Population of the Komi autonomous region in 1926: the problem of lack of unified data in sources and historiography

Numerous divergences in the totals of the All-Union population census of 1926 found in various authors and in the statistical collections became a motivating impetus for writing this paper. The reason was in repeated recalculations of the results of the census to bring its results into line with changing limits of statistical reporting after 1926. To date, the question of ambiguity (different interpretation) in determining the population of the Komi Autonomous region according to the census of 1926 was not raised. The task of the author was to fix what happened in the event of distortion of the census results, which need to be clarified, one or another correction. Analysis and correction was held in the Komi Republic as a whole, and separately for the urban and rural population. The starting point was the official results of the all-Union census of the population at the time (December 17, 1926). Further, in connection with the reform of the system of administrative-territorial division and changes in the external borders of the region the census results were twice subjected to recalculation. The first time the recalculation was made in 1929, when the Komi Autonomous region became part of the Northern region with the center in Arkhangelsk. Again, the results were reconsidered in 1938 in preparation for the 1939 census, for the subsequent development of comparable tables. Recalculation of 1938 became officially approved the final results of the census of 1926. Meanwhile, the mistake was made in calculation of urban and rural population that for a long time "wandered" in various statistical collections and scientific works. After analyzing the available information on the census and its later editions (archival sources, statistical publications, scientific publications), the author found it possible to make amendments to recalculation of 1938, and thus to determine the actual number of urban and rural residents of the Komi Autonomous region in 1926, in its present borders.