Initially, the territory of the ASSR was divided into ten kantons - Sviyazhsk, Tetyushi, Buinsk, Spassk, Chistopol, Menzelinsk, Bugulma, Arsk, Laishevo, and Mamadysh.
There were 7,272 settlements, including 13 towns: Kazan, Arsk, Sviyazhsk, Kozmodemyansk, Laishev, Mamadysh, Spassk, Tetyushi, Tsaryovokokshaysk, Tsivilsk, Cheboksary, Chistopol, Yadrin; and two posads: Mariinsky Posad and Troitsky Posad.