Authorized Access Points for Countries and Areas in the Former Soviet Space

This chapter details the authorized access points for countries which were formerly republics within the Soviet Union. These access points include headings for historical and modern-day entities. The chapter also looks at authorized access points for some group headings for the area. The notes provided throughout the chapter come partly from the body of the relevant record in the Library of Congress Name Authority File or Subject Authority File (the more detailed subject usage notes come largely from examination of authorized history subdivisions for the country in question).

For more detailed discussion of the application of subject headings for the area, please see the following chapters: Russia / Soviet Union / Russia (Federation) Subject Headings and Former Soviet Republics: National and Supranational Subject Headings.

Authorized access points provided in bold in this guidance are followed where applicable by [1] the relevant MARC geographic area code[s], and [2] the relevant MARC country code[s].

Individual countries A-K

2. Individual countries L-U

3. Group headings

3.1. Russian Empire and the Soviet Union (e-ur---) (ru)

3.2. Baltic area headings

3.3. Early Soviet entities in Central Asia

3.4. Kievan Rus (e-bw--- / e-ru--- / e-un---)

3.5. Ostland (eb----- / e-bw---)

3.6. Zakavkazskai︠a︡ Sot︠s︡ialisticheskai︠a︡ Federativnai︠a︡ Sovetskai︠a︡ Respublika (a-ai--- / a-aj--- / a-gs---)

Individual countries A-K

Armenia (Republic) (e-ai---) (ai)

- Armenia
  - Descriptive and subject usage: use only for the pre-1918 Kingdom of Armenia.
- Armenian S.S.R.
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for the government for 1921-1991. Use "Armenia" as qualifier for places within the country.
  - Subject usage: cannot be used as a subject heading; works about this place are entered under Armenia (Republic).
- Armenia (Republic)
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for the government during 1918-1920 and since 1992. Use “Armenia” as qualifier for places within the country.
  - Subject usage: used as a subject heading for the 20th and 21st centuries. There are three history period subdivisions for which specific authorities have been created:
    - Armenia--History--Revolution, 1917-1920
    - Armenia (Republic)--History--Uprising, 1921
    - Armenia (Republic)--History--1991-
- see also Zakavkazskai︠a︡ Sot︠s︡ialisticheskai︠a︡ Federativnai︠a︡ Sovetskai︠a︡ Respublika

Azerbaijan (e-aj---) (aj)

- Azerbaijan (Republic : 1918-1920)
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for the short-lived democratic state.
  - Subject usage: cannot be used as a subject heading; works about this place or about this place in that time period are entered under Azerbaijan or under the subject heading Azerbaijan--History--Revolution, 1917-1921.
- Azerbaijan S.S.R.
  - Descriptive usage: Authorized access point for the government from mid-1920 to 1991. Use "Azerbaijan" as qualifier for places within the country.
  - Subject usage: cannot be used as a subject heading; works about this place are entered under Azerbaijan.
- Azerbaijan
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for the government since 1992 and qualifier for places within the country.
  - Subject usage: used as a subject heading primarily for the 20th and 21st centuries. There are two history period subdivisions for which specific authorities have been created:
    - Azerbaijan--History--1917-1991
    - Azerbaijan--History--1991-
  - Note: for the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, use Nagorno-Karabakh (Azerbaijan) (see also chapter on Areas of Disputed Sovereignty).
- see also Zakavkazskai︠a︡ Sot︠s︡ialisticheskai︠a︡ Federativnai︠a︡ Sovetskai︠a︡ Respublika

Belarus (e-bw---) (bw)

- Belaruskai︠a︡ Narodnai︠a︡ Rėspublika
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for the 1918-1920 government.
  - Subject usage: cannot be used as a subject heading; works about this place are entered under Belarus.
- Byelorussian S.S.R.
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for the government from mid-1920 to 1991. Use "Belarus" as qualifier for places within the country.
  - Subject usage: cannot be used as a subject heading; works about this place are entered under Belarus.
- Belarus
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for the government since 1992 and qualifier for places within the country.
  - Subject usage: used as a subject heading for all periods. Many history period subdivisions for which specific authorities have been created exist, from Belarus--History--To 1569 to Belarus--History--1991- . Also included are authorized headings for the 1830-31, 1863, 1905-1907, and 1917-1921 revolutions.
- see also Kievan Rus and Ostland

Estonia (e-er---) (er)

- Ėstli︠a︡ndskai︠a︡ gubernīi︠a︡ (Russia)
  - Descriptive and subject usage: authorized access point for the area formed in 1710 as part of the Pribaltīĭskīĭ kraĭ (Baltic Provinces). Later, after 1876, it was considered a unit equivalent to other gubernii in the Russian Empire.
- Estonia
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for the mid-1918 onwards jurisdictions of Estonia and Estonian S.S.R.
  - Subject usage: used as a subject heading primarily for the 20th and 21st centuries, but Estonia--History--19th century is an authorized subject heading. Other history period subdivisions for which specific authorities have been created include Estonia--History--War of Independence, 1918-1920 and Estonia--History--Communist Coup, 1924 among many more. Note that the 1343 peasant uprising is authorized as Harju Uprising, 1343.
- see also Baltic area headings and Ostland

Georgia (Republic) (e-gs---) (gs)

- Georgia (Kingdom)
  - Descriptive and subject usage: authorized access point for the kingdom which existed in various geographical forms from 11th to 18th centuries.
- Georgian S.S.R.
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for the government for 1921-1991. Use "Georgia" as qualifier for places within the country.
  - Subject usage: cannot be used as a subject heading; works about this place are entered under Georgia (Republic).
- Georgia (Republic)
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for the government for both 1917-1921 and since 1992. Use "Georgia" as qualifier for places within the country.
  - Subject usage: used as a subject heading primarily for the 19th century onwards. There are three history period subdivisions for which specific authorities have been created:
    - Georgia (Republic)--History--1801-1917
    - Georgia (Republic)--History--1917-1991
    - Georgia (Republic)--History--1991-
  - Note: for the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, use Abkhazia (Georgia) and South Ossetia (Georgia) (see also chapter on Areas of Disputed Sovereignty).
- see also Zakavkazskai︠a︡ Sot︠s︡ialisticheskai︠a︡ Federativnai︠a︡ Sovetskai︠a︡ Respublika

Kazakhstan (e-kz---) (kz)

- Kazakh A.S.S.R. (R.S.F.S.R.)
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for the autonomous republic which existed from 1920 to 1936 before it became the Kazakh S.S.R.
  - Subject usage: cannot be used as a subject heading; works about this place are entered under Kazakstan.
  - Note that the Kazakh A.S.S.R. was called the Kirghiz A.S.S.R. between 1920 and 1925 - this is NOT the same as the Kirghiz A.S.S.R. which existed between 1926 and 1936 and which became the Kirghiz S.S.R. Kirghiz A.S.S.R. (1920-1925 : R.S.F.S.R.) is a variant in the Kazakh S.S.R. NAR.
- Kazakh S.S.R.
  - Descriptive usage: Authorized access point for the government from 1937 to 1991. Use "Kazakhstan" as qualifier for places within the country.
  - Subject usage: cannot be used as a subject heading; works about this place are entered under Kazakstan.
- Kazakhstan
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for the government since 1992 and qualifier for places within the country.
  - Subject usage: used as a subject heading primarily for the 20th and 21st centuries. There are four history period subdivisions for which specific authorities have been created:
    - Kazakhstan--History--Revolution, 1905-1907
    - Kazakhstan--History--Revolt, 1916
    - Kazakhstan--History--Revolution, 1917-1921
    - Kazakhstan--History--1991-

Kyrgyzstan (e-kg---) (kg)

- Kirgizskai︠a︡ A.S.S.R. (R.S.F.S.R.)
  - Descriptive and subject usage: authorized access point for the autonomous republic which existed from late 1924 to the late 1936 introduction of the Kirghiz S.S.R.
  - Note that the earlier names of the Kirgizskai︠a︡ A.S.S.R. (Kara-Kirgizskai︠a︡ avtonomnai︠a︡ oblastʹ and Kirgizskai︠a︡ avtonomnai︠a︡ oblastʹ) do not have NARs but are recorded as variants in the Kirghiz S.S.R. NAR.
  - Note that this is NOT the same as the Kirghiz A.S.S.R. which existed between 1920 and 1925 and which became the Kazakh S.S.R. and which is a variant access point in the latter’s NAR.
- Kirghiz S.S.R.
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for the government from late 1936 to 1991. Use "Kyrgyzstan" as qualifier for places within the country.
  - Subject usage: cannot be used as a subject heading; works about this place are entered under Kyrgyzstan.
- Kyrgyzstan
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for the government since 1992 and qualifier for places within the country.
  - Subject usage: used as a subject heading primarily for the 20th and 21st centuries. There are five history period subdivisions for which specific authorities have been created:
    - Kyrgyzstan--History--Uprising, 1916
    - Kyrgyzstan--History--Revolution, 1917-1921
    - Kyrgyzstan--History--1917-1991
    - Kyrgyzstan--History--1991-
    - Kyrgyzstan--History--Tulip Revolution, 2005
- See also Early Soviet entities in Central Asia

2. Individual countries L-U

Latvia (e-lv---) (lv)

- Livonia
  - Descriptive and subject usage: authorized access point for the jurisdiction under the control of the Teutonic knights, later controlled by Sweden and Poland.
- Lifli︠a︡ndskai︠a︡ gubernīi︠a︡ (Russia)
  - Descriptive and subject usage: authorized access point for the area formed in 1710 as part of the Pribaltīĭskīĭ kraĭ (Baltic Provinces). Later, after 1876, it was considered a unit equivalent to other gubernii in the Russian Empire.
- Latvia
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for the mid-1918- jurisdictions of Latvia and the Latvian S.S.R. (bar 1941-1944 (see below)), and qualifier for places in the country.
  - Subject usage: used as a subject heading for all periods, but specific authorities have been created for only two headings for the pre-20th-century period: Latvia--History--To 1562 and Latvia--History--1562-1918. Among many authorized history period subdivisions for the 20th century are Latvia--History--Revolution, 1905-1907 and Latvia--History--War of Independence, 1918-1920.
- Latvia (Territory under German occupation, 1941-1944)
  - Descriptive and subject usage: authorized access point for Latvia during occupation.
- see also Baltic area headings and Ostland

Lithuania (e-li---) (li)

- Lithuania (Grand Duchy)
  - Descriptive usage: use for Lithuania in the Middle Ages. Relates also to Poland.
  - Subject usage: used for history subject headings sparingly. No specific authorities have been created for history period subdivisions. Prefer subject headings for Lithuania and/or Poland.
- Lithuania
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for the mid-1918 onwards jurisdictions of Lithuania and the Lithuanian S.S.R.
  - Subject usage: used as a subject heading for all periods. Many history period subdivisions for which specific authorities have been created exist, from Lithuania--History--To 1569 to Lithuania--History--1991- . Also included are authorized headings for the 1794, 1830-2, 1863-4, and 1905-1907.
- see also Baltic area headings and Ostland

Moldova (e-mv---) (mv)

- Moldavia
  - Descriptive and subject usage: authorized access point for the historical principality. As a geographic subdivision, this heading is used directly.
  - Moldavia is now part of three modern-day states:
    - The western part of historical Moldavia is now in Romania (authorized access point: Moldavia (Romania)).
    - The south-eastern part of historical Moldavia is now in Ukraine (as part of Odesʹka oblastʹ (Ukraine)).
    - The eastern side of historical Moldavia is now Moldova (see below).
- Bessarabia (Moldova and Ukraine)
  - Can only be used as a subject heading.
  - Subject usage: authorized access point for the historical region which made up most of Moldavia and whose area in part was later subsumed into the Ottoman and Russian Empires and then Romania.
- Bessarabskai︠a︡ gubernīi︠a︡ (Russia)
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for the Imperial Russian region which contained part of Bessarabia.
  - Subject usage: cannot be used as a subject heading; works about this place are entered under Bessarabia (Moldova and Ukraine).
- Moldavsʹka A.S.R.R. (Ukraine)
  - Descriptive and subject usage: authorized access point for the 1924-1940 autonomous republic, whose area now falls in modern-day Moldova and Ukraine.
- Moldavian S.S.R.
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for the government from late 1940 to 1989. The Moldavian S.S.R. was formed of parts of the Moldavs’ka A.S.R.R. and Bessarabia (see above). Use "Moldova" as qualifier for places within the country.
  - Subject usage: cannot be used as a subject heading; works about this place are entered under Moldova.
- Moldova
  - Do not confuse with Moldavia and Moldavia (Romania) (see above).
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for the government since 1990 and qualifier for places within the country.
  - Subject usage: used primarily for the 20th and 21st centuries. There are four history period subdivisions for which specific authorities have been created:
    - Moldova--History--Revolution, 1917-1921
    - Moldova--History--20th century
    - Moldova--History--Declaration of Independence, 1991
    - Moldova--History--1991-
  - Note: for the breakaway region of Transnistria, use Dniester Moldovan Republic (see also chapter on Areas of Disputed Sovereignty).
- For more historical detail of Moldavia, Moldova, and related jurisdictions, please see Authorized Access points, Class Numbers, and MARC Codes for Moldavia, Moldova, and Associated Regions.

Russia (Federation) (e-ru---) (ru)

- Russia
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for corporate bodies and jurisdictions which represent Tsarist Russia from approximately the 15th century to the 1917 Revolution. Corporate bodies and jurisdictions which existed into the Soviet period should use name headings for either Russian S.F.S.R. (qualifier “R.S.F.S.R.”) or Soviet Union depending on jurisdictional level.
  - Note that Russia is used for both the Imperial Government prior to March 12, 1917, and its successor, the Provisional Government, March 12-November 7, 1917.
  - Subject usage: used for all periods to 1917 (with Russia (Territory under White armies, 1918-1920) the single post-1917 exception). Specific authorities have been created for a huge number of history period subdivisions. The earliest periods covered are Russia--History--To 1533 and Russia--History--1237-1480. Other authorities include ruler-specific headings (e.g., Russia--History--Catherine II, 1762-1796) as well as event-specific and date-specific ones.
- Russian S.F.S.R.
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for both the Soviet Government for the period November 7, 1917-July 23, 1923, and for the constituent republic of the Soviet Union from 1923.
  - Use "(Russia)" as qualifier for places within the country, unless jurisdiction only existed during 1917-1991 period, e.g., Leningrad (R.S.F.S.R.)
  - Subject usage: cannot be used as a subject heading. The name authority file note advises that works about this place are entered under Russia (Federation). Many catalogers, however, prefer to use Soviet Union instead or in addition. For discussion of this, see Russia / Soviet Union / Russia (Federation) Subject Headings.
- Russia (Territory under White armies, 1918-1920)
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for all governments that contended with the Bolshevik government for control of the Russian empire during the period 1918-1920. (note: the previous form of this NAR was Russia (1917-1922. Civil War Governments))
  - Governments which were founded to control only a part of the empire, such as the Dalnevostochnai︠a︡ Respublika, and Vsevelikoe Voĭsko donskoe, are established independently.
- Russia (Federation)
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for the government since 1992. Use "Russia" as qualifier for places within the country.
  - Subject usage: its use for the Soviet and post-Soviet states is controversial, with many catalogers preferring Soviet Union LCSH for Soviet Russia, whether in addition to or instead of Russia (Federation) LCSH. For discussion of this, see Russia / Soviet Union / Russia (Federation) Subject Headings. At the time of writing, only three specific authorities exist for period subdivisions:
    - Russia (Federation)--History--Revolution, 1917-1921
    - Russia (Federation)--History--1991-
    - Russia (Federation)--History--October Crisis, 1993
- See also Kievan Rus

Tajikistan (e-ta---) (ta)

- Tadzhikskai︠a︡ A.S.S.R. (Uzbek S.S.R.)
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for the autonomous republic which existed from 1924 until the 1929 introduction of the Tajik S.S.R.
  - Subject usage: cannot be used as a subject heading; works about this place are entered under Tajikistan.
- Tajik S.S.R
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for the government between 1929 and 1991. Use "Tajikistan" as qualifier for places within the country.
  - Subject usage: cannot be used as a subject heading; works about this place are entered under Tajikistan.
- Tajikistan
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for the government since 1992 and qualifier for places within the country.
  - Subject usage: used primarily for the 20th and 21st centuries. There are three history period subdivisions for which specific authorities have been created:
    - Tajikistan--History--Revolution, 1917-1921
    - Tajikistan--History--1991-
    - Tajikistan--History--Civil War, 1992-1994
- See also Early Soviet entities in Central Asia

Turkmenistan (e-tk---) (tk)

- Turkmen S.S.R.
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for the government from 1925 to 1991. Use "Turkmenistan" as qualifier for places within the country.
  - Subject usage: cannot be used as a subject heading; works about this place are entered under Turkmenistan.
- Turkmenistan
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for the government since 1992 and qualifier for places within the country.
  - Subject usage: used primarily for the 20th and 21st centuries. There are two history period subdivisions for which specific authorities have been created:
    - Turkmenistan--History--1991-
    - Turkmenistan--History--Revolution, 1917-1921
- See also Early Soviet entities in Central Asia (note: these include Turkestanskai︠a︡ A.S.S.R.)

Ukraine (e-un---) (un)

- Ukraine (Hetmanate : 1648-1782)
  - Descriptive and subject usage: authorized access point for the Ukrainian Cossack state.
- Ukraine
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point covering both the Ukrainian SSR (1917- Aug. 24 1991) and the newly independent Ukraine (25 Aug. 1991- ).
  - Subject usage: used as a subject heading for all periods. Many history period subdivisions for which specific authorities have been created exist, from Ukraine--History--To 862 to Ukraine--History--1991- . Also included are authorized headings for many event-specific subdivisions. Note that an authority exists as a history subdivision for the Maidan protests (Ukraine--History--Euromaidan Protests, 2013-2014), but that the authority for the ongoing conflict in the east of the country is the non-geographic heading Ukraine Conflict, 2014- and that the 2022 full-scale Russian invasion of the country is represented by the narrower heading Ukraine--History--Russian Invasion, 2022-
  - Note: for discussion of the authorized access points for Crimea (Crimea (Ukraine)) and the eastern parts of Ukraine subject to temporary Russian control, see the chapter on Areas of Disputed Sovereignty.
- See also Kievan Rus

Uzbekistan (e-ur-uz) (uz)

- Uzbek S.S.R.
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for the government from 1924 to 1991. Use "Uzbekistan" as qualifier for places within the country.
  - Subject usage: cannot be used as a subject heading; works about this place are entered under Uzbekistan.
- Uzbekistan
  - Descriptive usage: authorized access point for the government since 1992 and qualifier for places within the country.
  - Subject usage: used primarily for the 20th and 21st centuries. There are four history period subdivisions for which specific authorities have been created:
    - Uzbekistan--History--Revolution, 1905-1907
    - Uzbekistan--History--Revolution, 1917-1921
    - Uzbekistan--History--1917-1991
    - Uzbekistan--History--1991-
- See also Early Soviet entities in Central Asia

3. Group headings

This section starts with Imperial Russia and the Soviet Union, followed by some group headings for smaller sections within the space they occupied, in alphabetical order.

3.1. Russian Empire and the Soviet Union (e-ur---) (ru)

- Russia
  - Authorized access point for Tsarist Russia, which eventually covered the territory of almost all of the subsequent Soviet Union.
- Soviet Union
  - Descriptive usage: use only for 1923-1991 imprints which pertain to a federal/national jurisdictional level. Do not retrospectively change headings or qualifiers for names that only existed during the 1923-1991 time frame, unless the name continues unchanged into the post-Soviet, i.e. 1992- period.
  - Subject usage: use for works about the Soviet government and multiple countries within the Union.
  - Note that there is no successor body to the Soviet Union in the Name Authority File. Several NARs exist for bodies which involve some but not all former Soviet republics, such as the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Eurasian Union, but these bodies are purely organizations and not jurisdictions.
- Former Soviet republics
  - Subject usage only.
  - Use for works about the independent countries that emerged from the dissolution of the former Soviet Union in 1991.

3.2. Baltic area headings

- Baltic Provinces (Russia)
  - Heading for the area comprising the Ėstli︠a︡ndskai︠a︡, Kurli︠a︡ndskai︠a︡, and Lifli︠a︡ndskai︠a︡ gubernii.
  - Suitable for descriptive and subject usage.
- Baltic States
  - Heading for the area comprising Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
  - Suitable for descriptive and subject usage.

3.3. Early Soviet entities in Central Asia

- The history of Central Asia in the first decades of the Soviet period saw many changes in the area covered by modern-day Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Authorized access points for entities which crossed modern borders are listed below.
- Bukharskai︠a︡ Narodnai︠a︡ Sovetskai︠a︡ Respublika (Russia)
  - This entity contained parts of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
  - Established April 1920; renamed Bukharskai︠a︡ Sot︠s︡ialisticheskai︠a︡ Sovetskai︠a︡ Respublika (no authority created) in 1924; abolished later that year.
  - Suitable for descriptive and subject usage.
- Khorezmskai︠a︡ Sovetskai︠a︡ Sot︠s︡ialisticheskai︠a︡ Respublika
  - This entity contained parts of Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
  - Established 1920 as Khorezmskai︠a︡ Narodnai︠a︡ Sot︠s︡ialisticheskai︠a︡ Respublika (no authority created); renamed Khorezmskai︠a︡ Sovetskai︠a︡ Sot︠s︡ialisticheskai︠a︡ Respublika in 1923; abolished October 1924.
  - Suitable for descriptive and subject usage.
- Turkestanskai︠a︡ A.S.S.R. (R.S.F.S.R.)
  - Although its NAR links only to the Turkmen S.S.R., the Turkestanskai︠a︡ A.S.S.R. involved far greater territory. The autonomous region contained large parts of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
  - Established April 1918; abolished December 1924.
  - Suitable for descriptive and subject usage.

3.4. Kievan Rus (e-bw--- / e-ru--- / e-un---)

- Medieval East Slavic state which territorially extended from the Baltic to the Black Sea from the Volga in the East to the Carpathians in the West, covering all or parts of many modern-day states. It is considered the ancestor of the Ukrainian, Belarusian and Russian peoples.
- Approximate dates for Kievan Rus cover the period from 862-1237.
- Note the absence of “miagkii znak” at the end of Rus in English (the Russian form of name is Kievskai︠a︡ Rus’).
- Kievan Rus was not a direct predecessor of any single geographical or jurisdictional entity. [Note, however, misleading approaches in the authority files such as the variant access point for Kievan Rus--History--Vladimir, 972-1015 which starts “Soviet Union”).]
- Note that Kievan Rus is often called Drevniai︠a︡ Rus’ in Russian publications. The two terms are synonymous (Drevniai︠a︡ Rus’ is a variant access point in the Kievan Rus authority).
- Suitable for descriptive and subject usage.

3.5. Ostland (eb----- / e-bw---)

- Area under German control, 1941-1944, which comprised the territories of the entities Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Byelorussian S.S.R.
- Suitable for descriptive and subject usage.

3.6. Zakavkazskai︠a︡ Sot︠s︡ialisticheskai︠a︡ Federativnai︠a︡ Sovetskai︠a︡ Respublika (a-ai--- / a-aj--- / a-gs---)

- This federative entity existed between 1922 and 1936 and involved the Armenian, Azerbaijan, and Georgian Soviet republics.
- Suitable for descriptive and subject usage.

Revised: Oct. 2015

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