Languages and peoples of Russia

Last modified: 2007-10-06 by antónio martins
Keywords: language | ethnic group |
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• Russia
• Russian subnational flags (overview of the subdivisions, list of federation “subjects” and clickable map)
• Russian unofficial regional and ethnical flags
• Flags of languages

• Geografiâ Rossii. Drofa: Moskva, 1997
• The Ethnologue on-line database. Summer Institute of Linguistics
• “A Fortress of Languages” National Geographic Magazine

• OFFICIAL language in the whole Federation
• Official language in at least one of the Federation “subjects”
• Language recognized by Soviet/Russian authorities but not official in any Federation “subject”
• language not recognized by Soviet/Russian authorities.
• Language recognized solely as variant of another

1. Indo-European
   1. Slavic
      1. East
         1. Belorusian: Recognized but not official. (Official in Belarus)
         2. RUSSIAN: Official language of the Federation.
         3. Ukrainian: Recognized but not official. (Official in Ukraine)
      2. South
         1. Eastern
            1. Bulgarian: Recognized but not official. (Official in Bulgaria)
            2. Slavonic (old church): Liturgic use only.
         2. Western
            1. serbo-croatian: Not recognized. (Official in Yugoslavia)
      3. West
         1. Czech-Slovak
            1. slovak: Not recognized. (Official in Slovakia)
         2. Lechitic
            1. Polish: Recognized but not official. (Official in Poland)
   2. Baltic
      1. East
         1. Latvian: Recognized but not official. (Official in Latvia)
         2. Lithuanian: Recognized but not official. (Official in Lithuania)
   3. Germanic
      1. West
         1. Continental
            1. High
               1. German (standard): Recognized but not official. (Official in Germany and Austria)
               2. Yiddish: Official in the Jewish Autonomous Region (and in Israel)
            2. Low
               1. Plautdietsch: Considered as variant of german (standard)
   4. Romance
      1. Eastern
         1. North
            1. Rumanian (moldavian): Recognized but not official. (Official in Romania and Moldavia)
   5. Greek
      1. Attic
         1. Greek: Recognized but not official. (Official in Greece)
   6. Indo-Iranian
      1. Iranian
         1. Eastern
            1. Northeastern
               1. Osetin: Official in North Ossetia
         2. Western
            1. Northwestern
               1. Kurdish
                  1. kurmanji: Not recognized. Unofficial ethnic flag
            2. Southwestern
               1. Persian
                  1. Tajiki: Recognized but not official. (Official in Tajikistan)
               2. Tati
                  1. Tat (hebrew): Recognized but not official
      2. Indo-Aryan
         1. Central zone
            1. Dom
               1. domari: Not recognized.
            2. Romani
               1. Northern
                  1. Romani (baltic): Considered as variant of romani (sinte)
                  2. Romani (sinte): Recognized but not official
   7. Armenian
      1. Armenian: Recognized but not official. (Official in Armenia)
2. South Caucasian
   1. Georgian
      1. Georgian: Recognized but not official. (Official in Georgia)
   2. Svan
      1. svan: Not recognized.
3. North Caucasian
   1. Northwest
      1. Abkhaz-Abazin
         1. Abaza: Recognized but not official
         2. Abkhaz: Recognized but not official. Unofficial ethnic flag
      2. Circassian
         1. Adyghe (shapsug): Official in Adygeya
         2. Kabardian: Co-official in Kabard-Balkaria. Unofficial ethnic flag
         3. Cherkess: Co-official in Karachay-Cherkessia. Unofficial ethnic flag
   2. Northeast
      1. Dagestan
         1. Avaro-Andi-Dido
            1. Andi
               1. akhvakh: Not recognized.
               2. andi: Not recognized.
               3. bagvalal: Not recognized.
               4. botlikh: Not recognized.
               5. chamalal: Not recognized.
               6. ghodoberi: Not recognized.
               7. karata: Not recognized.
               8. tindi: Not recognized.
            2. Avar
               1. Avar: Recognized but not official
            3. Dido
               1. bezhta (kapuchi): Not recognized.
               2. dido (tsez): Not recognized.
               3. hinukh: Not recognized.
               4. hunzib: Not recognized.
               5. khvarshi: Not recognized.
         2. Lak-Dargwa
            1. Dargwa: Recognized but not official
            2. Lak: Recognized but not official
         3. Lezgian
            1. Aghul: Recognized but not official
            2. archi: Not recognized.
            3. Lezgi: Recognized but not official. Unofficial ethnic flag
            4. Rutul: Recognized but not official
            5. Tabassaran: Recognized but not official
            6. Tsakhur: Recognized but not official
      2. Vejnax
         1. Chechen-Ingush
            1. Chechen: Official in Chechenia
            2. Ingush: Official in Ingushetia
4. Uralic
   1. Finno-Ugric
      1. Finno-Permic
         1. Finno-Cheremisic
            1. Cheremisic
               1. Mari (high): Considered as variant of mari (low)
               2. Mari (low): Official in Mariy-El
            2. Finno-Mordvinic
               1. Finno-Lappic
                  1. Balto-Finnic
                     1. Estonian: Recognized but not official. (Official in Estonia)
                     2. Finnish: Recognized but not official. (Official in Finland)
                     3. ingrian: Not recognized. Unofficial ethnic flag
                     4. Karelian: Recognized but not official. Unofficial ethnic flag
                     5. ludian: Not recognized. Unofficial ethnic flag
                     6. olonetsian: Not recognized.
                     7. veps: Not recognized. Unofficial ethnic flag
                     8. votic: Not recognized. Unofficial ethnic flag
                  2. Lappic
                     1. Central
                        1. Saami (kildin): Considered as variant of saami (skolt)
                        2. Saami (skolt): Recognized but not official. Unofficial ethnic flag
                        3. Saami (ter): Considered as variant of saami (skolt)
               2. Mordvinic
                  1. Erzya: Co-official in Mordovia
                  2. Moksha: Co-official in Mordovia
         2. Permic
            1. Komi-Permyak: Official in Parma
            2. Komi-Zyrian: Official in Komia
            3. Udmurt: Official in Udmurtia
      2. Ugric
         1. Ob Ugric
            1. Khanty: Co-official in Yugra
            2. Mansi: Co-official in Yugra
   2. Samoyedic
      1. Northern Samoyedic
         1. Enets: Recognized but not official
         2. Nenets: Co-official in Nenetsia, Taymyr and Yamal
         3. Nganasan: Recognized but not official
      2. Southern Samoyedic
         1. kamas: Not recognized.
         2. mator: Not recognized.
         3. Selkup: Recognized but not official
5. Yukaghir
   1. Yukaghir (northern): Recognized but not official
   2. Yukaghir (southern): Considered as variant of yukaghir (northern)
   3. Chuvants: Recognized but not official
6. Altaic
   1. Turkic
      1. Bolgar
         1. Chuvash: Official in Chuvashia
      2. Eastern
         1. Uzbek (northern): Recognized but not official. (Official in Uzbekistan)
      3. Northern
         1. Altai (northern): Official in Altay Republic
         2. Altai (southern): Considered as variant of altai (northern)
         3. Teleut: Recognized but not official
         4. Dolgan: Co-official in Taymyr
         5. karagas: Not recognized.
         6. Khakas: Official in Khakassia
         7. Shor: Recognized but not official
         8. Tuvin: Official in Tuva
         9. Tofalar: Recognized but not official
         10. Yakut: Official in Yakutia
      4. Southern
         1. Azerbaijani
            1. Azeri (north): Recognized but not official. (Official in Azerbaijan)
         2. Turkish
            1. Gagauz: Recognized but not official. Unofficial ethnic flag
         3. Turkmenian
            1. Turkmen: Recognized but not official. (Official in Turkmenistan)
      5. Western
         1. Aralo-Caspian
            1. Kazakh: Recognized but not official. (Official in Kazakhstan)
            2. Kirghiz: Recognized but not official. (Official in Kyrgyzstan)
            3. Nogai: Recognized but not official. Unofficial ethnic flag
         2. Ponto-Caspian
            1. Karachay: Co-official in Karachay-Cherkessia. Unofficial ethnic flag
            2. Balkar: Co-official in Kabard-Balkaria. Unofficial ethnic flag
            3. Kumyk: Recognized but not official. Unofficial ethnic flag
         3. Uralian
            1. Bashkir: Official in Bashkiria
            2. chulym: Not recognized.
            3. Tatar: Official in Tataria
            4. Tatar (siberian): Recognized but not official
   2. Mongolian
      1. Eastern
         1. Oirat-Khalkha
            1. Khalkha-Buriat
               1. Buriat
                  1. Buriat (russia): Official in Buriatia, Aghin Buriatia and Ust-Ord Buriatia
               2. Mongolian Proper
                  1. mongolian (halh): Not recognized. (Official in Mongolia)
            2. Oirat-Kalmyk
               1. Kalmyk-Oirat: Official in Kalmykia
   3. Tungus
      1. Northern
         1. Even
            1. Even: Recognized but not official
         2. Evenki
            1. Evenki: Official in Evenkia
         3. Negidal
            1. Negidal: Recognized but not official
      2. Southern
         1. Southeast
            1. Nanaj
               1. Nanai: Recognized but not official
               2. Orok: Recognized but not official
               3. Ulch: Recognized but not official
            2. Udihe
               1. Oroch: Recognized but not official
               2. Udihe: Recognized but not official
7. Chukotko-Kamchatkan
   1. Northern
      1. Chukot
         1. Chukot: Official in Chukotka
      2. Koryak-Alyutor
         1. alutor: Not recognized.
         2. kerek: Not recognized.
         3. Koryak: Official in Koryakia
   2. Southern
      1. Itelmen: Recognized but not official
8. Eskimo-Aleut
   1. Aleut
      1. Aleut: Recognized but not official
   2. Eskimo
      1. Yupik
         1. Siberian
            1. Yupik (central siberian): Considered as variant of yupik (naukan)
            2. Yupik (naukan): Recognized but not official
            3. Yupik (sirenik): Considered as variant of yupik (naukan)
9. Yenisei Ostyak
   1. Ket: Recognized but not official
   2. yugh: Not recognized.
10. Afro-Asiatic
    1. Semitic
       1. Central
          1. South
             1. Canaanite
                1. Hebrew (old): Liturgic use only. (Official in Israel)
          2. Aramaic
             1. Eastern
                1. Northeastern
                   1. assyrian: Not recognized. Unofficial ethnic flag
11. Language isolates
    1. korean: Not recognized. (Official in North Korea and South Korea)
    2. ainu: Not recognized. Unofficial ethnic flag
    3. gilyak: Not recognized.
    4. Nivkh: Recognized but not official

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