The vast expanse of the Russian Federation, from the Kola Peninsula in the northwest to the Chukotka Peninsula in the northeast and Primorye in the east, has long been inhabited by the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia, and Far East. The territory our peoples traditionally inhabited makes up more than one-half of the entire territory of the Russian Federation.
Our ancestors were the first to settle these bleak territories with harsh climatic conditions, and the names they gave to many of the geographical areas endure in present-day Russia.
Our total population of about 250,000, from more than 40 ethnic groups, is now united in the Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North (RAIPON). Our peoples belong to several language families residing in various Republics, Regions (Krai, Oblasts), Autonomous Regions (Okrugs), and Districts (Raions) in the Federation.
Population and location where there are native villagesof indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and Far East (according Census 2002)
Aleut
Population – 540 people
Location where there are native villages: Koryak Autonomous Okrug, Kamchatka region
Alyutor
Population – 1000 (approximately)
Location where there are native villages: Koryak Autonomous Okrug
Veps
Population – 8280
Location where there are native villages: Kareliya Republic, Leningradskaya and Vologodskaya regions
Dolgan
Population – 7261
Location where there are native villages: Krasnoyarsk region, Taymir (Dolgan-Nenets) Autonomous Okrug, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
Itelmen
Population – 3180
Location where there are native villages: Koryak Autonomous Okrug, Kamchatka and Magadan regions
Kamchadal
Population – 2293
Location where there are native villages: Kamchatka region, Koryak Autonomous Okrug
Kerek
Population – 8
Location where there are native villages: Chukotka Autonomous Okrug
Kety
Population – 1494
Location where there are native villages: Krasnoyarsky region
Komi-Izhemts
Population – 15607
Location where there are native villages: Republic of Komi, Murmansk region, Nenets and Khanty-Mansiisky Autonomous Okrugs
Koryak
Population – 8743
Location where there are native villages: Koryak and Chukotka Autonomous Okrugs, Kamchatka and Magadan regions
Kumandin
Population – 3114
Location where there are native villages: Altay region, Republic of Altay, Kemerovo region
Mansi
Population – 11432
Location where there are native villages: Khanty-Mansiisky Autonomous Okrug, Tyumen and Sverdlovsk regions, Republic of Komi
Nanais
Population – 12160
Location where there are native villages: Sakhalin, Khabarovsk and Primorsky regions
Nganasan
Population – 834
Location where there are native villages: Taymir (Dolgan-Nenets) Autonomous Okrug, Krasnoyarsky region
Negidal
Population – 567
Location where there are native villages: Khabarovsk region
Nenets
Population – 41302
Location where there are native villages: Arkhangelsk, Tyumen, and Krasnoyarsk regions, Nenets, Taymir (Dolgan-Nenets), Yamalo-Nenets, and Khanty
Mansiisky Autonomous Okrugs, Republic of Komi
Nivkh
Population – 5162
Location where there are native villages: Khabarovsk and Sakhalin regions
Orochi
Population – 686
Location where there are native villages: Khabarovsk region
Saami
Population – 1991
Location where there are native villages: Murmansk region
Selkup
Population – 4249
Location where there are native villages: Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Krasnoyarsk, Tomsk, and Tyumen regions
Soyot
Population – 2769
Location where there are native villages: Republic of Buryatia
Tazy
Population – 276
Location where there are native villages: Primorsky region
Telengit
Population – 2399
Location where there are native villages: Republic of Altay
Teleut
Population – 2650
Location where there are native villages: Kemerovo region, Republic of Altay
Tofalar
Population – 837
Location where there are native villages: Irkutsk region
Tubalar
Population – 1565
Location where there are native villages: Republic of Altay
Tuvinian-Todzhins
Population – 4442
Location where there are native villages: Republic of Tuva
Udege
Population – 1657
Location where there are native villages: Primorsky and Khabarovsky regions
Ulta
Population – 346
Location where there are native villages: Sakhalin region
Ulchi
Population – 2913
Location where there are native villages: Khabarovsky region
Khanty
Population – 28678
Location where there are native villages: Khanty-Mansiisk and Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrugs, Tyumen and Tomsk regions, Republic of Komi
Chelkan
Population – 855
Location where there are native villages: Republic of Altay
Chuvan
Population – 1087
Location where there are native villages: Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Magadan region
Chukchi
Population – 15767
Location where there are native villages: Chukotka and Koryak Autonomous Okrugs, Kamchatka and Magadan regions, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
Chulim
Population – 656
Location where there are native villages: Tomsk and Krasnoyarsk regions
Shor
Population – 13975
Location where there are native villages: Kemerovo region, Republic of Khakasia, Republic of Altay
Evenk
Population – 35527
Location where there are native villages: Evenk Autonomous Okrug, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Republic of Buryatia, Amur, Sakhalin, Irkutsk, Tomsk,
Tyumen, Chita, Krasnoyarsk, and Khabarovsk regions
Even
Population – 19071
Location where there are native villages: Magadan, Kamchatka and Khabarovsk regions, Chukotka and Koryak Autonomous Okrugs, Republic of Sakha
Entsy
Population – 237
Location where there are native villages: Taymir (Dolgan-Nenets) Autonomous Okrug
Eskimos (Inuit)
Population – 1750
Location where there are native villages: Kamchatka region, Chukotka and Koryak Autonomous Okrugs
Yukagir
Population – 1509
Location where there are native villages: Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Magadan region, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug
