To Index| Group | Where | Number of Adherents |
% of total pop. |
Number of congreg./ churches/ units |
Number of countries |
Year | Source | Quote/ Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scientology | Russia | - | - | 40 units |
- | 1999 | *LINK* web page (OPPOSING VIEW): "Scientology Worldwide " (viewed 13 Feb. 1999); "Last Update on 10th Feb. 1999 " | Number here ( "# congregations ") represent total of all orgs: Dianetic Centers, Celebrity Centers, missions, etc.; "CoS web sites have lists of Missions (1998) & Orgs (1996) from which the Table below is derived. Original concept and research by 'Inducto'. " |
| Tenrikyo - graduated from Shuyoka | Russia | 0 | - | - | - | 1998 | *LINK* official Tenrikyo web site; page: "A Statistical Review of Tenrikyo: 2 of 2 " (viewed 10 Dec. 1999) | Table: "Statistics on followers who... graduated from Shuyoka... between Jan. and Dec. 1998. "; "Data by Research Section and Overseas Mission Department " |
| Tenrikyo - new Besseki Pledge | Russia | 0 | - | - | - | 1998 | *LINK* official Tenrikyo web site; page: "A Statistical Review of Tenrikyo: 2 of 2 " (viewed 10 Dec. 1999) | Table: "Statistics on followers who took the Besseki Pledge... between Jan. and Dec. 1998. "; "Data by Research Section and Overseas Mission Department " |
| Tenrikyo - received the Sazuke | Russia | 1 | - | - | - | 1998 | *LINK* official Tenrikyo web site; page: "A Statistical Review of Tenrikyo: 2 of 2 " (viewed 10 Dec. 1999) | Table: "Statistics on followers who... received the Sazuke... between Jan. and Dec. 1998. "; "Data by Research Section and Overseas Mission Department " |
| Tuvans | Russia | 235,000 | - | - | - | 1998 | Gall, Timothy L. (ed). Worldmark Encyclopedia of Culture & Daily Life: Vol. 4 - Europe. Cleveland, OH: Eastword Publications Development (1998), pg. 383, 385. | "Tuvans: Location: Russia (southern Siberia); Population: 235,000; Religions: Shamanism; Buddhism "; "The ancient religion of the Tuvans is shamanism... The Tibetan variety of Buddhism was brought to Tuva by Mongolian lamas... during the 18th century & soon claimed many converts. Instead of abandoning shamanism, however, the Tuvans continued to practice it along with the new religion... During the 1930s, the Tuvan government... destroyed the monasteries & imprisoned or killed many Tuvan lamas & shamans. Tuvan religious practiced emerged from underground in the 1980s when the [Gorbachev] put an end to the Soviet government's war on religion. Since then, several young Tuvans have gone to Mongolia's buddhist monasteries for religious training, & Tuvan Buddhists have made plans to rebuild some of the destroyed monasteries. " |
| Udmurts | Russia | 746,000 | - | - | - | 1989 | Gall, Timothy L. (ed). Worldmark Encyclopedia of Culture & Daily Life: Vol. 4 - Europe. Cleveland, OH: Eastword Publications Development (1998), pg. 389-390. | "Udmurts: Location: Russia; Population: 746,000 (1989); Religions: Eastern Orthodox Christianity; native Udmurt religion "; "Today the majority of Udmurts professing religious beliefs are Eastern Orthodox Christians, although a significant minority of Udmurts, especially those inhabiting southern Udmurtia, Tatarstan, and Bashkortostan, have retained their formal adherence to native Udmurt religion and commonly refer to themselves as 'unbaptized' Udmurts... Udmurt native religion had and continues to have a communal orientation, and many of the ritual prayers and sacrifices are held in conjunction with the gathering of the village... At the summit of the Udmurt pantheon is Inmar, the supreme god. Today, the Christian Udmurts use this term to refer to the Christian god as well... " |
| Unification Church | Russia | 500 | - | - | - | 1997 | *LINK* Shterin, Marat S. "NEW RELIGIONS, CULTS AND SECTS IN RUSSIA: A CRITIQUE AND BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE PROBLEMS " | Of the groups I have studied, the Moonies have never had more than 800 members in Russia (they now have about 500) |
| Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists of Russia | Russia | 85,000 | - | 1,200 units |
- | 1998 | *LINK* Baptist World Alliance web site; page: "BWA Statistics " (viewed 31 March 1999). | "Figures are for BWA affiliated conventions/unions only (no independents included). "; Table with 3 columns: Country, "Churches ", & "Members "; "1997/1998 Totals " |
| Unitarian/Unitarian Universalist | Russia | 30 | - | 2 units |
- | 1998 | *LINK* directory on offical church web site | CONGREGATIONS: 2: Moscow and St. Petersburgh; MEMBERS: about 30; ages 17 to 70 |
| United Methodist Church | Russia | - | - | 4 units |
- | 1991 | *LINK* Moore, Carrie A. "Pastor faces hurdles in Russia " in Deseret News (26 Feb 2000) | "According to United Methodist News Service, Bishop Minor told conferees that when the Russia Initiative was started in 1991, Russia had four United Methodist churches. " |
| United Methodist Church | Russia | 5,000 | - | 60 units |
- | 2000 | *LINK* Mims, Bob. "'God Told Me I Must Be A Minister': But Methodist pastor visiting Salt Lake says it's not easy being a Protestant in Russia " in Salt Lake Tribune (26 Feb 2000) | "Although Methodists trace their history in Russia back two centuries, the church disappeared under the Communist regime. Since the church's re-establishment after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, it has grown to 60 congregations and more than 5,000 members. " |
| United Methodist Church | Russia | 5,000 | - | 70 units |
- | 2000 | *LINK* Moore, Carrie A. "Pastor faces hurdles in Russia " in Deseret News (26 Feb 2000) | "According to United Methodist News Service, Bishop Minor told conferees that... Today, there are 70 congregations with 5,000 members in six districts, spread out across a vast country that encompasses 11 time zones. " |
| Unity Church | Russia | - | - | 2 units |
- | 1998 | *LINK* official organization web site (viewed 1998) | Counted the churches in their directory. |
| miscellaneous regional info | Russia | - | - | - | - | 1995 | Kort, Michael. Russia (series: Nations in Transition). New York: Facts on File, Inc. (1995), pg. 132. | "Freedom of religion has led to a religious revival. Thousands of churches and other places of worship have been returned to the control of religious authorities and permitted to open. Monasteries that the Soviets had seized... are filled with monks and echo with melodies of medieval religious chants... " |
| miscellaneous regional info | Russia | - | - | - | - | 1997 | *LINK* CIA World Factbook web site (viewed Aug. 1998) | Total population: 147,305,569. Russian Orthodox, Muslim, other |
| Islam | Russia - Maris | - | - | - | - | 1989 | Gall, Timothy L. (ed). Worldmark Encyclopedia of Culture & Daily Life: Vol. 4 - Europe. Cleveland, OH: Eastword Publications Development (1998), pg. 247-249. | "Location: Russia (Middle Volga River region); Population: 670,900 (1989) "; "As a result of their long contact with Tatars, many Mari communities, especially Lowland Maris, became Muslim, but these groups became assimilated into Tatar society, and their descendants came to consider themselves Muslims and Tatars, rather than Maris. " |
| Mari traditional religion | Russia - Maris | - | - | - | - | 1989 | Gall, Timothy L. (ed). Worldmark Encyclopedia of Culture & Daily Life: Vol. 4 - Europe. Cleveland, OH: Eastword Publications Development (1998), pg. 247-249. | "Maris: Location: Russia (Middle Volga River region); Population: 670,900 (1989) "; "Of all peoples of the Middle Volga region, & arguably [all Russia]... Maris have been the most successful at retaining their native religion while at the same time resisting the pressures of Islamization. Not only has the adherence to native religious traditions deeply influenced Mari folklore and cultural life in general... many communities have both formally & informally retained their native religion... termed chi marla vera (the genuine Mari faith)... vast majority of Eastern Maris... have remained staunch adherents... in recent times, native Mari religion has become a political force through the creation of a political organization for the adherents of the chi marla vera. This organization, called Osh Mari Chi Mari, seeks to legitimize Mari native religion &, against the protests of the Russian Orthodox Church, revitalize it. " |
| Osh Mari Chi Mari | Russia - Maris | - | - | - | - | 1989 | Gall, Timothy L. (ed). Worldmark Encyclopedia of Culture & Daily Life: Vol. 4 - Europe. Cleveland, OH: Eastword Publications Development (1998), pg. 247-249. | "...in recent times, native Mari religion has become a political force through the creation of a political organization for the adherents of the chi marla vera. This organization, called Osh Mari Chi Mari, seeks to legitimize Mari native religion and, against the protests of the Russian Orthodox Church, revitalize it. " |
| Russian Orthodox | Russia - Maris | 446,819 | 66.00% | - | - | 1989 | Gall, Timothy L. (ed). Worldmark Encyclopedia of Culture & Daily Life: Vol. 4 - Europe. Cleveland, OH: Eastword Publications Development (1998), pg. 247-249. | "Location: Russia (Middle Volga River region); Population: 670,900 (1989) "; "...most Maris were converted to Eastern Orthodoxy during the 1st half of the 18th cen., & today roughly two-thirds of religious Maris are Orthodox Christians. Christianity took especially deep roots among the Hill Mari, who were all Christians by the beginning of the 19th century. Similarly, the vast majority of Lowland Mari were also Christian by the beginning of the 19th century, although many communities both formally & informally retained their native religion, which they termed chi marla vera (the genuine Mari faith), as oposed to the rushla vera (Russian faith) of the Christianized Maris. Finally, the vast majority of Eastern Maris, both in Bashkortostan & the Urals region, have remained staunch adherents of the chi marla vera. " |
| Bashkirs | Russia: Bashkortostan | 1,320,000 | 33.00% | - | - | 1999 | *LINK* Unrepresented Nations & Peoples Organisation web site; web page: "Bashkortostan " (Viewed 16 Aug. 1999). | "BASHKORTOSTAN... Geographical Features: The Republic of Bashkortostan lies in the South Ural mountains bordering with Tatarstan, the Udmurt Republic and the provinces of Perm, Yekaterinburg, Cheliabinsk and Orenburg. Area: 143,600 km2. Capital: Ufa. Population: The population of Bashkortostan is nearly 4 million and one third of them is Bashkir. A great number of Bashkirs live in other parts of the Russian Federation. Ethnic Diversity: Russians, Chuvash, Udmurts, Mari and others inhabit 40% of the territory. " |
| Chuvash | Russia: Chuvash | 900,000 | - | - | - | 1997 | *LINK* Gamming, Jenny. They have a flag-but no country " in Swedish Expressen, 17 Aug. 1997. (Viewed 16 Aug. 1999). Unrepresented Nations & Peoples Organisation web site. Translated by SSF/Goran Hansson. | "Chuvash is a territory in the middle Volga region, about 500 kilometres east of Moscow. There are 1.8 million Chuvash, about half living in Chuvash. Presently Chuvash is an autonomous region in the Russian Federation. " |
| Chuvash | Russia: Chuvash | 952,000 | 68.00% | - | - | 1999 | *LINK* Unrepresented Nations & Peoples Organisation web site; web page: "Chuvash " (Viewed 16 Aug. 1999). | "The Chuvash Republic is situated in the mid-Volga region. It borders the Mordovo Republic, the Mari Republic, the Republic of Tatarstan, and the Nizhni-Novgorod and Uljansk district of the Russian Federation.... Chuvash are descendants of the Bulgar people. The population of Chuvash Republic is 1.4 million, of which Chuvash make up 68%. Other groups are Russians (26.7%), Tatars (2.7%) and Mordovians (1.4%). " |
| Mordvins | Russia: Chuvash | 19,600 | 1.40% | - | - | 1999 | *LINK* Unrepresented Nations & Peoples Organisation web site; web page: "Chuvash " (Viewed 16 Aug. 1999). | "The population of Chuvash Republic is 1.4 million, of which Chuvash make up 68%. Other groups are Russians (26.7%), Tatars (2.7%) and Mordovians (1.4%). " |
| Tatars | Russia: Chuvash | 37,800 | 2.70% | - | - | 1999 | *LINK* Unrepresented Nations & Peoples Organisation web site; web page: "Chuvash " (Viewed 16 Aug. 1999). | "The population of Chuvash Republic is 1.4 million, of which Chuvash make up 68%. Other groups are Russians (26.7%), Tatars (2.7%) and Mordovians (1.4%). " |
| Circassians | Russia: Circassia | - | 10.00% | - | - | 1997 | *LINK* Gamming, Jenny. They have a flag-but no country " in Swedish Expressen, 17 Aug. 1997. (Viewed 16 Aug. 1999). Unrepresented Nations & Peoples Organisation web site. Translated by SSF/Goran Hansson. | "The historic Circassia is situated in Caucasia, north of the eastern Black Sea. During the war between 1711-1864, Circassia lost 90% of its population, some through deportation to the Ottoman Empire... Only 10% of the population in Circassia are ethnic Circassians. " |
| Circassians | Russia: Circassia | - | 10.00% | - | - | 1999 | *LINK* Unrepresented Nations & Peoples Organisation web site; web page: "Circassia " (Viewed 16 Aug. 1999). | "The historic Circassia is situated in Caucasia, north of the eastern Black Sea... Only 10% of the population of Circassia are ethnic Circassians. " |
| Karaites | Russia: Crimea | 2,000 | - | - | - | 1794 | Ross, Dan. Acts of Faith: A Journey to the Fringes of Jewish Identity. New York: St. Martin's Press (1982), pg. 127. | "Catherine the Great annexed the Crimea to the Russian Empire in 1783, and Lithuania ten years later... in 1792 and 1794 she issued a pair of repressive decrees... More than two thousand Karaites were among the Jews in the recently annexed territories, most of them in the Crimea. " |
| Karaites | Russia: Crimea | 13,000 | - | - | - | 1900 | Ross, Dan. Acts of Faith: A Journey to the Fringes of Jewish Identity. New York: St. Martin's Press (1982), pg. 130. | "After [Lithuania and Crimea] were annexed by Russia, Karaites prospered, especially in Crimea... The Karaite population grew to nearly thirteen thousand by the turn of this century. " |
| Tatars | Russia: Crimea | 150,000 | 6.00% | - | - | 1999 | *LINK* Unrepresented Nations & Peoples Organisation web site; web page: "Crimean Tatars " (Viewed 16 Aug. 1999). | "The total population of Crimea is approximately 2.5 million of which 6% are Crimean Tatars, 68% are Russian, 23% Ukrain and 3% Belorussian, Armenian, Greek, German and Karaim. 90% of this population settled in Crimes after the entire Crimean Tatar population had been deported by Stalin in 1944. " |
| Agul | Russia: Dagestan | 19,000 | - | - | - | 1989 | Gall, Timothy L. (ed). Worldmark Encyclopedia of Culture & Daily Life: Vol. 4 - Europe. Cleveland, OH: Eastword Publications Development (1998), pg. 294-295. | Table with 2 columns: "Ethnic Group " [not religious groups] & "Population "; Pg. 295: "Aside from the Mountain Jews and the Christian Cossacks, the peoples of Dagestan are almost exclusively Muslim. " |
| Agul | Russia: Dagestan | 12,000 | 0.60% | - | - | 1993 | Twining, David T. The New Eurasia: A Guide to the Republics of the Former Soviet Union. Westport, CT: Praeger (1993), pg. 52. | "Dagestan's more than 2 million residents range from half a million Avars to 12,000 Aguls. Most are Sunni Muslims, but Shiites, Jews, and a small group of Christians live there as well. " |
| Avar | Russia: Dagestan | 601,000 | - | - | - | 1989 | Gall, Timothy L. (ed). Worldmark Encyclopedia of Culture & Daily Life: Vol. 4 - Europe. Cleveland, OH: Eastword Publications Development (1998), pg. 294-295. | Table with 2 columns: "Ethnic Group " [not religious groups] & "Population "; Pg. 295: "Aside from the Mountain Jews and the Christian Cossacks, the peoples of Dagestan are almost exclusively Muslim. " |
| Avar | Russia: Dagestan | 500,000 | 25.00% | - | - | 1993 | Twining, David T. The New Eurasia: A Guide to the Republics of the Former Soviet Union. Westport, CT: Praeger (1993), pg. 52. | "Dagestan's more than 2 million residents range from half a million Avars to 12,000 Aguls. Most are Sunni Muslims, but Shiites, Jews, and a small group of Christians live there as well. " |
| Dargin | Russia: Dagestan | 365,000 | - | - | - | 1989 | Gall, Timothy L. (ed). Worldmark Encyclopedia of Culture & Daily Life: Vol. 4 - Europe. Cleveland, OH: Eastword Publications Development (1998), pg. 294-295. | Table with 2 columns: "Ethnic Group " [not religious groups] & "Population "; Pg. 295: "Aside from the Mountain Jews and the Christian Cossacks, the peoples of Dagestan are almost exclusively Muslim. " |
| Islam | Russia: Dagestan | - | - | - | - | 1989 | Gall, Timothy L. (ed). Worldmark Encyclopedia of Culture & Daily Life: Vol. 4 - Europe. Cleveland, OH: Eastword Publications Development (1998), pg. 294-295. | "The few peoples of Dagestan who are not Muslim include... " |
| Kumyk | Russia: Dagestan | 282,000 | - | - | - | 1989 | Gall, Timothy L. (ed). Worldmark Encyclopedia of Culture & Daily Life: Vol. 4 - Europe. Cleveland, OH: Eastword Publications Development (1998), pg. 294-295. | Table with 2 columns: "Ethnic Group " [not religious groups] & "Population "; Pg. 295: "Aside from the Mountain Jews and the Christian Cossacks, the peoples of Dagestan are almost exclusively Muslim. " |
| Lak | Russia: Dagestan | 118,000 | - | - | - | 1989 | Gall, Timothy L. (ed). Worldmark Encyclopedia of Culture & Daily Life: Vol. 4 - Europe. Cleveland, OH: Eastword Publications Development (1998), pg. 294-295. | Table with 2 columns: "Ethnic Group " [not religious groups] & "Population "; Pg. 295: "Aside from the Mountain Jews and the Christian Cossacks, the peoples of Dagestan are almost exclusively Muslim. " |
| Lezgin | Russia: Dagestan | 466,000 | - | - | - | 1989 | Gall, Timothy L. (ed). Worldmark Encyclopedia of Culture & Daily Life: Vol. 4 - Europe. Cleveland, OH: Eastword Publications Development (1998), pg. 294-295. | Table with 2 columns: "Ethnic Group " [not religious groups] & "Population "; Pg. 295: "Aside from the Mountain Jews and the Christian Cossacks, the peoples of Dagestan are almost exclusively Muslim. " |
| Mountain Jews | Russia: Dagestan | 19,000 | - | - | - | 1989 | Gall, Timothy L. (ed). Worldmark Encyclopedia of Culture & Daily Life: Vol. 4 - Europe. Cleveland, OH: Eastword Publications Development (1998), pg. 294-295. | Table with 2 columns: "Ethnic Group " & "Population "; "The few peoples of Dagestan who are not Muslim include the Mountain Jews, who follow Judaism rather than Islam, and the Cossacks, who are Christian... "; Pg. 295: "Aside from the Mountain Jews and the Christian Cossacks, the peoples of Dagestan are almost exclusively Muslim... In particular, the Mountain Jews have retained an ancient Jewish faith featuring a unique blending of Caucasian Mountaineer practices and Jewish religious traditions. " |
| Nogai | Russia: Dagestan | 75,000 | - | - | - | 1989 | Gall, Timothy L. (ed). Worldmark Encyclopedia of Culture & Daily Life: Vol. 4 - Europe. Cleveland, OH: Eastword Publications Development (1998), pg. 294-295. | Table with 2 columns: "Ethnic Group " [not religious groups] & "Population "; Pg. 295: "Aside from the Mountain Jews and the Christian Cossacks, the peoples of Dagestan are almost exclusively Muslim. " |
| Rutul | Russia: Dagestan | 20,000 | - | - | - | 1989 | Gall, Timothy L. (ed). Worldmark Encyclopedia of Culture & Daily Life: Vol. 4 - Europe. Cleveland, OH: Eastword Publications Development (1998), pg. 294-295. | Table with 2 columns: "Ethnic Group " [not religious groups] & "Population "; Pg. 295: "Aside from the Mountain Jews and the Christian Cossacks, the peoples of Dagestan are almost exclusively Muslim. " |
| Tabasaran | Russia: Dagestan | 98,000 | - | - | - | 1989 | Gall, Timothy L. (ed). Worldmark Encyclopedia of Culture & Daily Life: Vol. 4 - Europe. Cleveland, OH: Eastword Publications Development (1998), pg. 294-295. | Table with 2 columns: "Ethnic Group " [not religious groups] & "Population "; Pg. 295: "Aside from the Mountain Jews and the Christian Cossacks, the peoples of Dagestan are almost exclusively Muslim. " |
| Tsakhur | Russia: Dagestan | 20,000 | - | - | - | 1989 | Gall, Timothy L. (ed). Worldmark Encyclopedia of Culture & Daily Life: Vol. 4 - Europe. Cleveland, OH: Eastword Publications Development (1998), pg. 294-295. | Table with 2 columns: "Ethnic Group " [not religious groups] & "Population "; Pg. 295: "Aside from the Mountain Jews and the Christian Cossacks, the peoples of Dagestan are almost exclusively Muslim. " |
| miscellaneous regional info | Russia: Dagestan | - | - | - | - | 1989 | Gall, Timothy L. (ed). Worldmark Encyclopedia of Culture & Daily Life: Vol. 4 - Europe. Cleveland, OH: Eastword Publications Development (1998), pg. 294-295. | "Peoples of Dagestan: Location: Dagestan in the Caucasus Mountain region between Russia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia "; "The name Dagestan refers only to the territory of Dagestan. It does not refer to a particular ethnic group... The most recent official census in Dagestan was taken in 1989. At that time, the list of officially recognized ethnic groups and their populations was as follows: " [Table with 2 columns: "Ethnic Group " [not religious groups] & "Population "; "The few peoples of Dagestan who are not Muslim include the Mountain Jews, who follow Judaism... and the Cossacks, who are Christians. Cossacks are not identified in official census data but live as a distinct ethnic group in Dagestan. " Pg. 295: "Aside from the Mountain Jews and the Christian Cossacks, the peoples of Dagestan are almost exclusively Muslim. " |
| miscellaneous regional info | Russia: Dagestan | - | - | - | - | 1993 | Twining, David T. The New Eurasia: A Guide to the Republics of the Former Soviet Union. Westport, CT: Praeger (1993), pg. 52. | "Dagestan's more than 2 million residents range from half a million Avars to 12,000 Aguls. Most are Sunni Muslims, but Shiites, Jews, and a small group of Christians live there as well. " |
| Kalmyks | Russia: Kalmykia | - | - | - | - | 1931 | Gall, Timothy L. (ed). Worldmark Encyclopedia of Culture & Daily Life: Vol. 4 - Europe. Cleveland, OH: Eastword Publications Development (1998), pg. 203, 205-206. | "Kalmyks: Location: Russia (Republic of Kalmykia in the southwest); Population: 174,528 [1989]; Religion: Tibetan sect [Geluk] of Mahayana Buddhism (Lamaism) "; "Religion in the Kalmyk Autonomous Republic was completely suppressed [by Soviets]. All Buddhist temples were either closed or destroyed. The last elected religions head of the Kalmyk people, Lama Lubsan Sharab Tepkin (born in 1875), was arrested in 1931, tried, condemned, and exiled... " |
| Kalmyks | Russia: Kalmykia | 174,528 | - | 1 unit |
- | 1989 | Gall, Timothy L. (ed). Worldmark Encyclopedia of Culture & Daily Life: Vol. 4 - Europe. Cleveland, OH: Eastword Publications Development (1998), pg. 203, 206. | "Kalmyks: Location: Russia (Republic of Kalmykia in the southwest); Population: 174,528 [1989]; Religion: Tibetan sect [Geluk] of Mahayana Buddhism (Lamaism) "; "The first sign of the revival of Buddhism [after Soviet suppression] in Kalmykia can be dated to January 1989, when the first (albeit small) khurul (Kalmyk Buddhist temple) began to function in Elista. In June of that year, the first group of 10 Kalmyk boys was selected and sent to Ulan Bator in Mongolia to study Buddhist scriptures and prayers at the local Buddhist academy. " |
| Tibetan Buddhism - Geluk order | Russia: Kalmykia | - | - | - | - | 1931 | Gall, Timothy L. (ed). Worldmark Encyclopedia of Culture & Daily Life: Vol. 4 - Europe. Cleveland, OH: Eastword Publications Development (1998), pg. 203, 205-206. | "Kalmyks: Location: Russia (Republic of Kalmykia in the southwest); Population: 174,528 [1989]; Religion: Tibetan sect [Geluk] of Mahayana Buddhism (Lamaism) "; "Religion in the Kalmyk Autonomous Republic was completely suppressed [by Soviets]. All Buddhist temples were either closed or destroyed. The last elected religions head of the Kalmyk people, Lama Lubsan Sharab Tepkin (born in 1875), was arested in 1931, tried, condemned, and exiled... " |
| Tibetan Buddhism - Geluk order | Russia: Kalmykia | 174,528 | - | - | - | 1989 | Gall, Timothy L. (ed). Worldmark Encyclopedia of Culture & Daily Life: Vol. 4 - Europe. Cleveland, OH: Eastword Publications Development (1998), pg. 203, 205-206. | "Kalmyks: Location: Russia (Republic of Kalmykia in the southwest); Population: 174,528 [1989]; Religion: Tibetan sect of Mahayana Buddhism (Lamaism) "; "The Kalmyks were faithful and fervent Buddhists, following the faith of their forebears. If Kalmykia is classified as a part of Europe, then the Kalmyks would be considered the only Buddhist ethnic group inhabiting Europe. They belong to the Tibetan 'Yellow Hat' or Gelugpa (Virtuous Way) sect of the Mahayana or Northern branch of Buddhism, which is also commonly referred to as Lamaism. It still contains an admixture of indigenous beliefs and shamanistic practices. The Kalmyks were converted from their earlier shamanistic beliefs to Tibetan Buddhism shortly before they reached the Lower Volga area in the early 17th century. " |
| Belarussians | Russia: Komi | 25,017 | 2.00% | - | - | 1999 | *LINK* Unrepresented Nations & Peoples Organisation web site; web page: "Komi " (Viewed 16 Aug. 1999). | "Approximately 1,250,8470 [sic: should be approx. 1.25 million] people live in the Republic of Komi... Other groups include Ukrainians (8%), Belarussians (2%) and Tatars (2%). " |
| indigenous | Russia: Komi | 250,000 | - | - | - | 1997 | *LINK* Gamming, Jenny. They have a flag-but no country " in Swedish Expressen, 17 Aug. 1997. (Viewed 16 Aug. 1999). Unrepresented Nations & Peoples Organisation web site. Translated by SSF/Goran Hansson. | "There are 250,000 indigenous inhabitants in the Republic of Komi, which is a part of the Russian Federation. Komi is situated to the west of the Ural Mountains. During the past few years many Russians have emigrated from Komi. This means that the relative indigenous population has increased as well as the possibilities to speak Komi's own language and develop its culture. " |
| Komi | Russia: Komi | 287,695 | 23.00% | - | - | 1999 | *LINK* Unrepresented Nations & Peoples Organisation web site; web page: "Komi " (Viewed 16 Aug. 1999). | "The Republic of Komi is situated in the east of the European part of the Russian Federation, near the Ural mountain range... Approximately 1,250,8470 [sic: should be approx. 1.25 million] people live in the Republic of Komi, represented more than 70 different ethnic groups. Russian comprise the largest population group - 58%, followed by the indigenous Komi people - 23%. Other groups include Ukrainians (8%), Belarussians (2%) and Tatars (2%). Languages: There are two official languages in the Republic - Komi, which belongs to the Finno-Ugric group of languages, and Russian. 74.3% of Komi people speak their mother tongue. Organisations: The Komi is represented in the UNPO by the Komi National Revival Committee. " |
| Tatars | Russia: Komi | 25,017 | 2.00% | - | - | 1999 | *LINK* Unrepresented Nations & Peoples Organisation web site; web page: "Komi " (Viewed 16 Aug. 1999). | "Approximately 1,250,8470 [sic: should be approx. 1.25 million] people live in the Republic of Komi... Other groups include Ukrainians (8%), Belarussians (2%) and Tatars (2%). " |
| Kumyk | Russia: Kumyk | 300,000 | - | - | - | 1997 | *LINK* Gamming, Jenny. They have a flag-but no country " in Swedish Expressen, 17 Aug. 1997. (Viewed 16 Aug. 1999). Unrepresented Nations & Peoples Organisation web site. Translated by SSF/Goran Hansson. | "Kumyk is situated in Dagestan near the Caspian Sea. 300,000 Kumyks live there? " |
| Judaism | Russia: Lodz | 11 | - | - | - | 1793 | Ahlstrom, Sydney E. A Religious History of the American People; Yale University Press: New Haven & London (1973), pg. 971. | "Lodz, the Russian Manchester, was a village with 11 Jews in 1793; a city with 98,677 Jews in 1897 and 166,628 in 1910. " |
| Judaism | Russia: Lodz | 98,677 | - | - | - | 1897 | Ahlstrom, Sydney E. A Religious History of the American People; Yale University Press: New Haven & London (1973), pg. 971. | "Lodz, the Russian Manchester, was a village with 11 Jews in 1793; a city with 98,677 Jews in 1897 and 166,628 in 1910. " |
| Judaism | Russia: Lodz | 166,628 | - | - | - | 1910 | Ahlstrom, Sydney E. A Religious History of the American People; Yale University Press: New Haven & London (1973), pg. 971. | "Lodz, the Russian Manchester, was a village with 11 Jews in 1793; a city with 98,677 Jews in 1897 and 166,628 in 1910. " |
| Chuvash | Russia: Mari | 7,500 | 1.00% | - | - | 1999 | *LINK* Unrepresented Nations & Peoples Organisation web site; web page: "Mari " (Viewed 16 Aug. 1999). | "The population of Mari is approximately 750,000... In the Mari Republic, Russians are the second largest population group, representing 48% of the total, Tatars 6% and Chuvash 1%. " |
| Mari | Russia: Mari | 337,500 | 45.00% | - | - | 1999 | *LINK* Unrepresented Nations & Peoples Organisation web site; web page: "Mari " (Viewed 16 Aug. 1999). | "Mari is an autonomous republic in the Russian Federation. It borders to the Chuvash Republic, the Republic of Tatarstan and the Republic of Udmurtia... The population of Mari is approximately 750,000. 43% of the ethnic Maris living in the former Soviet Union, reside in their own republic. Most Maris live in neighbouring areas. In the Mari Republic, Russians are the second largest population group, representing 48% of the total, Tatars 6% and Chuvash 1%. [100% - 48% Russian - 6% Tatar - 1% Chuvash = 45% Mari in Mari Republic.] Languages: The language in Mari is Volga Finnic, a branch of the Finno-Ugric of the Uralic family of languages. Organisations: The Mari are represented by Mari Ushem, the National Movement, in order to seek support for the preservation and development of its national culture and identity. " |
| Tatars | Russia: Mari | 45,000 | 6.00% | - | - | 1999 | *LINK* Unrepresented Nations & Peoples Organisation web site; web page: "Mari " (Viewed 16 Aug. 1999). | "The population of Mari is approximately 750,000... In the Mari Republic, Russians are the second largest population group, representing 48% of the total, Tatars 6% and Chuvash 1%. " |
| Jehovah's Witnesses | Russia: Moscow | 10,000 | - | - | - | 1998 | *LINK* PRESS RELEASE from Moscow Office Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, Sept. 24, 1998. | There are about 10,000 Jehovah's Witnesses in Moscow and 250,000 associated throughout Russia. |
| Judaism | Russia: Moscow | 285,000 | - | - | - | 1982 | Charing, Douglas. The Jewish World. London, UK: Silver Burdett Co. (1983), pg. 14. | Graphic "City population comparisons "; New York: 1,998,000; Los Angeles: 455,000; Paris: 380,000; Tel Aviv: 335,000; Jerusalem: 298,000; Moscow: 285,000; Buenos Aires: 250,000 " |
| Judaism | Russia: Moscow | 200,000 | - | - | - | 1998 | *LINK* Jewish Communities of the World web site (1998) | Table: World Jewry. "collected our data from from demographic and other academic studies, community reports, and up-dates in the general media... consulted with experts to verify findings before reaching our assessments and estimates. " |
| Judaism | Russia: Riga | 20,000 | - | 1 unit |
- | 1985 | Gilbert, Martin (ed.) The Illustrated Atlas of Jewish Civilization: 4,000 Years of Jewish History. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co. (1990), pg. 218. | "Of the approximately 1,000 synagogues [in Russia] in existence in 1917, barely 60 survived into the 1980s--in Riga in 1989, there was only one for 28,000 Jews--and most of these had no rabbis. " |
| Yakut | Russia: Sakha Republic | 334,000 | 33.40% | - | - | 1999 | *LINK* Unrepresented Nations & Peoples Organisation web site; web page: "Sakha Republic (Yakutia) " (Viewed 16 Aug. 1999). | "The Sakha Republic (Yakutia) is the largest republic in the Russia Federation. The territory covers an area of approximately 3,103,200 km2. The capital is Yakutsk. Population: The population of Sakha is about 1 million, representing over 80 nationalities. Russian are the largest group, making up approximately half the population, followed by indigenous Sakha-Yakutsk who constitute 33.4% of the population. " |
| Atheism | Russia: St. Petersburg | 900,000 | 15.00% | - | - | 1991 | Chalfant, H. Paul, et al. Religion in Contemporary Society (3rd Ed.); Itasca, Illinois: F.E. Peacock Publishers (1994), pg. 244. | "Lefevere (1991:11) quotes Archpriest Vladimir Sorokin, rector of the Russian Orthodox Theological Academy and Seminary, as saying that the 6 million pop. of St. petersburg is 60% Orthodox, about 10 to 15% 'militantly atheists,' while the rest are Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, or Muslim. " |
| Eastern Orthodox | Russia: St. Petersburg | 3,600,000 | 60.00% | - | - | 1991 | Chalfant, H. Paul, et al. Religion in Contemporary Society (3rd Ed.); Itasca, Illinois: F.E. Peacock Publishers (1994), pg. 244. | "Lefevere (1991:11) quotes Archpriest Vladimir Sorokin, rector of the Russian Orthodox Theological Academy and Seminary, as saying that the 6 million pop. of St. petersburg is 60% Orthodox, about 10 to 15% 'militantly atheists,' while the rest are Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, or Muslim. " |
| Judaism | Russia: St. Petersburg | 100,000 | - | - | - | 1998 | *LINK* Jewish Communities of the World web site (1998) | Table: World Jewry. "collected our data from from demographic and other academic studies, community reports, and up-dates in the general media... consulted with experts to verify findings before reaching our assessments and estimates. " |
| indigenous | Russia: Tuva | 300,700 | 97.00% | - | - | 1997 | *LINK* Gamming, Jenny. They have a flag-but no country " in Swedish Expressen, 17 Aug. 1997. (Viewed 16 Aug. 1999). Unrepresented Nations & Peoples Organisation web site. Translated by SSF/Goran Hansson. | "Tuva is situated where the Siberian river Jenisej ends up, north of Mongolia. The indigenous population consists of 97% of the 310,000 inhabitants. Tuva has more or less been governed by Moscow during the major part of the 20th century and is today a Russian Republic. " |
| Tuvans | Russia: Tuva | 300,700 | 97.00% | - | - | 1999 | *LINK* Unrepresented Nations & Peoples Organisation web site; web page: "Tuva " (Viewed 16 Aug. 1999). | "The republic of Tuva lies at the upper reaches of the Siberian Yenisey river. Population: Of the population of approximately 310,000 people 97% are Tuvans. Other Tuvans live in Mongolia and the Peoples Republic of China. Tuvans are one of the oldest peoples to inhabit Central Asia with a unique culture. The mixture of cultural roots of ancient Tuvans, Uigurs and Kyrgyzians formed a the basis of the culture of the present-day. " |
| Tatars | Russia: Udmurt | 115,080 | 7.00% | - | - | 1999 | *LINK* Unrepresented Nations & Peoples Organisation web site; web page: "Udmurt " (Viewed 16 Aug. 1999). | "The population of Udmurtia is approximately 1,644,000 people... The majority of the population in Udmurt is Russian (59%), followed by Udmurts (31%) and Tatars (7%). " |
| Udmurts | Russia: Udmurt | 509,640 | 31.00% | - | - | 1999 | *LINK* Unrepresented Nations & Peoples Organisation web site; web page: "Udmurt " (Viewed 16 Aug. 1999). | "The Udmurt Republic is located in the Russian Federation in the western part of the Urals, bordering Tatarstan and Bashkortostan. Area: 42,100 km2. The capital is Izhevsk. The Udmurt are a Finno-Ugric people. The population of Udmurtia is approximately 1,644,000 people. Of the total Udmurt population of 747,000 living in the former Soviet Union only 66.5% live in Udmurt itself. The majority of the population in Udmurt is Russian (59%), followed by Udmurts (31%) and Tatars (7%). " |
| African Traditional Religion | Rwanda | 1,068,000 | 99.80% | - | - | 1900 | *LINK* web page: "Geographical Distribution of Followers of ATR... " (viewed 13 March 1999); Arranged by Chidi Denis Isizoh from the entries made in: Barret, D.B. World Christian Encylopedia. Nairobi (1982). | Table: "Geographical Distribution of Adherents of African Traditional Religion in the Continent of Africa " |
| African Traditional Religion | Rwanda | 1,076,900 | 29.30% | - | - | 1970 | *LINK* web page: "Geographical Distribution of Followers of ATR... " (viewed 13 March 1999); Arranged by Chidi Denis Isizoh from the entries made in: Barret, D.B. World Christian Encylopedia. Nairobi (1982). | Table: "Geographical Distribution of Adherents of African Traditional Religion in the Continent of Africa " |
| African Traditional Religion | Rwanda | 976,360 | 23.20% | - | - | 1975 | *LINK* web page: "Geographical Distribution of Followers of ATR... " (viewed 13 March 1999); Arranged by Chidi Denis Isizoh from the entries made in: Barret, D.B. World Christian Encylopedia. Nairobi (1982). | Table: "Geographical Distribution of Adherents of African Traditional Religion in the Continent of Africa " |
