Chechen–Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic

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Chechen–Ingush ASSR on the map of Soviet Caucasus.

The Chechen–Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, or Chechen–Ingush ASSR (Chechen: Нохч-ГІалгІайн Автономнин Совецки Социалистически Республика; Ingush: Нохч-ГІалгІайн Автономнин Советски Социалистически Республика; Russian: Чече́но-Ингу́шская Чечено-Ингушская Автономная Советская Социалистическая Республика) was an autonomous republic within the Russian SFSR. Its capital was Grozny.

As of 1979 census, its territory was 19,300 km² and population of 1,155,805 (1979 Census):^[1] 611,405 being Chechens, 134,744 Ingush, the rest being Russians and other ethnic groups.^[1]

History

Russian Empire

In 1810, the historical Ingushetia voluntarily joined Imperial Russia, and in 1859 the historical Chechnya was annexed to Russia as well, during the long Caucasian war of 1817-1864.

Soviet period

After the Russian Revolution of 1917, on January 20, 1921, Chechnya and Ingushetia joined the Mountain soviet republic. Partition of the Mountain ASSR began shortly after it was formed, and its Chechen District was separated on November 30, 1922 as Chechen Autonomous Oblast. On July 7, 1924, the remains of the Mountain ASSR were split into North Ossetian Autonomous Oblast and Ingush Autonomous Oblast. On January 15, 1934, Chechen and Ingush Autonomous Oblasts were joined into Chechen–Ingush Autonomous Oblast, which was elevated in status to that of an ASSR (Chechen–Ingush ASSR) on December 5, 1936.

World War II

During World War II, in 1942–1943, the republic was partly occupied by Nazi Germany while 40,000 Chechens fought in the Red Army. On March 3, 1944, on the orders of Joseph Stalin, the republic was disbanded and its population forcibly deported upon the accusations of collaboration with the invaders and separatism. The territory of the ASSR was divided between Stavropol Krai (where Grozny Okrug was formed), the Dagestan ASSR, the North Ossetian ASSR, and the Georgian SSR.

Post-war period

The republic was restored on January 9, 1957 by Nikita Khrushchev.

In November 1990, the republic issued the declaration of its sovereignty and in May 1991 an independent Chechen-Ingush Republic was pronounced, which was subsequently divided into independent Chechen Republic and Republic of Ingushetia. Today, both are federal subjects of Russia.

Demographics

• Vital statistics

Source: Russian Federal State Statistics Service

	Births	Deaths	Birth rate	Death rate
1970	22,651	6,075	21.2	5.7
1975	22,783	6,469	20.4	5.8
1980	24,291	7,711	20.7	6.6
1985	30,745	10,170	25.0	8.3
1990	31,993	11,039	28.2	9.7
1991	31,498	11,081	26.3	9.2
1992	28,875	10,666	23.1	8.5

• Ethnic groups

	1926 census1	1939 census	1959 census	1970 census	1979 census	1989 census	2002 census1
Chechens	295,762 (61.4%)	368,446 (52.9%)	243,974 (34.3%)	508,898 (47.8%)	611,405 (52.9%)	734,501 (57.8%)	1,127,050 (71.7%)
Ingushes	70,084 (14.5%)	83,798 (12.0%)	48,273 (6.8%)	113,675 (10.7%)	134,744 (11.7%)	163,762 (12.9%)	363,971 (23.2%)
Russians	78,196 (16.2%)	201,010 (28.8%)	348,343 (49.0%)	366,959 (34.5%)	336,044 (29.1%)	293,771 (23.1%)	46,204 (2.9%)
Others	38,038 (7.9%)	43,761 (6.3%)	69,834 (9.8%)	74,939 (7.0%)	73,612 (6.4%)	78,395 (6.2%)	33,755 (2.1%)

1. combined results of Chechnya and Ingushetia

See also

• History of Chechnya

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Всесоюзная перепись населения 1979 г. Национальный состав населения по регионам России. (All Union Population Census of 1979. Ethnic composition of the population by regions of Russia.)" (in Russian). Всесоюзная перепись населения 1979 года (All-Union Population Census of 1979). Demoscope Weekly (website of the Institute of Demographics of the State University—Higher School of Economics. 1979. http://demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/rus_nac_79.xls. Retrieved 2008-11-25.