Russia is huge, and on its territory there are many different peoples, large and small. It is this diversity of cultures that makes our country so interesting – few other states can boast the same. Ethnographic travels across Russian open spaces are truly breathtaking and allow you to learn a lot about the most interesting traditions and customs.
In total, more than 190 different nations live in Russia. About 80% of all residents of Russia are Russians. Only 5 Russian peoples make up more than one percent of the total population – Russians, Tatars, Ukrainians, Chuvash and Bashkirs. The number of some small peoples of Russia does not exceed a dozen people, and they may soon disappear. Since Russians predominate in the Russian population, the UN views Russia as a mono-national state. This is wrong, we are a multinational country. An example of a mono-national state is Armenia, where about 98% of the population is Armenian, the titular nation.
The number of representatives of the Tatar people in Russia exceeds 5 million people, and they are divided into 10 different ethnic groups. In three regions of Russia, the majority of the population adheres to Buddhism, not Orthodoxy. A huge number of Jews in the 80-90s of the last century left the USSR to Israel, because of which the number of representatives of this people in Russia was greatly reduced. About 2,000 Eskimos live in Russia. By the way, they call themselves Inuit. Representatives of some peoples of the Far North still lead a traditional way of life, roaming the tundra with their herds. One of the most warlike nations in the history of Russia is the Chukchi. The troops of the Russian Empire could not subdue them, after which the lands they inhabited were simply included in the imperial maps, leaving behind further attempts at military campaigns. Historically, the Chukchi have always been famous as brave, brave and hardy warriors.
One of the most northern peoples not only of Russia, but of the whole world are the Koryaks. There are about 6,000 of them in the world now, and they live mainly in the north of Kamchatka. The most northern people of all Eurasia are the Nganasans. They live mainly in the east of the Taimyr Peninsula, and their number is less than 900 people. Until the 18th century, nose piercing was popular with the Eskimos. Beads and bones were used as jewelry. Among some peoples of the Far North of Russia, shamanism is still flourishing. Shamans enjoy great prestige, despite the fact that in Soviet times, the authorities actively fought against them.
