Minority cultures of Russia
Photo: Тара-Амингу at Russian Wikipedia, CC0 via Wikimedia Commons
Russia is home to as many as 190 different ethnic groups, making it one of the most diverse countries in the world. Around 20% of the population is comprised of ethnic minorities.
There are many indigenous ethnic groups scattered across the country. Some are diasporas from former parts of the Russian Empire or Soviet Union, some have migrated inside the present borders, but many live in the regions of their ancestors. While some groups have been assimilated, others keenly maintain their independent cultural identity.
Russia is also a highly popular immigration destination, particularly for those living in countries that once made up the Soviet Union. The large bulk of immigrants come from Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Belarus, Turkmenistan and Georgia, although especially in the 21st century immigrants have also come from other parts of the world.
UnderstandThe modern state of Russia traces its roots to the kingdom of Kievan Rus', said to founded by Rurik the Viking in Staraya Ladoga, but with its capital later moving to Novgorod and later Kiev (today part of Ukraine).
Finno-Ugric peoplesThe Finno-Ugric language family is one of few non-Indo-European ones to have significant numbers of non-immigrant speakers in Europe.
JewsRussia used to be home to millions of Jews.
Turkic peoplesRussia is home to members of virtually all Turkic ethnic groups, and it has the largest Turkic population outside of Turkey and Central Asia.
Caucasian peoplesThe North Caucasus is one of the few regions where ethnic Russians are a minority.
Iranic peoplesThe Ossetes, the Orthodox Christian relatives of the Persians of Iran form the majority in the central part of the North Caucasus.
Others
RespectThe relationship between the ethnic Russian majority and Russia's ethnic minorities varies between minority ethnic groups.
See also
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Minority cultures of Russia" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: Тара-Амингу at Russian Wikipedia, CC0 via Wikimedia Commons