Udmurtia
Encyclopedia
The Udmurt Republic or Udmurtia is a federal subject
of Russia
(a republic
). Its capital
is the city of Izhevsk
. Population:
The Uralic language community was founded in the late Stone Age
in the Ural region. Later, a Permic community
split off from the Uralic community. At the end of the first millennium CE, Proto-Udmurts were differentiated from the Permic generality. Originally, the Proto-Udmurts lived in the middle Kama River
region, then began to settle around the mouth of the Vyatka River
.
.
By the middle of the second millennium, Udmurts had settled before the middle reaches of the Vyatka, where they began to settle in the valley of the Cheptsa River
– from the mouth to the source of river. At the Vyatka River
, Udmurts first met the Old Rus people, who had been settling there since the 12th century. In addition, Udmurts were contacted with Russian and Arab merchants. The Russian state exerted political and cultural influence on the northern Udmurt. By the 16th century, the northern Udmurt almost became part of the Russian state.
During the Mongol invasion of Volga Bulgaria
of 1237, the Mongols also conquered the land where most of the Udmurts lived. They had to pay annual taxes to the Khan
of Kazan
, who did not otherwise intervene in Udmurt tribal society.
By this time, some Udmurt tribes mixed with Tatars
, and these people, still using the Udmurt language, were called Besermaans
, in Udmurt Busurmans. The Maris called Udmurts "Odo". From this name, the Russians derived their second alternative name for Udmurts: Otjans (Otjaki) or Otiny. From this is derived Votjaki.
The Udmurts fought with the Tatars against the Muscovite
Princes up to 1552, when the Khanate of Kazan
was conquered and destroyed by the Russians. The territory of modern Udmurtia was divided after 1552 between the Kazan
and Vyatka Governorate
s (guberniya
s). In 1553–1557, Udmurts rebelled against the Russians. In 1582, a new rebellion broke out. The Russians had to make, from Moscow, an armed venture against the Udmurt rebels. A new revolt started again in 1592 together with Maris. In 1609, Udmurts took part in a rebellion and conquered, in 1612 and for a short period, Kazan, together with the Tatars. The next uprising took place when Udmurts joined the Stenka Razin
rebellion in 1667–1671. However, the Russians still considered Udmurts dangerous enough that an order was issued in 1697 not to sell any iron which could be used to arm the Udmurt population. The last large scale uprising took place in 1773–1774, when Udmurts joined the Yemelyan Pugachyov's rebellion.
League which was dissolved in December 1918. On November 4, 1920 Votsk Autonomous Oblast was formed. On January 1, 1932, it was renamed Udmurt Autonomous Oblast
, which was then reorganized into the Udmurt ASSR on December 28, 1934. In Joseph Stalin
's Great Purge
of 1937–1938, the murder of most of Udmurt's nationalist intellectuals had its effects on Udmurt society. During World War II, many industrial factories were evacuated from Ukraine
and western borderlands to Udmurtia, considerably increasing the ethnic Russian population in Udmurtia.
The Udmurt Republic in its present form has existed since September 20, 1990.
and Vyatka River
s.
, peat
, mineral water
s, and more. Oil reserves
are estimated to be 820 million ton
s (as of 2002). Approximately 7–8 million tons are extracted annually. Most of the oil is exported.
Forests cover over 40% of the republic's territory. Most of the forests are coniferous
.
, with warm summers and cold winters with a lot of snow.
2002 Census
, Russians
make up 60.1% of the republic's population, while the ethnic Udmurts
only make up 29.3%. Other groups include Tatars
(7.0%), Ukrainians
(11,527, or 0.7%), Mari (8,985, or 0.6%), and a host of smaller groups, each accounting for less than 0.5% of the republic's total population. 2,957 people (0.2%) did not indicate their nationalities during the Census.
Over two thirds of the world population of Udmurts live in the republic.
Although as of 2007 population is declining, the decline is more pronounced in urban areas. Out of the 19,667 births reported in 2007, 12,631 were in urban areas(11.86 per 1000) and 7,036 were in rural areas(14.88 per 1000). Birth rates for rural areas are 25% higher than that of urban areas. Of the total of 21,727 deaths, 14,366 were reported in urban areas(13.49 per 1000) and 7,361 were in rural areas(15.56 per 1000). Natural decline of population was measured at -0.16% for urban areas and an insignificant -0.07% for rural areas (average for Russia is -0.33%). http://www.gks.ru
, who assumed his post on February 20, 2009. He served as the President of the Udmurt Republic since 2000, when the office was elected directly. Prior to the elections, Volkov was the Chairman of the Republic's Council—the highest post at that time.
The Republic's parliament
is the State Council, popularly elected every five years. The State Council has 100 deputies.
The Republic's constitution was adopted on December 7, 1994.
is the home to the Izhmash factory (AKA Izhmash Joint Stock Company) and Izhmech (AKA Izhevsky Mehanichesky Zavod); Izhmash being the primary manufacturer of Kalashnikov based weapon systems, and the 'home' of the AK-47
rifle. The Udmurt Republic is also home for other military technology factories, and also possesses a potential in electronics and nano technology industries.
, or the Tchaikovsky
Museum in Votkinsk
. One of the oldest arms
museums is located in Izhevsk
, as well as the newer Kalashnikov Museum (dedicated in November 2004), which has recently become a general small-arms museum. Since the breakup of the Soviet Union a new, pan-Uralic cultural movement has evolved called "Ethnofuturism". http://www.suri.ee/etnofutu/idnatekst/index.html
, Izhevsk State Technical University, and Izhevsk State Medical Academy, all located in the capital Izhevsk.
or Russian Orthodox (Russians, Urdmuts, Besermyan and Mari), with many rural people incorporating traditional folk religion into the Orthodox Christian faith, while majority of the Tatars
in the region Sunni Muslim.
Federal subjects of Russia
Russia is a federation which, since March 1, 2008, consists of 83 federal subjects . In 1993, when the Constitution was adopted, there were 89 federal subjects listed...
of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
(a republic
Republics of Russia
The Russian Federation is divided into 83 federal subjects , 21 of which are republics. The republics represent areas of non-Russian ethnicity. The indigenous ethnic group of a republic that gives it its name is referred to as the "titular nationality"...
). Its capital
Capital City
Capital City was a television show produced by Euston Films which focused on the lives of investment bankers in London living and working on the corporate trading floor for the fictional international bank Shane-Longman....
is the city of Izhevsk
Izhevsk
Izhevsk is the capital city of the Udmurt Republic, Russia, situated on the Izh River in the Western Urals. Population: From 1984 to 1987 Izhevsk carried the name Ustinov |Minister of Defense of the USSR]], Marshal of the Soviet Union, Dmitry Ustinov). The city is an important industrial center,...
. Population:
History
Stone Age
The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric period, lasting about 2.5 million years , during which humans and their predecessor species in the genus Homo, as well as the earlier partly contemporary genera Australopithecus and Paranthropus, widely used exclusively stone as their hard material in the...
in the Ural region. Later, a Permic community
Permic languages
Permic languages are a branch of the Uralic language family. They are spoken in the foothills of the Ural Mountains of Russia.* Komi** Komi-Permyak** Komi-Yodzyak ** Komi-Zyryan...
split off from the Uralic community. At the end of the first millennium CE, Proto-Udmurts were differentiated from the Permic generality. Originally, the Proto-Udmurts lived in the middle Kama River
Kama River
Kama is a major river in Russia, the longest left tributary of the Volga and the largest one in discharge; in fact, it is larger than the Volga before junction....
region, then began to settle around the mouth of the Vyatka River
Vyatka River
The Vyatka River is a river in Kirov Oblast and the Republic of Tatarstan in Russia, right tributary of the Kama River. It is 1,314 km in length. The area of its basin is 129,000 km²....
.
Middle Ages
Udmurts are mentioned by Arab historians Ibn Fadlan (921) and Abu-Said al-Balchi (950) as neighbors of the Idel River Bolgars. Thus, the southern Udmurts were under the influence of Volga BulgariaVolga Bulgaria
Volga Bulgaria, or Volga–Kama Bolghar, is a historic Bulgar state that existed between the seventh and thirteenth centuries around the confluence of the Volga and Kama rivers in what is now Russia.-Origin:...
.
By the middle of the second millennium, Udmurts had settled before the middle reaches of the Vyatka, where they began to settle in the valley of the Cheptsa River
Cheptsa River
The Cheptsa is a river in the north part of Udmurtian Republic and eastern Kirov Oblast, in Russia. It flows through the city Glazov and flows into the Vyatka River in Kirovo-Chepetsk, east of Kirov....
– from the mouth to the source of river. At the Vyatka River
Vyatka River
The Vyatka River is a river in Kirov Oblast and the Republic of Tatarstan in Russia, right tributary of the Kama River. It is 1,314 km in length. The area of its basin is 129,000 km²....
, Udmurts first met the Old Rus people, who had been settling there since the 12th century. In addition, Udmurts were contacted with Russian and Arab merchants. The Russian state exerted political and cultural influence on the northern Udmurt. By the 16th century, the northern Udmurt almost became part of the Russian state.
During the Mongol invasion of Volga Bulgaria
Mongol invasion of Volga Bulgaria
The Mongol invasion of Volga Bulgaria lasted from 1223 to 1236.-The Mongol campaigns:In 1223, after defeating Russian and Cuman/Kipchak armies at the Battle of Kalka, a Mongol army under the generals Subutai and Jebe was sent to subdue Volga Bulgaria. At that point in history Genghis Khan's troops...
of 1237, the Mongols also conquered the land where most of the Udmurts lived. They had to pay annual taxes to the Khan
Khan (title)
Khan is an originally Altaic and subsequently Central Asian title for a sovereign or military ruler, widely used by medieval nomadic Turko-Mongol tribes living to the north of China. 'Khan' is also seen as a title in the Xianbei confederation for their chief between 283 and 289...
of Kazan
Kazan
Kazan is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,143,546 , it is the eighth most populous city in Russia. Kazan lies at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers in European Russia. In April 2009, the Russian Patent Office granted Kazan the...
, who did not otherwise intervene in Udmurt tribal society.
By this time, some Udmurt tribes mixed with Tatars
Tatars
Tatars are a Turkic speaking ethnic group , numbering roughly 7 million.The majority of Tatars live in the Russian Federation, with a population of around 5.5 million, about 2 million of which in the republic of Tatarstan.Significant minority populations are found in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,...
, and these people, still using the Udmurt language, were called Besermaans
Besermyan
The Besermyan, Biserman, Besermans or Besermens are a small numbered Finno-Ugric ethnic group in Russia.There were 10,000 Besermyans in 1926, but according to the Russian Census , there were 3,122 of them in Russia. The Russian Empire Census of 1897 listed 10.8 thousand besermens...
, in Udmurt Busurmans. The Maris called Udmurts "Odo". From this name, the Russians derived their second alternative name for Udmurts: Otjans (Otjaki) or Otiny. From this is derived Votjaki.
The Udmurts fought with the Tatars against the Muscovite
History of Moscow
The city of Moscow gradually grew around the Moscow Kremlin, beginning in the 14th century. It was the capital of Great Russia, also known as Muscovy, from 1340 to 1712, the capital of the Soviet Union from 1922 to 1991, and since 1991 of the Russian Federation....
Princes up to 1552, when the Khanate of Kazan
Khanate of Kazan
The Khanate of Kazan was a medieval Tatar state which occupied the territory of former Volga Bulgaria between 1438 and 1552. Its khans were the patrilineal descendants of Toqa Temür, the thirteenth son of Jochi and grandson of Genghis Khan. The khanate covered contemporary Tatarstan, Mari El,...
was conquered and destroyed by the Russians. The territory of modern Udmurtia was divided after 1552 between the Kazan
Kazan Governorate
The Kazan Governorate or Government of Kazan was a governorate of Imperial Russia from 1708–1920, with the city of Kazan as its capital.-History:...
and Vyatka Governorate
Vyatka Governorate
Vyatka Governorate was a governorate of Russian Empire and USSR, with its capital in city Vyatka . Existed since 1796 to 1929...
s (guberniya
Guberniya
A guberniya was a major administrative subdivision of the Russian Empire usually translated as government, governorate, or province. Such administrative division was preserved for sometime upon the collapse of the empire in 1917. A guberniya was ruled by a governor , a word borrowed from Latin ,...
s). In 1553–1557, Udmurts rebelled against the Russians. In 1582, a new rebellion broke out. The Russians had to make, from Moscow, an armed venture against the Udmurt rebels. A new revolt started again in 1592 together with Maris. In 1609, Udmurts took part in a rebellion and conquered, in 1612 and for a short period, Kazan, together with the Tatars. The next uprising took place when Udmurts joined the Stenka Razin
Stenka Razin
Stepan Timofeyevich Razin Тимофеевич Разин, ; 1630 – ) was a Cossack leader who led a major uprising against the nobility and Tsar's bureaucracy in South Russia.-Early life:...
rebellion in 1667–1671. However, the Russians still considered Udmurts dangerous enough that an order was issued in 1697 not to sell any iron which could be used to arm the Udmurt population. The last large scale uprising took place in 1773–1774, when Udmurts joined the Yemelyan Pugachyov's rebellion.
20th century
The first industrial enterprise in what is now Udmurtia was the state-owned Votkinsk Zavod founded as a weapons arsenal on the west bank of the river Kama. In 1917, Udmurts joined the short lived Idel-UralIdel-Ural
Idel-Ural is a historical region in Eastern Europe, in what is today Russia. The name literally means Volga-Urals in the Tatar language. The frequently used Russian variant is Volgo-Uralye...
League which was dissolved in December 1918. On November 4, 1920 Votsk Autonomous Oblast was formed. On January 1, 1932, it was renamed Udmurt Autonomous Oblast
Udmurt Autonomous Oblast
The Udmurt Autonomous Oblast was formed on 4 November 1920 as the Votsk Autonomous Oblast. It was renamed on 1 January 1932 and was reorganized into the Udmurt ASSR on December 28, 1934, which was reorganized into the Udmurt Republic on 20 September 1990....
, which was then reorganized into the Udmurt ASSR on December 28, 1934. In Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
's Great Purge
Great Purge
The Great Purge was a series of campaigns of political repression and persecution in the Soviet Union orchestrated by Joseph Stalin from 1936 to 1938...
of 1937–1938, the murder of most of Udmurt's nationalist intellectuals had its effects on Udmurt society. During World War II, many industrial factories were evacuated from Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
and western borderlands to Udmurtia, considerably increasing the ethnic Russian population in Udmurtia.
The Udmurt Republic in its present form has existed since September 20, 1990.
Geography
The republic is located in the eastern portion of the Eastern European Plain, between the KamaKama River
Kama is a major river in Russia, the longest left tributary of the Volga and the largest one in discharge; in fact, it is larger than the Volga before junction....
and Vyatka River
Vyatka River
The Vyatka River is a river in Kirov Oblast and the Republic of Tatarstan in Russia, right tributary of the Kama River. It is 1,314 km in length. The area of its basin is 129,000 km²....
s.
| Kind | Polity or geographical feature | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Internal | Kirov Oblast Kirov Oblast Kirov Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is the city of Kirov. Population: -History:In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Vyatka remained a place of exile for opponents of the tsarist regime, including many prominent revolutionary figures.In 1920, a number of... |
SW/W/NW/N |
| Perm Krai Perm Krai Perm Krai is a federal subject of Russia that came into existence on December 1, 2005 as a result of the 2004 referendum on the merger of Perm Oblast and Komi-Permyak Autonomous Okrug. The city of Perm became the administrative center of the new federal subject... |
NE/E | |
| Republic of Bashkortostan | SE | |
| Republic of Tatarstan | S/SW | |
| Water | Votkinsk Reservoir Votkinsk Reservoir The Votkinsk Reservoir , is a reservoir formed by the dam of the Votkinsk Hydroelectric Station on the Kama River in Perm Krai and Udmurtia, Russia. The reservoir filling took place in 1962-1964. The Votkinsk Reservoir has a surface area of 1,120 km² and a water volume of 9,4 cubic km. Its... |
E |
- Highest point: 332 m (1,089.2 ft)
- Maximum N->S distance:320 kilometres (198.8 mi)
- Maximum E->W distance: 200 kilometres (124.3 mi)
Rivers
Major rivers include:- Cheptsa RiverCheptsa RiverThe Cheptsa is a river in the north part of Udmurtian Republic and eastern Kirov Oblast, in Russia. It flows through the city Glazov and flows into the Vyatka River in Kirovo-Chepetsk, east of Kirov....
- Izh RiverIzh RiverThe Izh is a river in Udmurtia and Tatarstan, Russian Federation, a right-bank tributary of the Kama River. Its length is 226 km and its drainage basin is 8,478 km²...
- Kama RiverKama RiverKama is a major river in Russia, the longest left tributary of the Volga and the largest one in discharge; in fact, it is larger than the Volga before junction....
(navigable) - Kilmez RiverKilmez RiverKilmez River is a river in Udmurtia and Kirov Oblast in Russia, a left tributary of the Vyatka River. The length of the river is 270 km, the area of its drainage basin is 17,200 km². The Kilmez freezes up in November and remains icebound until the second half of April. Its main tributaries are the...
- Siva RiverSiva RiverSiva River is a river in Udmurt Republic and Perm Krai in Russia, a right tributary of the Kama River. The length of the river is 206 km, the area of its drainage basin is 4,870 km². It starts in Chastinsky District, near village Pikhtovka. Then, it flows through Bolshesosnovsky District of perm...
Lakes
While there are no large lakes in the Republic, the Votkinskoye Reservoir is partially located on its territory.Natural resources
The republic's natural resources include oilPetroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
, peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
, mineral water
Mineral water
Mineral water is water containing minerals or other dissolved substances that alter its taste or give it therapeutic value, generally obtained from a naturally occurring mineral spring or source. Dissolved substances in the water may include various salts and sulfur compounds...
s, and more. Oil reserves
Oil reserves
The total estimated amount of oil in an oil reservoir, including both producible and non-producible oil, is called oil in place. However, because of reservoir characteristics and limitations in petroleum extraction technologies, only a fraction of this oil can be brought to the surface, and it is...
are estimated to be 820 million ton
Ton
The ton is a unit of measure. It has a long history and has acquired a number of meanings and uses over the years. It is used principally as a unit of weight, and as a unit of volume. It can also be used as a measure of energy, for truck classification, or as a colloquial term.It is derived from...
s (as of 2002). Approximately 7–8 million tons are extracted annually. Most of the oil is exported.
Forests cover over 40% of the republic's territory. Most of the forests are coniferous
Temperate coniferous forests
Temperate coniferous forest is a terrestrial biome found in temperate regions of the world with warm summers and cool winters and adequate rainfall to sustain a forest. In most temperate coniferous forests, evergreen conifers predominate, while some are a mix of conifers and broadleaf evergreen...
.
Climate
The republic has moderate continental climateContinental climate
Continental climate is a climate characterized by important annual variation in temperature due to the lack of significant bodies of water nearby...
, with warm summers and cold winters with a lot of snow.
| Month | Average temperature |
|---|---|
| January | -14.5 C |
| July | 18.3 °C (64.9 °F) |
- Average annual precipitationPrecipitation (meteorology)In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
: 400–600 mm
Demographics
2010 Census- Population: 1,522,761
2002 Census
- Population: 1,570,316
- Urban: 1,094,338 (69.7%)
- Rural: 475,978 (30.3%)
- Male percentage: 46.2%
- Female percentage: 53.7%
- Females per 1000 males:1,160
- Average age: 35.8
- Average age, Urban: 35.6
- Average age, Rural: 36.1
- Average age, Male: 32.8
- Average age, Female: 38.4
- TFRTotal Fertility RateThe total fertility rate of a population is the average number of children that would be born to a woman over her lifetime if she were to experience the exact current age-specific fertility rates through her lifetime, and she...
: 1.613 children per women. (2008) - Urban TFRTotal Fertility RateThe total fertility rate of a population is the average number of children that would be born to a woman over her lifetime if she were to experience the exact current age-specific fertility rates through her lifetime, and she...
: 1.395 children per women. (2008) - Rural TFRTotal Fertility RateThe total fertility rate of a population is the average number of children that would be born to a woman over her lifetime if she were to experience the exact current age-specific fertility rates through her lifetime, and she...
: 2.214 children per women. (2008) - Vital statistics
- Source: Russian Federal State Statistics Service
| Births | Deaths | Birth rate | Death rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 23,286 | 13,265 | 16.4 | 9.3 |
| 1975 | 26,497 | 14,666 | 18.2 | 10.1 |
| 1980 | 27,601 | 16,862 | 18.3 | 11.2 |
| 1985 | 29,343 | 17,553 | 18.8 | 11.2 |
| 1990 | 24,345 | 15,816 | 15.1 | 9.8 |
| 1991 | 22,213 | 16,002 | 13.7 | 9.9 |
| 1992 | 20,074 | 18,063 | 12.4 | 11.1 |
| 1993 | 17,126 | 21,923 | 10.6 | 13.5 |
| 1994 | 16,874 | 24,183 | 10.4 | 14.9 |
| 1995 | 15,484 | 22,445 | 9.6 | 13.9 |
| 1996 | 14,877 | 20,641 | 9.2 | 12.8 |
| 1997 | 15,368 | 19,881 | 9.6 | 12.4 |
| 1998 | 16,130 | 19,080 | 10.1 | 11.9 |
| 1999 | 15,793 | 20,745 | 9.9 | 13.0 |
| 2000 | 16,256 | 21,852 | 10.2 | 13.7 |
| 2001 | 16,636 | 22,810 | 10.5 | 14.4 |
| 2002 | 17,746 | 24,520 | 11.3 | 15.6 |
| 2003 | 17,982 | 24,571 | 11.5 | 15.7 |
| 2004 | 18,238 | 23,994 | 11.7 | 15.4 |
| 2005 | 17,190 | 24,006 | 11.1 | 15.5 |
| 2006 | 17,480 | 22,011 | 11.3 | 14.3 |
| 2007 | 19,667 | 21,727 | 12.8 | 14.2 |
| 2008 | 20,421 | 21,436 | 13.3 | 14.0 |
| 2009 | 21,155 | 20,286 | 13.8 | 13.3 |
Ethnic groups
According to the 2002 CensusRussian Census (2002)
Russian Census of 2002 was the first census of the Russian Federation carried out on October 9 through October 16, 2002. It was carried out by the Russian Federal Service of State Statistics .-Resident population:...
, Russians
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
make up 60.1% of the republic's population, while the ethnic Udmurts
Udmurt people
The Udmurts are a people who speak the Udmurt language. Through history they have been known in Russian as Chud Otyatskaya , Otyaks, or Votyaks , and in Tatar as Ar....
only make up 29.3%. Other groups include Tatars
Tatars
Tatars are a Turkic speaking ethnic group , numbering roughly 7 million.The majority of Tatars live in the Russian Federation, with a population of around 5.5 million, about 2 million of which in the republic of Tatarstan.Significant minority populations are found in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,...
(7.0%), Ukrainians
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
(11,527, or 0.7%), Mari (8,985, or 0.6%), and a host of smaller groups, each accounting for less than 0.5% of the republic's total population. 2,957 people (0.2%) did not indicate their nationalities during the Census.
| Ethnic group | census 1926 | census 1939 | census 1959 | census 1970 | census 1979 | census 1989 | census 2002 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Udmurts | 395,607 (52.3%) | 480,014 (39.4%) | 475,913 (35.6%) | 484,168 (34.2%) | 479,702 (32.1%) | 496,522 (30.9%) | 460,584 (29.3%) |
| Besermyan Besermyan The Besermyan, Biserman, Besermans or Besermens are a small numbered Finno-Ugric ethnic group in Russia.There were 10,000 Besermyans in 1926, but according to the Russian Census , there were 3,122 of them in Russia. The Russian Empire Census of 1897 listed 10.8 thousand besermens... |
9,200 (1.2%) | 2,998 (0.2%) | |||||
| Russians Russians The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries.... |
327,493 (43.3) | 679,294 (55.7%) | 758,770 (56.8%) | 809,563 (57.1%) | 870,270 (58.3%) | 945,216 (58.9%) | 944,108 (60.1%) |
| Tatars Tatars Tatars are a Turkic speaking ethnic group , numbering roughly 7 million.The majority of Tatars live in the Russian Federation, with a population of around 5.5 million, about 2 million of which in the republic of Tatarstan.Significant minority populations are found in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,... |
19,248 (2.5%) | 40,561 (3.3%) | 71,930 (5.4%) | 87,150 (6.1%) | 99,139 (6.6%) | 110,490 (6.9%) | 109,218 (7.0%) |
| Others | 4,716 (0.6%) | 19,481 (1.6%) | 30,314 (2.3%) | 36,794 (2.6%) | 43,061 (2.9%) | 53,435 (3.3%) | 53,408 (3.4%) |
Over two thirds of the world population of Udmurts live in the republic.
Although as of 2007 population is declining, the decline is more pronounced in urban areas. Out of the 19,667 births reported in 2007, 12,631 were in urban areas(11.86 per 1000) and 7,036 were in rural areas(14.88 per 1000). Birth rates for rural areas are 25% higher than that of urban areas. Of the total of 21,727 deaths, 14,366 were reported in urban areas(13.49 per 1000) and 7,361 were in rural areas(15.56 per 1000). Natural decline of population was measured at -0.16% for urban areas and an insignificant -0.07% for rural areas (average for Russia is -0.33%). http://www.gks.ru
Politics
The head of the government in the Udmurt Republic is the President, who is selected by the President of Russia from a list provided by parties represented in the regional parliament and later approved by the parliament for a five-year term. As of April 2010, the President is Alexander VolkovAlexander Alexandrovich Volkov (politician)
Alexander Alexandrovich Volkov is the President of the Udmurt Republic, located in the heart of Russia between the Kama and Vyatka Rivers. As President, Volkov is the highest official in the Udmurt Republic, the head of the republic's highest executive body, and leader of its two million citizens...
, who assumed his post on February 20, 2009. He served as the President of the Udmurt Republic since 2000, when the office was elected directly. Prior to the elections, Volkov was the Chairman of the Republic's Council—the highest post at that time.
The Republic's parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
is the State Council, popularly elected every five years. The State Council has 100 deputies.
The Republic's constitution was adopted on December 7, 1994.
Economy
Udmurtia is an industrialized republic. The most developed industries include machine building, chemical, and oil and gas industries. The republic also benefited from the transfer of defense industry production during World War II. IzhevskIzhevsk
Izhevsk is the capital city of the Udmurt Republic, Russia, situated on the Izh River in the Western Urals. Population: From 1984 to 1987 Izhevsk carried the name Ustinov |Minister of Defense of the USSR]], Marshal of the Soviet Union, Dmitry Ustinov). The city is an important industrial center,...
is the home to the Izhmash factory (AKA Izhmash Joint Stock Company) and Izhmech (AKA Izhevsky Mehanichesky Zavod); Izhmash being the primary manufacturer of Kalashnikov based weapon systems, and the 'home' of the AK-47
AK-47
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
rifle. The Udmurt Republic is also home for other military technology factories, and also possesses a potential in electronics and nano technology industries.
Culture
In Udmurtia, there are eight professional theaters, the Philharmonic Society, and more than ten state and numerous public museums which tell about history and culture of Udmurtia and its people, like the Museum of history and culture in SarapulSarapul
Sarapul is a city and a river port in the Udmurt Republic, Russia, located on the right bank of the Kama River, southeast of Izhevsk. Population: -History:...
, or the Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian: Пётр Ильи́ч Чайко́вский ; often "Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky" in English. His names are also transliterated "Piotr" or "Petr"; "Ilitsch", "Il'ich" or "Illyich"; and "Tschaikowski", "Tschaikowsky", "Chajkovskij"...
Museum in Votkinsk
Votkinsk
Votkinsk is an industrial city in the Udmurt Republic, Russia. Population: It is the birthplace of the composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky who spent the first eight years of his life here: today the house of his birth contains a museum dedicated to the composer.The town was established in April...
. One of the oldest arms
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
museums is located in Izhevsk
Izhevsk
Izhevsk is the capital city of the Udmurt Republic, Russia, situated on the Izh River in the Western Urals. Population: From 1984 to 1987 Izhevsk carried the name Ustinov |Minister of Defense of the USSR]], Marshal of the Soviet Union, Dmitry Ustinov). The city is an important industrial center,...
, as well as the newer Kalashnikov Museum (dedicated in November 2004), which has recently become a general small-arms museum. Since the breakup of the Soviet Union a new, pan-Uralic cultural movement has evolved called "Ethnofuturism". http://www.suri.ee/etnofutu/idnatekst/index.html
Education
The most important facilities of higher education include the Udmurt State UniversityUdmurt State University
Udmurt State University is a public university in the city of Izhevsk, Russia. Established in 1931, UdSU is the oldest educational institution in Udmurt Republic...
, Izhevsk State Technical University, and Izhevsk State Medical Academy, all located in the capital Izhevsk.
Religion
The majority of the Republic's population is atheistAtheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
or Russian Orthodox (Russians, Urdmuts, Besermyan and Mari), with many rural people incorporating traditional folk religion into the Orthodox Christian faith, while majority of the Tatars
Tatars
Tatars are a Turkic speaking ethnic group , numbering roughly 7 million.The majority of Tatars live in the Russian Federation, with a population of around 5.5 million, about 2 million of which in the republic of Tatarstan.Significant minority populations are found in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,...
in the region Sunni Muslim.
Further reading
- Kalder, Daniel. Lost Cosmonaut: Observations of an Anti-tourist. Scribner Book Company. ISBN 0-7432-8994-3.