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RUSSIA

Legislation

State Languages of the Russian Federation

LanguageWhere in the RF a language has the official statusLegislation guaranteeing the official status of the language (the year of adoption)
Constitution Language Act		The total number of the state languages
AbazaKarachayevo-Circassia1996    19965
AvarDaghestan1994   **14
AdyghianAdyghe1994    19952
AltaicAltai"-"    19932
BashkirianBashkortostan"-"    19992
BuryatianBuryatia1994    "-"2
ChechenChechnya
Daghestan		1997
1994 *		2
*14
ChuvasChuvashia"-"    19902
DargwaDaghestan1994    **14
IngushIngushetia1994    "-"2
KalmykKalmykia1994    19912
Kabarda-CircassianKabardino-Balkaria
Karachayevo-Circassia		1995    1995
1996 1996		3
5
Karachay-BalkarKarachayevo-Circassia
Kabardino-Balkaria		1996    1996
1995 1995		5
3
KhakassianKhakassia"-"    19922
Komi-ZyryanKomi1994    19922
Komi-PermyakKomi-Permyatski AR19941
KumykDaghestan1994    **14
LakDaghestan1994    **14
LezginDaghestan1994    **14
Mari GornyMari El1993    19953
Mari LugovoyMari El1993    19953
Mordvinian-MokshaMordvinian Republic1995    "-"3
Mordvinian-ErzyaMordvinian Republic 
NogayKarachayevo-Circassia
Daghestan		1996   1996
1994   1994		5
*14
OssetianNorth Ossetia1994   "-"2
RussianRussian Federation1991   1992On the whole territory
TabassaranDaghestan1994   **14
TatarTatarstan"-"   19922
TatDaghestan1994   **14
TuvinTouva1993   19902
UdmurtianUdmurtia1994   "-"2
YakutSakha-Yakutia1992   19922

A key to the table:

“*” - Means that in this republic the Language Law has not been adopted yet, but it exists as a draft

“*14” - Means that in the draft of the republican law fourteen languages are represented. In the Constitution of the Republic of Daghestan all languages are proclaimed to be state languages.

“AR” – Means Autonomous Region

Russian has an official status on the whole territory of the RF

State LanguagesThe percentage of speakers
Adyghe1. Russian
2. Adyghianv		68.0
22.1
Altai1. Russian
2. Altaic		60.4
31.0
Bashkortostan1. Russian
2. Bashkirian		39.3
21.9
Buryatia1. Russian
2. Buryatian		70.0
24.0
Chuvashia1. Chuvash
2. Russian		67.8
26.7
Daghestan1. Avar
2. Dargwa
3. Kumyk
4. Lezgin
5. Russian
6. Lak
7. Tabassaran
8. Azerbaijan
9. Chechen
10. Nogay
11. Agul
12. Rutul
13. Tat
14. Tsakhurian		27.5
15.6
12.9
11.3
9.2
5.1
4.3
4.2
3.2
1.6
0.8
0.8
0.7
0.3
Kabardino-Balkaria1. Kabardian-Chercass
2. Russian
3. Karachay-Balkar		48.2
32.0
9.4
Kalmykia1. Kalmyk
2. Russian		45.4
37.7
Karachayevo-Circassia1. Russian
2.Karachay-Balkar
3. Kabardian-Chercass
4. Abaza
5. Nogay		42.4
31.2
9.7
6.6
3.2
Khakassia1. Russian
2. Khakassia		79.2
11.1
Komi1. Russian
2. Komi-Zyryn		57.7
23.3
Komi-Permyatski AR1. Komi-Permyak
2. Russian		60.2
36.1
Mari El1. Russian
2. Mari Lugovoy
3. Mari Gorny		47.5
43.3
Mordvinian Republic1. Russian
2. Mordvin Moksha
3. Mordvin Erzya		60.8
32.5
Sakha-Yakutia1. Russian
2. Yakut		50.3
33.4
North Ossetia1. Ossetian
2. Russian		53.0
29.9
Tatarstan1. Tatar
2. Russian		48.5
43.3
Touva1. Tuvin
2. Russian		64.3
36.2
Udmurtia1. Russian
2. Udmurt		58.9
30.9
The RF (whole territory)1. Russian81.5

A key to the table:

Statistical data on the Chechen and Ingush languages are not presented, because previously both languages functioned on the territory of the Republic of Checheno-Ingushetia. Nowadays these languages are used in two different republics (the Chechen language in Chechnya, the Ingush language in Ingushetia). Before the collapse of the USSR 57.8 percent of Chechnyans, 23.1 percent of Russians, and 12.9 percent of Ingushians lived in Checheno-Ingushetian Autonomous Republic.

Source: World Congress on Language Policies, Barcelona, April 16-20, 2002, “Language Policy in the Russian Federation,” by V. Mikhalchenko, http://www.linguapax.org/congres/taller/taller3/Mikhalchenko.html

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