Udmurt

The Udmurt are a Finno-Ugric ethnic group native to the Ural region of Russia. Most live in the Udmurt Republic, a federal subject of Russia, with Izhevsk as its capital. Smaller groups reside in Perm Krai, Kirov Oblast, Bashkortostan, Tatarstan, and nearby areas, with a diaspora in other parts of Russia and abroad.

The Udmurt language belongs to the Uralic family (Finno-Ugric branch). It is an agglutinative language with several dialects and is written in a Cyrillic script adapted for Udmurt. It has official status in the Udmurt Republic alongside Russian, and there are active efforts to preserve and promote the language through education and media.

Historically, the Udmurt emerged as a distinct group in the medieval and early modern periods and formed part of the broader Volga-Ural cultural area. In the 20th century, the Udmurt Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was established in 1934 within the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic; following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, it became the Udmurt Republic within the Russian Federation.

Culture encompasses traditional music, dance, and crafts, with religious life reflecting a blend of Russian Orthodoxy and remnants of pre-Christian beliefs. In modern times, Udmurt culture is expressed through literature, media, and education in both Udmurt and Russian. The republic’s largest city and economic hub is Izhevsk, which also serves as a cultural center for the Udmurt people.