Yuzhnys

Yuzhnys is a rural locality (selo) situated in the Oktyabrsky District of the Republic of Mari El, Russia. It lies approximately 157 kilometres southeast of Yoshkar-Ola, the administrative centre of the republic, and is bordered by dense mixed‑wood forests and the Volga River floodplain. The settlement is located at an elevation of about 110 metres above sea level and experiences a humid continental climate, with average January temperatures around –10 °C and July averages near 22 °C.

The earliest records of Yuzhnys date back to 1725, when it was established as a small hunting camp by settlers from the nearby Tatar communities. By the late 19th century, the village had grown into a modest agrarian hub, with residents cultivating rye, barley, and potatoes, and engaging in timber extraction from the surrounding taiga. During the Soviet era, a collective farm (kolkhoz) was organized in 1936, which remained operational until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Today, Yuzhnys has a population of approximately 375 residents, according to the 2010 census. The local economy is largely based on subsistence farming, forestry, and small‑scale beekeeping. A primary school serves children up to the 9th grade, and a community health post provides basic medical services. The village is connected to Yoshkar-Ola and neighboring settlements via a two‑lane federal highway, and a local bus line offers daily service to the district centre.

Culturally, the village hosts an annual harvest festival in September, which celebrates the agricultural heritage of the region with traditional Mari songs, dances, and regional cuisine. The St. Nicholas Church, built in 1885, remains a focal point for communal gatherings and religious observances. Despite its modest size, Yuzhnys exemplifies the blend of Russian and Mari cultural influences characteristic of the wider Mari El republic.