Torghut

The Torghut, also spelled Torgut, are a western Mongol group and one of the principal subgroups of the Oirat confederation. Traditionally they inhabited the northwestern Mongolian plateau and adjacent steppe regions, overlapping with areas associated with other Oirat groups. The Torghut speak a dialect of the Oirat branch of the Mongolic language family and have historical ties to the broader Oirat culture.

Historically, the Torghut formed a political and social unit within the western Oirat world and, at times, established their own rule in the western Mongolian region. In the 17th century, a significant portion of the Torghut migrated to the Volga region, where they established the Kalmyk Khanate on the Kalmyk steppe near the Caspian Sea. This new statehood brought them into close relations with the expanding Russian state, and the Kalmyk Khanate persisted under Russian suzerainty for several decades before eventual incorporation into the Russian imperial framework.

Culture and religion are characterized by a synthesis of Tibetan Buddhism, Mongolian shamanistic traditions, and Oirat customs. Traditionally nomadic pastoralism and animal husbandry formed the economic base, with distinctive dress, music, and festival practices remaining notable in cultural memory.

Modern distribution is concentrated in the Russian Federation, particularly in the Republic of Kalmykia, with smaller populations in Mongolia and China. The Torghut are today often identified as part of the Kalmyk people, though they retain distinct historical and linguistic identities within this umbrella.