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]
On 30 October 1990, the Kirghiz SSR was renamed to theSocialist Republic of Kyrgyzstan; on 15 December, after declaring its state sovereignty, it was renamed again to theRepublic of Kyrgyzstan. On 31 August 1991, it transformed into independentKyrgyzstan.
The nameKyrgyz is believed to have been derived from theTurkic word forforty, in reference to the forty clans ofManas, a legendary hero who united forty regional clans against theUyghur Khaganate. The nameKyrgyzstan orKirghizstan 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' inPersian.[6] Politically, the name of the republic was theKirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic as stated in the 1937 and 1978 constitutions.
From 30 October to 15 December 1990 it was renamed theSocialist Republic of Kyrgyzstan (orKirghizia). Afterwards, thesocialist prefix was dropped and it became theRepublic of Kyrgyzstan. Officially, in Russian, the name of the country in Kyrgyz,Kyrgyzstan, began to be used instead of the RussianKirghizia. Later, the official name of the state was changed to theKyrgyz Republic, which was retained after independence.[1]
Established on 14 October 1924 as theKara-Kirghiz Autonomous Oblast of theRSFSR, it was transformed into theKirghiz ASSR (Kirghiz Autonomous Socialist Soviet Republic) on 1 February 1926,[7] still being a part of the RSFSR.[8] The borders were not drawn along ethnic or linguistic lines, however.[9]
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, andFrunze Oblasts.[3][11] 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 was joined into 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) oblasts were restored, and in 1980 so was Talas. In 1988, the Naryn and Talas oblasts were again abolished; 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.
TheOsh Massacre in 1990 undermined the position of the first secretary. That same year, on 15 December, the Kirghiz SSR was reconstituted as theRepublic of Kyrgyzstan after declaring its sovereignty. On 17 March 1991, Kirghizia supported theUnion preservation referendum with a 95.98% turnout.
However, this did not come to pass whenthe 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.
Similar to that of the other Soviet republics, Kirghizia's government took place in the framework of aone-partysocialist republic with theCommunist 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.
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 ethnicKyrgyz 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 theNorth Caucasus region had been deported to the Kirghiz and Kazakh SSRs, of which 496,460 wereChechens andIngush, 68,327 of which wereKarachays and 37,406 wereBalkars.[14] The majority of the Kyrgyz population areMuslims and speak aTurkic language.Bishkek had the largest concentration of Russians in the country, some 22% of the population by independence, with Uzbek minorities in theFergana 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]
Under Soviet rule,Islam in Kirghizia was heavily suppressed with people actively encouragingatheism.[citation needed]Soviet authorities permitted limited religious activity in all the majority-Muslim Soviet republics. Most of the Russian population of Kirghizia were atheist orRussian Orthodox. After independence, the country enjoyed greater religious freedom and remains to this day a secular state.
Issyk-Kul Lake, orYsyk-Köl inKyrgyz, in the north-eastern Tian Shan is the largest lake in Kyrgyzstan and the second largest mountain lake in the world afterTiticaca. The highest peaks are in theKakshaal Too range, forming the Chinese border. TheJengish Chokusu peak, 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 forhydro-electricity.
Apart from celebrating the New Year each 1 January, Kirghizia, like all Soviet Republics, observed theGreat October Socialist Revolution on 7 November. Its festivals and traditions such asNowruz andUlak Tartish were suppressed by the Soviet authorities.
The tradition ofbride 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 thatarranged marriages were traditional, and one of the ways to escape an arranged marriage was to arrange a consensual "kidnapping".[19]
According to a 2013Gallup poll, 62% ofKyrgyz people said that thecollapse 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]
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)
^Kyrgyz:Кыргызстан, Советтик Кыргызстан,romanized: Kyrgyzstan, Sovettik Kyrgyzstan
^Russian:Киргизия, Советская Киргизия,romanized: Kirgiziya, Sovetskaya Kirgiziya
%3b_Flag_of_Kyrgyzstan_(1991%25E2%2580%25931992).svg)
