Geography:The Udmurt Republic is located in the Russian Federation in the western part of the Urals, bordering Tatarstan and Bashkortostan. Area: 42,100 km². The capital is Izhevsk.
People:Population
The Udmurt are a Finno-Ugric people. The population of Udmurtia is approximately 1,644,000 people. Of the total Udmurt population of 747,000 living in the former Soviet Union only 66,5% live in Udmurt itself. The majority of the population in Udmurt is Russian (59%), followed by Udmurts (31%) and Tatars (7%).
Languages
As a result of the russification of Udmurt the possibility to study the Udmurt language almost disappeared along with the Udmurt culture.
Economy
The Udmurt Republic is rich in mineral resources producing oil and disposing over reserves of peat and nitro-methne fields, while timber is also of importance.
Brief History
1236 After the Mongol invasion the southern part of Udmurt was placed under the control of the Kazan Khanate and the northern part under Russia.
1919 Udmurt National Congress was reconvened and disbanded.
1991 Udmurt became a member of UNPO.
1995 The Russian Federation and Udmurtia signed a series of agreements defining the respective responsibilities of the Federation and the Republic with regard to the division of state property, law and order, defence industries, the use of oil and forest resources and environment protection.
1996 The Udmurt Republic passed a bill on ”national education” which guarantees that the people have the right to receive all forms of education and that all people have the right to be educated in their native language.
Progress was made, though, with respect to the expression of Udmurt culture and the rights to educate in the Udmurt language.
Organizations:Udmurt is represented in UNPO by the Udmurt Counsel (Udmurt Kenesh). Its objectives are to secure a healthy environment, to ensure equal education for the Udmurt and for the Udmurt children to be taught in their own language, to promote a management of the economy in the interest of the indigenous Udmurt people, and to realise the right of to self-determination.
Statistics:Area: 42.100 km2
Population: 1.6 million (republic of Udmurtia); 740.000 ethnic Udmurts in Russia
Language: Udmurt and Russian.
Religion: Orthodox Christian
