Republics of Russia
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The Russian Federation is divided into 88 federal subjects (constituent units), 21 of which are republics. The republics represent areas of non-Russian ethnicity. The indigenous ethnic group of the republic is known as the "titular nationality". Due to decades (in some cases centuries) of internal migration inside Russia, this nationality is not normally a majority of a republic's population.
Constitutional status
Republics differ from other federal subjects in that they have the right to establish their own official language (Article 68 of the Constitution of Russia) and have their own constitution. Other federal subjects, such as krais (territories) and oblasts (provinces), do not have this right. However, as with other federal subjects, governmental sovereignty in a republic is not recognized (Article 3). The chief executive of a republic has the title of president.The level of actual autonomy granted such political units varies but is generally quite extensive. The parliamentary assemblies of such republics have often enacted laws at odds with the federal constitution, and the republics' executives tend to be very powerful. However, this autonomy has been lessened considerably under Putin, who seeks to impose supremacy of the federal constitution.
The establishment of seven large "federal districts" above the regions and republics of Russia, with presidentially appointed governors overseeing the republics' activities, has strengthened the rule of law, and respect for the constitution, in the republics. In addition, Putin has strengthened the position of the republics' legislatures and weakened the executives. The executive heads of republics are now appointed by the President of Russia himself, but the President's nomination must be acceptable to the republic's parliament.
There is some sort of secessionist movement in most republics, but these are generally not very strong. However, there is strong support for secession among Tatars, Bashkirs, Yakuts, and of course Chechens. This desire for secession is, however, greatly complicated by the extent to which other ethnic groups reside in their titular republics (Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, Sakha). (As a result of the Chechen Wars, very few non-Chechens now reside in Chechnya).
Former \"Autonomous Republics\"
Autonomous republics were formerly a type of nominally constitutent unit within the Russian SFSR of the Soviet Union. Today, the title is sometimes incorrectly used for the republics of Russia, since they were formerly Autonomous Republics of the USSR under the Soviet system. However, the 1993 Russian Constitution which established the Russian Federation declared them simply "republics." They could resonably be referred to as autonomous republics, but they do not bear the title "autonomous republic."List of republics of Russia
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8. Kalmykia 9. Karachay-Cherkessia 10. Karelia 11. Komi 12. Mari El 13. Mordovia 14. Sakha (Yakutia) |
15. North Ossetia-Alania 16. Tatarstan 17. Tuva 18. Udmurtia 19. Khakassia 20. Chechnya 21. Chuvashia | |
| Republic | Continent | Titular Nationality | Titular Nationality in Republic's Population | Titular Nationality: Language Group | Titular Nationality: Main Religion | Ethnic Russians in Republic's Population | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adygea () | Europe | Adyghe | 23% | Caucasian | Sunni Islam | 66% | 450,000 |
| Altai () | Asia | Altay | 31% | Turkic | Burkhanism, Lamaism, Shamanism | 57% | 200,000 |
| Bashkortostan () | Europe | Bashkir, debatably also Tatars | 22% (including Tatars 50%) | Turkic | Sunni Islam | 39% | 4,000,000 |
| Buryatia () | Asia | Buryat | 24% | Mongolic | Tibetan Buddhism ("Lamaism") | 69% | 1,100,000 |
| Dagestan () | Europe | 10 indigenous nationalities | 80% | Caucasian,Turkic | Sunni Islam | 12% | 1,900,000 |
| Ingushetia () | Europe | Ingush | 77% | Caucasian | Sunni Islam | 1% | 470,000 |
| Kabardino-Balkaria () | Europe | Kabard, Balkars | 66% (Kabardin 55%, Balkars 11%) | Caucasian,Turkic | Sunni Islam, Russian Orthodoxy | 25% | 790,000 |
| Kalmykia () | Europe | Kalmyk | 53% | Mongolic | Tibetan Buddhism ("Lamaism") | 33% | 320,000 |
| Karachay-Cherkessia () | Europe | Karachai, Cherkess | 50% (Karachai 39%, Cherkess 11%) | Turkic, Caucasian | Sunni Islam | 42% | 430,000 |
| Karelia () | Europe | Karelians (related to Finnish) | 11% | Finno-Ugric | Russian Orthodoxy | 72% | 800,000 |
| Komi () | Europe | Komi people | ~25% | Finno-Ugric
| Russian Orthodoxy | 58% | 1,200,000 |
| Mari El () | Europe | Mari | 43% | Finno-Ugric | Russian Orthodoxy | 48% | 760,000 |
| Mordovia () | Europe | Mordvin | 36% | Finno-Ugric | Russian Orthodoxy | 56% | 960,000 |
| Sakha (Yakutia) () | Asia | Yakut | 45% | Turkic | Russian Orthodoxy, Shamanism | 41% | 1,100,000 |
| North Ossetia-Alania () | Europe | Ossetian | 53% | Iranian | Russian Orthodoxy, Sunni Islam | 30% | 650,000 |
| Tatarstan () (also called Tataria or Tartary) | Europe | Tatar | 52% | Turkic | Sunni Islam | 39% | 3,700,000 |
| Tyva () | Asia | Tuvans | 77% | Turkic | Tibetan Buddhism ("Lamaism"), Shamanism | 20% | 310,000 |
| Udmurtia () | Europe | Udmurts | 31% | Finno-Ugric | Russian Orthodoxy | 59% | 1,600,000 |
| Khakassia () | Asia | Khakas | 12% | Turkic | Russian Orthodoxy | 80% | 580,000 |
| Chechnya () | Europe | Chechen | between 70% and 98% | Caucasian | Sunni Islam | unknown | unknown |
| Chuvashia () | Europe | Chuvash | 68% | Turkic | Russian Orthodoxy | 27% | 1,400,000 |
Notes:
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