The Soviet Union (1922 - 1991)

The Soviet Union emerged from the Russian Revolution as the world's first communist state, becoming a superpower after WWII. It rivaled the US during the Cold War, engaging in a nuclear arms race and space competition. However, economic stagnation, military overextension in Afghanistan, and rising nationalist movements within its republics led to its sudden and peaceful dissolution in 1991, ending its seven-decade existence and redrawing the global political map.