Yakut

The Yakut, also known as the Sakha, are a Turkic-speaking ethnic group in Siberia, primarily inhabiting the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) in the Russian Federation. They are the largest ethnic group in the republic, with an estimated population in the hundreds of thousands, most of whom live in Yakutia.

The Yakut language, or Sakha, belongs to the Siberian branch of the Turkic languages. It is written in a Cyrillic script and has official status alongside Russian in the Sakha Republic. Most Yakuts are bilingual, using both Sakha and Russian in daily life, education, and government affairs.

Historically, the Yakut formed as a distinct community in the Lena River basin and developed a rich cultural tradition, including the Olonkho epic poetry. Contact and eventual incorporation into the Russian state occurred during the 17th century. In the Soviet era, the region became the Yakut Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, and in 1991 it was reconstituted as the Sakha Republic, a federal subject of Russia. The Yakut practice a mix of traditional beliefs, often described as shamanistic and animistic, with Orthodox Christianity and other modern religious influences.

Economically, the Yakut homeland is among the most resource-rich areas of Russia, with major industries in diamond mining, gold, and other minerals centered in the Sakha Republic. The climate is subarctic with permafrost, and traditional livelihoods include animal husbandry and horse-breeding adapted to extreme conditions.

The exonym Yakut is commonly used outside the community, while the self-designation for the people and their language is Sakha.