Soviet Union: History, Rise, Fall, and Legacy

The Soviet Union, officially known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), was a federal socialist state in Eurasia that existed from 1922 to 1991. It was the largest country in the world by land area and the second-largest by population, with a population of over 293 million at its peak. The Soviet Union was led by the Communist Party, which controlled all aspects of government and society. The Soviet economy was heavily centralized and planned, with the state owning and controlling most of the means of production. The Soviet Union was involved in many major global conflicts, including World War II and the Cold War. The country dissolved in 1991 following political and economic turmoil, with its constituent republics forming separate independent states.