Multi-national Russia




Russia is a multi-national country, being home for more than 180 ethnic groups and different religions. Ethnic Russians with their Slavic Ortodox culture, Tatars and Bashkirs with their Turkic muslim culture, Bhuddist and lamaistic Buryats and Kalmyks, shamanistic peoples of the Far North and Siberia, highlanders of the Northern Caucausus, Finno-Ugric peoples of the Russian North-West and Volga region — all of them contribute to diverse and rich culture of Russia. The ethnic culture is preserved in various museums and ethno-parks, reproduced in cuisine, architecture, cinema and arts, and developed by folk bands, dance ensembles and choirs.

Russian is the official state language, but the Constitution gives the individual republics the right to make their native language co-official next to Russian. Russian is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia and the most widely spoken Slavic language.

Russian Orthodox Church has been official religion before the Soviet time and diminished during the USSR period. Now it plays a significant role in the spiritual life of Russian people. Islam is the religion practice for nearly 20% of Russians. Buddhism and Lamaism is traditional on the East of the country. Catholicism, Judaism, Protestantism also exists but not widely spread.