Russians

Russians (Russian: русские, romanized: russkiye [ˈruskʲɪje]) are an East Slavic ethnic group from Eastern Europe. Their mother tongue is Russian, the most spoken Slavic language. Most Russians practice Orthodox Christianity.

Genetic studies show that Russians are closely related to Poles, Belarusians, Ukrainians, as well as Estonians, Latvians, Lithuanians, and Finns. They come from East Slavic tribes, and their culture is based in Kievan Rus'. The Russian word for Russians comes from the people of Rus' and the territory of Rus'. Russians share many traditions with other European peoples, especially with Belarusians and Ukrainians.

Most Russians live in Russia, but many also live in other post-Soviet states such as Kazakhstan, Moldova, Ukraine, and the Baltic states. There is also a large Russian diaspora around the world, with many living in the United States, Germany, Brazil, and Canada.

Ethnonym

There are two Russian words often translated as "Russians." The word русские (russkiye) usually refers to ethnic Russians. The word россияне (rossiyane), comes from the name Россия (Rossiya, meaning Russia) and includes all people living in Russia, no matter their background.

The name "Russians" originated from the Rus' people, a group of traders and warriors who helped create the first East Slavic state, known as Kievan Rus'. Later, the idea of one "all-Russian nation" included many peoples.

History

Main articles: Kievan Rus', Grand Duchy of Moscow, and Tsardom of Russia

Main articles: Russian Empire, Soviet Union, and Russia

The ancestors of modern Russians are the Slavic tribes, who lived in wooded areas of the Pinsk Marshes. Over time, these tribes settled in Western Russia, including areas around Moscow.

In the year 862, a new state called the Rus' was formed, ruled by leaders from Scandinavia. This state later adopted Christianity from the Byzantine Empire. After some struggles, Moscow grew to become an important center. By the late 15th century, Moscow united many Russian lands and ended foreign rule, becoming the Tsardom of Russia.

Later, in 1721, the state was renamed the Russian Empire. It became a major power in Europe. In 1917, a revolution led to the creation of the Soviet Union in 1922. After many challenges, the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, and Russia became an independent nation again.

Geographic distribution

Main articles: Ethnic Russians in post-Soviet states and Russian diaspora

Russians live in many parts of the world. Many are in areas that were once part of the old Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. Some groups, like the Lipovans, moved to places such as the Danube delta. Others, like the Doukhobors, settled in Canada.

Today, Russian communities exist in many countries. These include the Balkans, Germany, Poland, China, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, and Australia. Big cities like New York City in the United States also have many Russian speakers. After big historical events, such as the Russian Revolution in 1917 and World War II, many Russians moved to new places around the world.

Ethnographic groups

Among Russians, there are several interesting groups, such as the Northern Russians, the Southern Russians, the Cossacks, the Goryuns, the Kamchadals, the Polekhs, the Pomors, the Russian Chinese, the Siberians (Siberiaks), Starozhily, and some groupings of Old Believers.

The two main groups are the Northern and Southern Russians. The Pomors settled along Russia's Arctic coastline, coming from Novgorod. The Cossacks lived in areas near the Don, Terek, and Ural rivers and helped shape the history and culture of those regions.

Genetics

Main article: Genetic studies on Russians

See also: Yamnaya culture § Eastern Europe and Finland, and Fatyanovo–Balanovo culture § Genetics

Russians have two main genetic groups: northern and southern. Most Russians are in the southern group. This group shares traits with East and West Slavs, like Poles and Czechs, and also with non-Slavic groups such as the Hungarians. Northern Russians share traits with North European groups, like the Balts and Germanic peoples.

Russians also share DNA with Finno-Ugric language speakers in Russia. This shows they have mixed with local groups over time. Their ancestry includes links to Western hunter-gatherers, Early European Farmers, and Western Steppe Herders. They also have unique links to Siberian and East Asian groups. The most common genetic marker among Russians is R1a.

Assimilation and immigration

Russians have often shown they can include other groups into their culture. In the past, during times of growth, people such as the Tatars, Baltic Germans, Lithuanians, and native Siberians could join the Russian identity by adopting the Russian Orthodoxy faith. This open attitude is shown in a phrase linked to Emperor Alexander III of Russia: “You want to be Russian - be that!” This phrase shows how the Russian state sometimes encouraged a shared culture among different people in places like Rus', Muscovy, and the Russian Empire.

Language

Main article: Russian language

Russian is the official language of Russia. It is the most spoken native language in Europe. Russian is also used a lot on the Internet after English and Spanish. It is one of the official languages of the International Space Station and the United Nations.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Russia

Russian literature is very important. It began in the Middle Ages with stories told in Old East Slavic. Later, in the Age of Enlightenment, writers like Mikhail Lomonosov and Nikolai Karamzin became well-known. The 1800s were a great time for writers, with famous names like Alexander Pushkin, Ivan Turgenev, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and Leo Tolstoy. In the 1900s, writers such as Anton Chekhov, Mikhail Bulgakov, and Vladimir Nabokov became important. After big changes in the country, literature split into two parts.

Russian philosophy has also been influential. It includes thinkers like Vladimir Solovyov and Nikolai Berdyaev, and others like Mikhail Bakunin, who helped start anarchism, and Vladimir Lenin. Science in Russia has many famous names, like Dmitry Mendeleev, who created the Periodic table, and Ivan Pavlov, known for his work on learning. Mikhail Lomonosov made big discoveries in chemistry, and Yuri Gagarin was the first human to travel into space.

Painting in Russia began with religious pictures, and later included famous artists like Andrei Rublev and Ivan Aivazovsky. Music grew from church songs and folk dances to include famous composers like Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Sergei Rachmaninoff. Cinema in Russia produced well-known directors like Sergei Eisenstein and Andrei Tarkovsky. Architecture in Russia has many styles, from early wooden buildings to grand palaces and modern designs.

Most people in Russia are Eastern Orthodox Christians, but there are also followers of other religions like Islam and Baptists. Sports are very popular in Russia, especially football, ice hockey, and basketball. The country has hosted big events like the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.