The term commonly used to describe the Soviet states' transition into independence is "dissolution of the Soviet Union" or "collapse of the Soviet Union". This refers to the series of events that occurred between 1989 and 1991, when the Soviet Union dissolved into 15 independent countries, marking the end of the Cold War and the beginning of a new era in world history. Other terms that may be used to describe this transition include "breakup of the Soviet Union" or "Soviet disintegration".