KHAKASSIA

The Khakass people have been termed “the most ethnically complex minority in all of Russia.” Called “Tatars” for 200 years, during the tsarist era, the label “Khakass” did not emerge until the 20th century, and derives from the Kacha word for “people.”

The main language of the Khakass – which is comprised of three main tribes, the Sagay, Beltire and Koybal – is Kacha, but about 70% of Khakass speak Russian. More than half intermarry with ethnic Russians. About three-quarters of the region’s population lives in urban centers.