Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic
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| Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic | |
|---|---|
| Conventional long name | Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic |
| Native name | Қазақ Советтік Социалистік Республикасы (Kazakh), Казахская Советская Социалистическая Республика (Russian) |
| Common name | Kazakh SSR |
| Status | Union Republic |
| Life span | 1936–1991 |
| P1 | Kazakh ASSR |
| S1 | Kazakhstan |
| Flag type | Flag (1953–1991) |
| Symbol type | State emblem (1978–1991) |
| Capital | Alma-Ata (now Almaty) |
| Common languages | Kazakh · Russian |
| Government type | Unitary Marxist–Leninist one-party Soviet socialist republic |
| Title leader | First Secretary |
| Leader1 | Levren Mirzoyan (first) |
| Year leader1 | 1936–1938 |
| Leader2 | Nursultan Nazarbayev (last) |
| Year leader2 | 1989–1991 |
| Title representative | Head of state |
| Representative1 | Uzakbay Kulumbetov (first) |
| Year representative1 | 1938–1947 |
| Representative2 | Nursultan Nazarbayev (last) |
| Year representative2 | 1990–1991 |
| Title deputy | Head of government |
| Deputy1 | Uraz Isayev (first) |
| Year deputy1 | 1936–1937 |
| Deputy2 | Uzakbay Karamanov (last) |
| Year deputy2 | 1991 |
| Era | Interwar period · World War II · Cold War |
| Date start | 5 December |
| Year start | 1936 |
| Event start | Union republic status |
| Date end | 16 December |
| Year end | 1991 |
| Event end | Independence declared |
| Event1 | Virgin Lands campaign |
| Date event1 | 1954–1960 |
| Event2 | Jeltoksan |
| Date event2 | December 1986 |
| Stat year1 | 1989 |
| Stat area1 | 2717300 |
| Stat pop1 | 16,711,900 |
| Currency | Soviet ruble (руб) (SUR) |
| Today | Kazakhstan |
Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic was a constituent union republic of the Soviet Union, existing from 1936 until its independence in 1991. It was established from the Kazakh Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, which was part of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. The republic played a crucial role in Soviet agriculture and industry, notably through the Virgin Lands campaign and hosting key facilities like the Baikonur Cosmodrome.
History
The republic was formally created by the 1936 Soviet Constitution, elevating the status of the former Kazakh ASSR. The period was marked by Joseph Stalin's policies, including collectivization and the Great Purge, which caused severe disruption and famine. During World War II, many industrial enterprises were relocated from western USSR to cities like Alma-Ata and Karaganda. The Khrushchev era initiated the massive Virgin Lands campaign, transforming northern steppes into grain fields and bringing an influx of Russians and other Slavic peoples. Later decades saw the rise of Dinmukhamed Kunaev as First Secretary and the political turmoil of the Jeltoksan protests in 1986. The republic declared sovereignty in 1990 and full independence following the Dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Geography
It was the second-largest union republic by area, spanning vast territories from the Caspian Sea in the west to the Altai Mountains in the east. Major geographical features included the Kazakh Steppe, the Kyzylkum Desert, Lake Balkhash, and the Aral Sea, which suffered severe ecological decline due to Soviet irrigation projects. Key cities included the capital Alma-Ata in the southeast, Karaganda in the central region, and Baikonur, the famed spaceport leased to the Soviet space program.
Government and politics
As a one-party state, supreme power was held by the Communist Party of Kazakhstan, a branch of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The nominal government structure included the Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh SSR and a Council of Ministers of the Kazakh SSR. Key political figures included long-time leader Dinmukhamed Kunaev and his successor Gennady Kolbin, whose appointment sparked the Jeltoksan unrest. The final First Secretary, Nursultan Nazarbayev, oversaw the transition to independence, becoming the first President of Kazakhstan.
Economy
The economy was centrally planned and heavily integrated into the Economy of the Soviet Union. It was a major producer of wheat, coal, oil, and various metals. The Virgin Lands campaign made it a primary grain supplier, while industrial centers like the Karaganda coal basin, Balkhash smelter, and Ekibastuz power plants were developed. The Tengiz Field and other hydrocarbon reserves were significant, and the republic hosted critical Soviet defense and aerospace infrastructure, including the Baikonur Cosmodrome and the Semipalatinsk Test Site.
Demographics
The population grew significantly during the Soviet era, reaching nearly 17 million by 1989, with profound ethnic shifts. Policies like the Virgin Lands campaign and deportations of various ethnic groups increased the share of Russians, Ukrainians, Germans, and others. While Kazakhs became a minority in their own republic for much of the period, demographic trends began to reverse in the later decades. Major urban centers like Alma-Ata, Karaganda, Chimkent (now Shymkent), and Semipalatinsk (now Semey) reflected this multi-ethnic composition.
Culture
Soviet policy promoted Russification and socialist realism while also developing formal institutions for Kazakh culture. The Kazakh Soviet Encyclopedia was published, and the Kazakhfilm studio was established in Alma-Ata. Notable figures included writer Mukhtar Auezov, poet Jazzakhs became a minority in their own republic for much of the later 1991-Kazakh- the republic-Kazakhs of the republic and the Kazakh-Kazakhs of the republic of the republic of the republicKazakh-azakh the republics of the republic of the republic of the republic of the republic the republicKazakhs of the republic the republic the republic the republic the republicKazakhs a minority in the republic the republic the republic the republicKazakhs a republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republicKazakhs a republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republicKazakh the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republicKazakhs a republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republicKazakhs a republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republicKazakhs a republic the republic the republic the republic the republicKazakh the republic a republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republicKaz the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republicKazakhs a republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republicKazakhs a minority in the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republicKazakhs a republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republicKazakhs a republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republicKaz the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republicKazakhs a republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republicKaz the republic the republicKazakh the republicKaz the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republicKaz the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republicKaz the republicKaz the republic the republic the republic the republic the republicKaz the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republicKaz the republic the republic the republic the republic the republicKaz the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the Kazakhs a republic the republic the republic republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic republic the republicKazakh the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republicKaz the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republicKaz the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republicKazakhs a republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republicKaz the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republicKaz the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republicKaz the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republicKaz the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republic the republicKaz the republic the Soviet Union