [[Belorussia]]n, [[Ukraine|Ukrainian]], and [[Moldavia]]n republics; the [[Georgia]]n, Azerbaydzhan, and [[Armenian]] republics occupy the Caucasus; and Soviet Central Asia is home to the Kazakh, Uzbek, Turkmen, Kirgiz, and Tadzhik republics (these republics have broken from the Soviet Union following the 1991 collapse of the government). The Soviet system also provided for territorial and administrative subdivisions called autonomous republics, autonomous oblasts, autonomous okruga, kraia, or most often oblasts. These subdivisions make the country easier to manage and at times serve to recognize additional nationalities.  

The USSR was divided into fifteen union republics - the largest administrative and political units - officially known as Soviet republics or union republics.  Theoretically they were independent countries.  In practice they were controlled by the Kremlin. Nationality, size of the population, and location were the determinants for republic status. By far the largest and most important was the Russian Republic, containing about 51% of the population. In 1989 Russians made up over 51% of the Soviet population and were politically, economically and culturally the dominant nationality, there are more than 100 other nationality groups that make up Soviet society. Fourteen other major nationalities also have their own republics: in the European part are the [[Lithuania]]n, [[Latvia]]n, [[Estonia]]n, [[Belorussia]]n, [[Ukraine|Ukrainian]], and [[Moldavia]]n republics; the [[Georgia]]n, Azerbaydzhan, and [[Armenian]] republics occupy the Caucasus; and Soviet Central Asia is home to the Kazakh, Uzbek, Turkmen, Kirgiz, and Tadzhik republics.  

 

The Soviet republics are subdivided into administrative subdivisions called autonomous republics, autonomous oblasts, autonomous okruga, kraia, or most often oblasts. These subdivisions make the country easier to manage and some serve to recognize additional nationalities.

==People==

==People==