Astrakhan Kazakhs Explained

Group:Astrakhan Kazakhs
Астрахан қазақтары
Population:200,586
Region1:Astrakhan Oblast
Pop1:149,415[1]
Region2:Volgograd Oblast
Pop2:46,223
Region3:Republic of Kalmykia
Pop3:4,948
Langs:Kazakh, Russian
Rels:Islam, other (including atheism)

Astrakhan Kazakhs are people of Kazakh ethnicity originating from or living in the historically Central Asian city and region of Astrakhan in South-Western Russia. The Kazakhs of the neighboring regions of Volgograd and Kalmykia share history and culture with Astrakhan Kazakhs and are often considered a part of them. They are the second biggest ethnic group in Astrakhan Oblast, making up about 16% of its population. Their demographic situation is stable and their number and percentage are growing, unlike those of many other population groups including ethnic Russians.

Language

Astrakhan Kazakhs generally speak Western dialects of the Kazakh language, but in bigger villages and towns language shift to Russian is becoming more and more common. Many rural schools offer standard Kazakh as a non-mandatory subject, using textbooks imported from Kazakhstan.

Astrakhan dialects of Russian are noticeably influenced by Kazakh and differ considerably from the Central Russian spoken in Moscow and its surroundings.

Notes and References

  1. http://www.gks.ru/free_doc/new_site/population/demo/per-itog/tab7.xls Ethnic composition of Russia's federal subjects