Tatars

Tatars are a Turkic-speaking ethnic group native to the Volga region of Russia and neighboring areas in Siberia and Central Asia. The term covers several subgroups with shared linguistic and cultural roots, united by historical ties to the Volga region and the broader Turkic world.

The largest subgroup is the Volga Tatars, often referred to as Kazan Tatars, centered in Tatarstan and surrounding regions. Crimean Tatars form a distinct community in Crimea; Siberian and Astrakhan Tatars are smaller groups scattered across Russia. Together with other communities, they are commonly grouped under the broad label 'Tatars'.

The Tatar language belongs to the Kipchak branch of the Turkic languages. Kazan Tatar is the most widely spoken form; in Russia, Tatar holds official status in Tatarstan alongside Russian, and education and media are produced in Tatar. The script has used Cyrillic since the Soviet era, with Latin-based writing used in various periods and ongoing discussions about orthography.

Most Tatars are Sunni Muslims, traditionally following the Hanafi school; Islam plays a central role in cultural life, but Tatars practice a range of customs and secular traditions. The community has produced a rich literary and artistic tradition, including figures such as poet Gabdulla Tukay and resistance poet Musa Jalil.

History and identity have been shaped by migrations and state formations in the Volga region. The Golden Horde and Kazan Khanate influenced Tatar statehood and culture. In 1920, the Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was established; in 1992, it became the Republic of Tatarstan within the Russian Federation. Crimean Tatars were deported in 1944 and largely rehabilitated after the late Soviet period.