Ethnic groups in Russia

Although the constitution of Russia recognizes Russian as the official language, the individual republics may declare one or more official languages. Most of subjects have at least two — Russian and the language of the "eponymous" nationality.[1] There is a lively minority language scene in most subjects of the country, with more than 1,350 newspapers and magazines, 300 TV channels and 250 radio stations in over 50 minority languages. Moreover, new legislation allows usage of minority languages in federal radio and TV broadcasting.[5]

In 2007, there were 6,260 schools which provided teaching in altogether 38 minority languages, and over 75 minority languages were taught as a discipline in 10,404 schools. Ministers of Council of Europe has noted efforts to improve the supply of minority language textbooks and teachers, as well as greater availability of minority language teaching. However, as Ministers has noted, there remain shortcomings in the access to education of persons belonging to certain minorities.[5]

There are more than 2,000 national minorities' public associations and 560 national cultural autonomies, however the Committee of Ministers has noted that in many regions amount of state support for the preservation and development of minority cultures is still inadequate.[5] There's a significant difference between "eponymous" ethnic groups and nationalities without their own national territory, as resources of the last are relatively limited.[1]

Russia is also home of a particular category of minority peoples, i.e. small indigenous peoples of the North and Far East, who maintain very traditional lifestyles, often in a hazardous climatic environment, while adapting to the modern world.[1] After the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia passed legislation to protect rights of small northern indigenous peoples.[1]

Gil-Robles has noted agreements between indigenous representatives and oil companies, which are to compensate potential damages on peoples habitats due to oil exploration.[1] As Committee of Ministers of Council of Europe noted in 2007, despite some initiatives for development, the social and economic situation of numerically small indigenous peoples was affected by recent legislative amendments at the federal level, removing some positive measures as regards their access to land and other natural resources.[5]

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  1989 ethnic map of Russia; with brown as Russians, green as Turkic peoples, ...
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  Ethnic map of Russia, 2010
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  Largest ethnic group apart from Russians: yellow - Ukrainians, lawn green - Tatars, green - Kazakhs, orange - Armenians, blue - Buryats, gray-blue - Germans, pink - Koreans
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  The largest two nations regions of excluding Russians (Census 2010)
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  Distribution of Russians, 2010
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  Distribution of Tatars, 2010
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  Distribution of Ukrainians, 2010
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  Distribution of Bashkirs, 2010
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  Distribution of Chuvashs, 2010
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  Distribution of Chechens, 2010
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  Distribution of Armenians, 2010
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  Distribution of Mordvins, 2010
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  Distribution of Kazakhs, 2010
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  Distribution of Azerbaijanis, 2010
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  Distribution of Belarusians, 2010
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  Distribution of Germans, 2010

• List of ethnic groups in Russia
• Demographics of Russia

Indigenous peoples:

• List of larger indigenous peoples of Russia
• List of small-numbered indigenous peoples of Russia
• List of extinct indigenous peoples of Russia
• Indigenous peoples of Siberia
• List of endangered languages in Russia

• Population by mother tongue and districts in 50 Governorates of the European Russia in 1897
• Human Rights problems in Russia: The situation of non-Russian Peoples
• Ethnic and National Minorities of the Russian Federation: A Diversity Based Curriculum for the Intermediate Russian Classroom