Number of Linguistic Varieties Used in Russia
The 2020-2021 Russian census has shed light on the country's rich linguistic landscape, revealing a diverse array of native languages spoken across its expansive territory.
At the forefront is Russian, the dominant and most widely spoken native language, with approximately 111.5 million speakers. Beyond Russian, several other native languages have significant numbers of speakers, primarily among ethnic minorities.
Key native languages spoken in Russia include Tatar, the second most widely spoken native language with approximately 4.07 million speakers, and Bashkir, the fourth most widely spoken with approximately 1.32 million speakers. Other prominent native languages are Chuvash, Avar, Chechen, and Belarusian.
The census also documents numerous indigenous and minority languages, many of which are endangered or at risk of extinction. These include languages from the Siberian and Far Eastern regions such as Yuit, one of the rarest native languages spoken by the Asian Eskimos, and Kerek, a member of the Chukotko-Kamchatkan language family.
In addition to these, there are over 270 native languages and dialects in Russia today, with educational programs in 76 native languages implemented in 64 Russian regions.
Some other notable languages include Armenian, the seventh most widely spoken native language with approximately 675,000 speakers, and Kumyk, the tenth most widely spoken with approximately 523,700 speakers. Vod, the language of the small Vod people living in the Kingisepp district of Leningrad Oblast, and Yurtovo-Tatar, part of the Nogai subgroup of the Karluk-Kypchak group of Turkic languages, are also represented.
Lastly, Chechen is the third most widely spoken native language in Russia, with approximately 1.64 million speakers, highlighting the diversity and complexity of Russia's linguistic tapestry.
An individual might embrace Russian, the most commonly spoken native language in Russia, alongside pursuing education and self-development opportunities in one of the numerous minority languages offered, such as Chechen or Tatar, enhancing their lifestyle while contributing to the preservation of Russian diverse linguistic heritage.
In the realm of education-and-self-development, one could explore the educational programs offered in indigenous languages like Yuit or Kerek, fostering a deep understanding of these endangered languages and contributing to their preservation for future generations.
