Former Soviet Republics

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), the Soviet Union, was established in 1922 and lasted until its dissolution in 1991.  It was the world's largest country and it spanned eleven time zones from Europe to Asia.  It was a federal union, consisting of 15 republics, all ruled by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.  The capital was Moscow.

Everything started with the October Revolution in 1917 when the Bolsheviks overthrew the provisional government following the fall of the Russian Empire.  The Russian Soviet Republic became the world's first communist state.  Following a civil war, the Soviet Union eventually came in to being.  Its republics had previously belonged to the Russian Empire.  Prior to WWII, under Josef Stalin, the Soviet Union annexed the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania and made them all new Soviet Republics.

The dissolution of the Soviet Union singled the end of the Cold War.  I grew up during the Cold War so it's incredible to think about how different the world looks.  

The Berlin Wall fell and East Germany became part of a unified Germany.  Czechoslovakia split in to the Czech Republic and Slovakia.  Except for Russia, every member of the Warsaw Pact joined the EU and is now a member of NATO.  Even three former Soviet republics are even NATO members.  

In 1990, Lithuania was the first Soviet Republic to declare independence.  Kazakhstan was the last republic to leave in December 1991.  Many of the former Soviet republics joined new unions and alliances with Russia such as the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the Eurasian Economic Community, the Eurasian Customs Union, the Eurasian Economic Union, and the Union State.  Some, without Russia, joined GUAM and the Baltics joined the EU. 

Here's a bit about the former Soviet republics.

The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, in the Caucasus, became independent in on 21 September 1991.  It was the second smallest republic and was home to about 3,3 million people.  Armenia was the world's first Christian state.  I always thought it was kind of ironic that religion was banned during Soviet times.  Following independence, Armenia and Azerbaijan have been at war over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

The Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic declared independence on 30 August 1991.  It is the largest country in the Caucasus and is rich in oil and natural gas.  Since the fall of the USSR, Azerbaijan has been ruled by a single family.  It is still at odds with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.  

The Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, with just over 10 million people, was the 5th largest republic.  Belarus declared independence on 10 December 1991.  President Lukashenko has ruled since 1994 and Belarus is considered the last dictatorship in Europe.    

The Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic declared independence on 20 August 1991.  It joined the EU and NATO in 2004 and in 2011 it replaced its currency with the Euro.  Today, Estonia is a parliamentary republic and it was the first country in the world to allow citizens to vote online.  When Estonia gained independence, citizenship was only granted to those who could prove family ties prior to 1940 when the Soviet Union annexed the country.  Russians who came to Estonia between 1941 - 1991 were allowed citizenship only if they could pass an Estonian language test.  About 25% of the population are ethnic Russians and Estonia does not permit dual citizenship.

The Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic declared independence on 9 April 1991.  Most of the 1990s was filled with civil unrest and economic hardship with the Rose Revolution in 2003.  Georgia has two breakaway republics - Abkhazia and South Ossetia.  

Georgia considers there regions to be under Russian military occupation.  The country is working hard to join NATO which makes Russia uneasy.  That's also one of the reasons that Russian troops are stationed in the breakaway republics.

The Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic became part of the USSR in 1936 and on 16 December 1991 it was the very last republic to leave the union.  Kazakhstan is huge, more than four times the size of Texas, and today it is the largest country in Central Asia and with 18 million people it is the world's 9th largest country.  During the  1950-60's, many Russians and people deported from other republics were sent to Kazakhstan to work he fields.  Today, ethnic Russians make up about a quarter of the population.

The Kyrghiz Soviet Socialist Republic became part of the USSR in 1936.  Kyrgyzstan became independent on 31 August 1991.  It is a poor country that is heavily dependent on agriculture and minerals extraction. Due to high unemployment Kyrgyzstan is a source of migrant labourers especially in Russia.

After WWI Latvia broke away from the Russian Empire but in 1940 it was forcibly incorporated into the USSR as the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic.  Latvia gained independence on 4 May 1990.  It joined the EU and NATO in 2004 and the Eurozone in 2014.  Citizenship was granted only those who could prove Latvian citizenship prior to 1940.  About 13% of the population still doesn't have Latvian citizenship and the country doesn't allow dual citizenship.

Lithuania became an independent country in 1918, after WWI, when it broke away from the Russian Empire.  In 1940, it was annexed by the USSR and became the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic.  On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the first of the 15 Soviet republics to declare independence. A full year before the Soviet Union actually broke up.  Lithuania joined the EU and NATO in 2004 and joined the Eurozone in 2015.  Like the other two Baltic countries it is also part of the Schengen area.  Also like Estonia and Latvia, Lithuania doesn't allow for dual citizenship.  

After WWI, Moldova was part of Romania.  In 1940, the area was annexed by the USSR and it became the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic.  After WWII, the Soviets began migrating  Russians, Belorussians, and Ukrainians in to the area. 

In 1990, an independent Pridnestrovian Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic was declared.  This small area was afraid that Moldova would leave the USSR and try to become part of Romania. 

Moldova declared independence from the USSR on 27 August 1991.  Fighting broke out between Moldovan forces and separatists in March 1992.  Transnistria considers itself an independent country but only Russia recognises it.  The Russian 14th Army has 1200 troops in Transnistria that Moldova wants recalled.  As part of the ceasefire agreement that has been in place since July 1992 states that if Moldova tries to merge with Romania then Transnistria will be allowed to go its own way.     

Moldova is one of the poorest countries in Europe.  Many Moldovans have left the country as migrant workers.  Money from abroad accounts for almost 38% of the country's GDP.  In 2013, Moldova entered an agreement with the EU, placing it on a path to future membership.  This is not something that Russia is happy about.

The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic was the largest of the 15 Soviet Republics.  It contained over half the entire USSR's population and dominated the country.  On 12 December 1991, it declared independence.

Russia, officially the Russian Federation, is the largest country in the world, stretching from Northern Europe to the Caucasus and from Eastern Europe to Asia.  It covers 1/8th of the world's inhabited land area. It spans nine time zones and it's larger than Pluto.

The Russian Federation is made up of 46 provinces, 22 republics, 9 territories, 4 autonomous district, 1 autonomous province and 3 federal cities.

Russia inherited the USSR's seat on the UN Security Council.  

Russia claims to have a right to intervene in former Soviet republics to protect all Russian speakers.  This was used to invade Georgia in 2008 in the five-day war in South Ossetia as wells as to annex Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

The Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic became a republic in 1929.  Tajikistan declared independence on 9 September 1991.  Almost immediately a civil war broke out that lasted from 1992 to 1997. Tajikistan is the poorest of all the former Soviet republics.

Turkmenistan was annexed by the Russian Empire in 1881. In 1925, it became the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic.  Turkmenistan declared independence on 27 October 1991. Turkmenistan is home to the world's 4th largest reserves of natural gas.

It is a very closed off country.  A visa is required to visit and tourists are only allowed in as part of a group tour.

Over the centuries Ukraine has been ruled by Lithuania, Poland, the Ottoman Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the Russian Empire.  It was an independent country for a few years following WWI but then in 1922 it became the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic and a founding member of the USSR.

Under Stalin, Ukrainian nationalism was put down.  Forced collectivisation and unrealistic quotas for farmers caused Holodomor, The Great Famine, where millions of Ukrainians were starved to death.  Another 7-8 million more people died during WWII.

Ukraine declared independence on 24 August 1991.  In 1994, it became the first former Soviet republic to experience a peaceful transfer of power via the ballot box.

Ukraine is the second-largest county in Europe.  When the USSR broke up, Ukraine was a nuclear power.  In 1996, Ukraine surrendered all of its Soviet-era nuclear weapons to Russia.  This was under the condition that Ukrainian territory would be respected.  That hasn't worked out so well.

Ukraine wants to eventually join the EU and NATO.  Obviously this doesn't sit well with Russia.  In 2014, Russia illegally annexed Crimea.  Russia has also supported separatists in the Donbas region of Eastern Ukraine.  The Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic border Russia and both unilaterally declared independence on 7 April 2014.  Ukraine regards both as terrorist organisations.  After seven years of fighting the Ukrainian government has made progress but there are both separatist controlled areas with constant fighting.

Uzbekistan was conquered and incorporated in to the Russian Empire during the 19th century.  In 1924 it became the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic.  Uzbekistan declared independence on 31 August 1991.

Uzbekistan is one of only two double-landlocked countries in the world and it is the only country that borders all of the "Stans".

I've managed to visit 13 of the 15 former republics.  I had originally planned on visiting Turkmenistan this year but Covid put that on hold.  Here's a short video I found out on YouTube about the breakup of the USSR.

©Seeker

Update 2025:  Here are a couple of short videos about Lithuania being the first, and Kazakhstan being the last, republics to leave the Soviet Union.

©History Matters

©History Matters

Update 2025:  Here's another short video about the last ditch attempt to save the Soviet Union.

©History Matters

Eurasian Economic Union

The Eurasian Economic Union is an economic union between Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia.  The EEU; not to be confused with the EU, became effective on 1 January 2015.  Kyrgyzstan officially joins in May 2015. 

In 1994, the Kazakh President made a speech in Moscow suggesting the creation of a regional trading block.  This is basically the Eurasian version of the European Union, just with fewer countries and consumers.  The EEU provides a single market of 176 million people.

Russian President Vladimir Putin would like it expanded to all of the post-Soviet republics, except for the Baltics.  Some people think that this is Putin's way of recreating the Soviet Empire.  However, a country can't be a member of both the EU and the EEU.  The Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are all EU members so they won't join the EEU.

Moldova,  Georgia, and Ukraine were all offered EEU membership but all three countries have signed association agreements with the EU instead.  The EU vs. EEU debate is what helped bring down Viktor Yanukovych's government in Ukraine and led to the current problems in Crimea and eastern Ukraine.

It appears that the only real future candidate who may join will be Tajikistan but who knows when that would happen.

50 in 5

It's no secret that I've done quite a bit of traveling since I began my expat adventure in Czechland almost five years ago.  While I've been to a whole lot of places I have yet to visit every country in Europe.  At least not yet.  Sooner or later I will visit every country in Euroland at least once.

So how many countries have I been to?  Well that's a great question.  I've met lots of fellow travelers on my many adventures and it seems that everyone has their own definition of what counts as a visited country.  Some make more sense to me than others.

1. It doesn't count unless you get a passport stamp.  Schengen did this one in.  There are no more passport stamps between member countries.  Besides, when I went to Reykjavík last year, I flew from the UK (non-Schengen) to Norway (Schengen) then on to Iceland.  I got a Norwegian stamp in my passport since I entered the Schengen zone from the UK but I only spent 30 minutes in the airport before my flight.  I don't think it counts.
2. It doesn't count if you just drive through the country.  I agree with this one.  But does it count if you stop along the way, have a meal, buy some gasoline and keep on driving?  I don't think so.  When I travel to Vienna airport, and buy a latte or something along the way I never count that as a trip to Austria.  
3. You have to spend a night in order for it to count.  I don't necessarily think this is right either.  What about a day trip where you spend several hours?  If you've spent money there, supporting the local economy, then I think that counts.  
4. It doesn't count unless you have sex in the country.  This is probably the craziest guideline I've heard.  Does it have to be with a local?  What if you hook up with a tourist, not from the country you're visiting, does it still count?  I'll just leave this one alone.
5. It has to be an internationally recognized country.  This gets a little trickier.  I don't count Transnistria because it's a break away republic and only other break away republics consider it another country.  While most of Europe has recognized Kosovo as an independent country, it is not a member of the United Nations (because Russia has veto power and is allied with Serbia).  I count Kosovo.  The Vatican isn't a UN country member but is a non-member observer state.  I count Vatican City as a separate country.

So now how many countries are there in Europe?

1. As already mentioned, I count Vatican City and Kosovo but exclude Transnistria.
2. I count England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, collectively, as one country - the United Kingdom.  If Scotland votes for independence, then any visits prior to an independent Scotland will still count as a visit to the UK.  
3. Turkey is generally considered to be part of Europe.  After all, it is trying to join the EU.
4. Some consider Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan to be part of Europe.  Some consider them to be part of Central Asia.  Some consider them to be Eurasia.  It's a bit of a stretch but, given the Eurasia argument, I'll count the Caucasus as part of Europe.

So in my book there are 50 countries in Europe.  According to how I define "visiting a country" then I say I've been to 44 countries.  The only ones remaining are Belarus, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Ukraine.  I still haven't made it to Wales yet either but again, all four parts of the UK still only count as "1" in my book.

44 countries so far

July 1st will be my five-year anniversary of my arrival in Europe.  I don't see that I'll visit all 50 countries by then.  I'm going to use up practically all of my holiday time this year when my family comes in a few months so I don't see myself getting to all 50 countries by the end of the year either.  But maybe by the end of 2015.  So while it won't be 50 European countries in my first five years it could still be "50 countries in five years".

I always wanted to visit Charleston, South Carolina.  I've always heard how beautiful it is.  It's only about a four-hour drive there from Atlanta.  But in 13 years, I never once made it to Charleston.  It was always one of those things that I meant to do.  When I started this little adventure I vowed that I would not have "another Charleston".  I want to go everywhere.

Of course it's much more than just "collecting" countries.  If I was only concerned about collecting countries then I would have for sure already hit all 50 by now.  If the "50 in 5" was all that motivated me then I would not have gone to Italy, Croatia, France, Poland or Germany so many times.  I could have easily skipped going to Sicily and spent a weekend in Riga in order to pick up Latvia.  It's not about putting a tick in a box.  It's about visiting places that I've only read about before.  It's about trying to understand history.  It's about figuring out another culture.  It's about meeting locals and fellow travelers along the way.  It's about getting out of my comfort zone, and having wonderful adventures along the way.

No matter if my "50 in 5" is reached in 2014, 2015 or beyond, it won't stop me from continuing to travel.  There are still plenty of places that I want to see, in countries that I've already been to (most more than once).  When it does come time for my adventure here to end, and who knows when that will be, there's no way that I'll have another "Charleston". 

Update:  I finally made it to all 50 countries in 2016.  Just over seven years.

Caucasus Trip Summary

Well my trip to the Caucasus is over and I'm back home in Brno.  It was quite the adventure and well worth all of the effort.  I visited three new countries and found interesting things in each.


In Georgia, I found the police stations to be quite interesting.  At first glance, they look like car dealerships or something.  A decade ago, Georgia was one of the most corrupt countries in the world.  The government fired around 16,000 police officers and went about putting in reforms.  Now being a police officer is a respected position and all of the police stations have glass exteriors to symbolize the new transparency. 

Filing the tank in Georgia

Every time I got in to a taxi in Yerevan or Tbilisi, I always noticed that the taxis' fuel gauges were running on empty.  Come to find out that 75% of the cars in Armenia actually run on natural gas.  It's a lot cheaper than gasoline. 

Armenian school bus

Of course it makes it harder to put your suitcase in the trunk with a big cylinder in the trunk.  In Armenia I saw school buses with the gas tanks on the roof.   Seems dangerous to me.

After two weeks, my Russian started getting somewhat better but at times I kept mixing Czech and Russian.  I got in a taxi in Yerevan and the driver said (in Russian) that "Oh!  You're Czechoslovak."  He didn't believe me that I was actually American.  He told me that when he was in the Soviet Army he was stationed at the military barracks in Brno and how he so loved Brno, Bratislava and the Tatras.  I then told him that I do live in Brno and he became excited.  "See, you're Czechoslovak".  I seem to meet all sorts of interesting people when I travel.    

I really enjoyed Armenia.  And not only because it was so much cheaper than the other two but because the people were lovely and there was so much to see.  My grandmother would have gotten the biggest kick out of me seeing a piece of Noah's Ark.

My run around with getting an Azeri visa reminded me that it's best to be patient and very flexible when you travel.  It's also good practice for when I eventually need visas for Russia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.

In Baku

Azerbaijan was very interesting.  The people were great and Baku is shaping up to be an amazing city.  I really liked the mix of old and modern.  Plus you have to love mud volcanoes, petroglyphs, and a burning hill.  However, the uneasy feeling of always being on guard did make it a little harder to enjoy.

Naked in the tub

Overall it was a fabulous trip.  And thanks to two Czech public holidays it only cost me eight days of vacation.  I know that some of my friends will have a go at me for my hot tub story.  So here's the photo for proof. 

Another Visa Approval

My long bus ride from Baku to Tbilisi was pretty uneventful.  It was definitely easier leaving Azerbaijan than it was trying to get in.

The most exciting moment came when I got a call on my mobile from the Czech Interior Ministry.  My visa application was approved.  Yeah!!  I was given an appointment time for next week to have my photograph and biometrics taken for my new Schengen ID card. 

My new visa will allow me to remain in Czech Republic for another two years.  However, in one year I will be eligible to apply for permanent residency which means I won't have to deal with two year extension requests anymore.  However, I will still have to first pass the prerequisite Czech language exam at the A2, or higher, level.

Now it's bed time.  I have to be up in a few hours to catch my flight back home.

An Uneasy Feeling in Azerbaijan

May 9th is Victory Day in post-Soviet countries.  This honors the victory of the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany.  In Central European countries, like Czech Republic, the celebrations are on May 8th and the day celebrates the end of WWII in Europe.  Whereas in 'May 9th countries', there seems to be this belief that the Soviet Union alone won WWII.  As if the western allies played only a very small part in contributing to the war effort.  Don't even get me started with this one.

Tomorrow is Flower Day in Azerbaijan.  However, this year it also coincides with the 90th birthday celebration of Heydar Aliyev who is regarded as the Father of the Azeri Nation.  He died in 2003, which is also when his son Ilham Aliyev took over the presidency. 

The country appears to be run by this single family and there is a definite personality cult.  Everything here is named after him.  In Baku there is the Heydar Aliyev Airport, the Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center, the Heydar Aliyev Sports and Exhibition Complex as well as Heydar Aliyev Avenue.  There are streets named after him in almost every city in the country.  And his picture is everywhere.  I wonder if this is what it was like in Soviet times with pictures of Lenin all over the place.

The people here have all been very nice and friendly.  Every person that I've asked directions of has gone out of his or her way to help.  Everyone wants to know where I'm from and more importantly, why I'm there.  It's just that when they ask, they come in a little closer and speak a bit softer.  A bit odd.

Baku is riding a wave of oil money and they are spending it like crazy to create a remarkable city.  Everything is so clean.  The underground stations are absolutely spotless, without a trace of graffiti.  That's a huge plus.

The city seems very safe.  You can't go 20 meters (65 feet) without coming across police officers.  Or security guards or private security or soldiers.  I definitely get the uncomfortable feeling that big brother is watching here.

Czech friends have said that under communism it was sort of the same way.  You may have felt safer or more economically secure but the trade off was that you felt the watchful eye of the government and the secret police.  I've only had a brief taste of it and find it an uneasy feeling.  I don't know how my friends from former communist countries grew up with such systems.

Whilst the festivities begin tomorrow, I'll miss them as my time in the Caucasus comes to an end.  I have an early bus in the morning back to Tbilisi. Then a 4 am flight on Saturday back to Prague.

Yanar Daǧ, Azerbaijan

Yanar Daǧ is about 40 km (25 miles) from Gobustan.  Yanar Daǧ translates to "burning mountain" which is exactly what it is.




It is a natural gas fire which burns continuously on a hillside near Baku.  The steady flame is due to gas emissions arising from the subsurface.

The story goes that the flame was only noted when a shepherd accidentally lit it back in the 1950s. 

Atashgah Fire Temple

Azerbaijan is known as the "Land of Fire".  The Ateshgah is an old fire temple in Surakhani; about 30 km (~19 miles) from Baku. 

A Sanskrit Marker

Many believe that it was a Zoroastrian temple.  Zoroastrians were ancient Iranian fire worshipers.  However, it was actually a Hindu monastery.

The complex consists of a courtyard surrounded by cells for monks with a large alter in the middle.  It was originally built in the 17th and 18th centuries.  Once oil and gas plants were established, around 1883, the complex was abandoned.


In 1975 it became a museum.  One that is under renovation now.  In 1998 it was nominated to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  The jury is still out on this one.

Gobustan Mud Volcanos

There's more to Gobustan than just the petroglyphs.  Azerbaijan is also home to around half of the world's mud volcanoes. 

There are around 400 of them here.

The mud in the cauldrons is cold.  It is around 2 °C - 3 °C (3.6 °F - 5.4 °F).


Occasionally, they explode and shoot flames and mud in to the air.  In 2001, one shot flames 15 meters (49 feet) high and covered the surrounding area with tons of mud.



They are the craziest looking things.  It feels like you're on a foreign planet.

Plastic bags on your feet are the perfect defense against tracking mud in the car.