Kalmykia

The Republic of Kalmykia, commonly Kalmykia, is a federal subject of Russia in the Southern Federal District. It lies in the lower Volga region near the Caspian Sea, and its capital is Elista. The republic is home to the Kalmyk people, a Western Mongol (Oirat) ethnic group; Kalmyk and Russian are official languages, and Buddhism is a major cultural influence.

Geography and demography: The landscape is predominantly steppe with a semi-arid climate. The population is fewer than 300,000, with Kalmyks forming the largest ethnic group and Russians the largest minority.

History: Kalmyks migrated from parts of the Ural and Volga regions in the 17th century and established a khanate before becoming part of Russia. The area was organized as the Kalmyk Autonomous Oblast in 1920 and later elevated to the Kalmyk Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in 1930. In 1943, Kalmyks were deported to Central Asia and Siberia; the republic was restored in 1957. After the Soviet era, it became the Republic of Kalmykia within the Russian Federation and adopted its current constitutional framework in the 1990s.

Economy and culture: The economy relies on agriculture and livestock husbandry, with related processing industries. Tourism is growing, focused on the steppe landscape and Buddhist sites such as the Ivolginsky Datsan near Elista, the spiritual center of Kalmyk Buddhism.

Culture and language: Kalmyk traditions include nomadic and Buddhist practices, music, and crafts. The Kalmyk language remains a key element of identity alongside Russian, the language of administration and education.