Indigenous peoples of Siberia

Siberia is a huge area in the northern part of the Asian continent, and it is part of Russia. Long ago, from the 16th to the 19th centuries, Russia expanded into this region, an event known as the Russian conquest of Siberia. Later, during the time from 1917 to 1991 known as the Soviet era, many people moved into Siberia, changing its population.

Even with these changes, Siberia still has many Indigenous groups. They make up about 5% of the people living there, which is around 1.6 to 1.8 million individuals. Some of these groups are closely related to the Indigenous peoples of the Americas. These communities have rich cultures and histories that continue to grow and gain attention today.

History

Further information: Russian conquest of Siberia and Siberian minorities in the Soviet era

Siberia has a long and difficult history with its original peoples. When the Russians began to explore and settle Siberia in the 1600s and 1700s, many Indigenous groups resisted. Over time, these groups faced great challenges and many lost many of their members due to diseases and conflicts.

The Indigenous peoples of Siberia have faced many hardships over the centuries. Many groups lost much of their population due to new diseases brought by settlers and conflicts. Despite these challenges, some Indigenous groups still exist today, and their numbers are slowly growing again. In some parts of Siberia, like Tuva and Sakha, Indigenous groups are actually the majority.

The Russian expansion into Siberia changed the region forever. Today, most people in Siberia are of Russian heritage, but Indigenous groups continue to work to preserve their cultures and traditions.

Overview

See also: Unified list of Indigenous minority peoples of the North, Siberia, and the Far East of Russia

Siberia is a large but not very crowded area. It has been home to many different language groups for a long time. Over the years, the number of Indigenous people there has changed. In the early 1600s, they were estimated to be around 160,000. By 1897, that number grew to 822,000. The most recent count in 2021 showed about 1,620,000 Indigenous Siberians.

• * Some estimates put the population of Siberian Tatars at 200,000.
• ** Some estimates put the population of Kamasins at 21.

Ainu people

Main articles: Ainu people, Sakhalin Ainu language, and Kuril Ainu language

See also: Ainu in Russia

Ainu languages are spoken in Sakhalin, Hokkaido, the Kurils, and the Kamchatka Peninsula, as well as in the Amur region. Today, very few people still speak these languages, mostly in Hokkaido and on Kamchatka.

Mongolic peoples

Main article: Mongolic peoples

The Buryats are one of the largest groups of people in Siberia, with about 461,389 living in Russia. They mostly live in a place called the Buryat Republic, which is part of Russia. The Buryats are related to the Mongols and share many traditions, like moving with their animals and building special tents for shelter. Many Buryats now live in towns, but some still live in the countryside.

There are also smaller groups of people called the Hamnigans in Russia, Mongolia, and China, and the Altai Oirats in parts of Russia. These groups are often counted with other groups, so not many people know about them.

Paleosiberian peoples

Main articles: Ancient Paleo-Siberians and Paleosiberian languages

There are four small groups of languages in Siberia that do not share a common origin. These are known as the Paleo-Siberian languages.

The Chukotko-Kamchatkan languages include Chukchi, Koryak, Alutor, and Kerek. These are spoken in the far east of Siberia. The Itelmen language, also called Kamchadal, is related but very rare today.

The Nivkh language is spoken near the Amur River and on Sakhalin Island. The Ket language is the last remaining language of the Yeniseian family, spoken along the Yenisei River. The Yukaghir language is spoken in two different forms in the Kolyma and Indigirka valleys.

Tungusic peoples

Further information: Tungusic peoples

The Evenki are one of the Indigenous groups living in the Evenk Autonomous Okrug in Russia. Other Indigenous peoples of Siberia include the Udege, Ulchs, Evens, and Nanai, also called Hezhen. These groups share genetic connections with the Indigenous peoples of the Americas.

Turkic peoples

See also: Siberian Turkic languages and Turkic peoples

The Turkic peoples are a group of ethnic groups in Siberia. They include groups such as the Altaians, Chulyms, Dolgans, Khakas, Shors, and Siberian Tatars. Each of these groups has their own smaller subgroups, such as the Chelkans, Kumandins, and Telengits within the Altaians, and many others within the Siberian Tatars. Other groups include the Soyots, Tofalar, and Yakuts, among others.

Uralic peoples

Ob-Ugrians

Further information: Ob-Ugric languages and Ob-Ugrians

The Khanty and Mansi people live in Khanty–Mansi Autonomous Okrug, a region in Russia that was once called "Yugra." Their lands have faced challenges from oil and gas companies, and laws that helped protect their communities have become weaker.

Samoyeds

Further information: Samoyedic peoples

Samoyedic peoples include several groups such as the Nenets, Enets, Nganasan, Selkup, and others. Some of these groups no longer exist as distinct communities.

Yukaghir group

The Yukaghir people live in East Siberia, mainly around the Kolyma River. They have two main groups: the Tundra Yukaghirs and the Taiga Yukaghirs. Their language, Yukaghir, has two different forms that people cannot easily understand between each other.

In the past, the number of Yukaghirs went down because of diseases, wars, and policies from Russian rulers. Some Yukaghirs mixed with other groups like the Yakuts, Evens, and Russians. Today, Yukaghirs live in parts of the Sakha Republic and Chukotka Autonomous Okrug in Russia. According to a count in 2002, there were about 1,509 Yukaghirs.

Genetic relationships and links to Indigenous peoples of the Americas

See also: Ancient Paleo-Siberian

The Indigenous peoples of Siberia share deep historical ties with the Indigenous peoples of the Americas. Long ago, around 38,000 years ago, the earliest people in Siberia were related to both Europeans and Asians. They later mixed with groups from East Asia, creating new populations.

Around 36,000 years ago, people from Southern China moved north into Siberia, meeting and mixing with local groups. This mixing led to the ancestors of Native Americans, who later traveled across the Beringia land bridge to populate the Americas. Modern Indigenous Siberians still carry genetic links to these ancient groups and to Indigenous peoples of the Americas. Studies of DNA have shown close connections, especially among certain Siberian groups like the Kets and Selkups, who share unique genetic markers with Native American populations.

Culture and customs

Customs and beliefs differ a lot among various tribes in Siberia.

The Chukchi people wore special armor made from tough leather, strengthened with wood and bones. They honored Kutkh, a powerful spirit in the shape of a raven, along with other Siberian groups. They also worshipped Toko'yoto, known as the "Crab," as their sea god, and Nu'tenut as their main god. The Chukchi deeply respect reindeer, holding many rituals for them. For the Yukaghirs, their main god is called Pon, meaning "Something," and he is also seen as very powerful.

Notable people

On 17 December 2025, Daria Egereva, a leader of the Selkup people and Co-Chair of the IIPFCC, was arrested in Russia after coming back from the UN Climate Change Conference in Belém. She has been held while waiting for her trial since 18 December 2025. She faces serious charges and could be sentenced to many years in prison. The Russian human rights group Memorial considers Egereva to be a political prisoner, and the IIPFCC is asking for her release.

Literature

Here are some important books and studies about the literature and traditions of the Indigenous peoples of Siberia:

• Rubcova, E. S. wrote about the language and stories of the Eskimoes in a book published in 1954.
• Menovščikov, G. A. shared ideas about beliefs and ceremonies of the Asiatic Eskimoes in a collection of works from 1968.
• Barüske, Heinz collected Eskimo tales in a book from 1969.
• Merkur, Daniel discussed shamanism and special ceremonies among the Inuit in his 1985 book.
• Kleivan, I. and Sonne, B. created a book about Eskimos from Greenland and Canada, published in 1985.