| Coordinates | 35°8′7″N63°28′8″N |
|---|
| Group | ChuvashesЧăвашсем |
|---|
| Poptime | up to 2 million |
|---|
| Region1 | |
|---|
| Pop1 | 1,637,094 |
|---|
| Ref1 | |
|---|
| Region2 | |
|---|
| Pop2 | 22,305 |
|---|
| Ref2 | |
|---|
| Region3 | |
|---|
| Pop3 | 10,593 |
|---|
| Ref3 | |
|---|
| Region4 | |
|---|
| Pop4 | 10,074 |
|---|
| Ref4 | |
|---|
| Region5 | |
|---|
| Pop5 | 2,281 |
|---|
| Ref5 | |
|---|
| Region6 | |
|---|
| Pop6 | 2,242 |
|---|
| Ref6 | |
|---|
| Region9 | |
|---|
| Pop9 | 752 |
|---|
| Ref9 | |
|---|
| Region7 | |
|---|
| Pop7 | 1,204 |
|---|
| Ref7 | |
|---|
| Region8 | |
|---|
| Pop8 | 848 |
|---|
| Ref8 | |
|---|
| Region10 | |
|---|
| Pop10 | 542 |
|---|
| Ref10 | |
|---|
| Region11 | |
|---|
| Pop11 | 495 |
|---|
| Ref11 | |
|---|
| Region12 | |
|---|
| Pop12 | 489 |
|---|
| Ref12 | |
|---|
| Pop13 | 889,268 / |
|---|
| Langs | Chuvash |
|---|
| Rels | † Orthodox Christianity |
|---|
| Related-c | SuvarsVolga Tatars, Volga Bulgars |
|---|
The Chuvash people (; ) are a Turkic ethnic group, native to an area stretching from the Volga Region to Siberia. Most of them live in Republic of Chuvashia and surrounding areas, although Chuvash communities may be found throughout all Russia.
Etymology
There is no universally accepted etymology of the word Chuvash. However, there are two main theories that try to explain it.
Suvar
According to one theory, "Chuvash" is a
Shaz-Turkic adaptation of
Lir-Turkic Suvar, an ethnonym of people that are widely considered to be the ancestors of modern Chuvashes. Compare Lir-Turkic to Shaz-Turkic (cauldron).
Jăvaš
Another theory suggests that the word "Chuvash" may be derived from Common Turkic
jăvaš ("friendly", "peaceful") as opposed to
şarmăs ("warlike").
Origin
There are rival schools of thought on the origin of Chuvash people. One is that they originated from a mixing between the Turkic
Suar and
Sabir tribes of
Volga Bulgaria with local
Mari tribes. Another is that the Chuvash are a remainder of the pre-
Volga Bulgar population of the Volga region, merged with
Scythians, Volga Bulgars and Mari.
Subgroups
Chuvash people are divided into two main groups:
Virjal or
Turi (; upper) and
Anatri (; lower). The latter also have their own subgroups:
Anat jenci (; mid-lower) and
Hirti (; steppe).
History
The Turkic ancestors of the Chuvash people are believed to have come from central Siberia, where they lived in the
Irtysh basin (between the
Tian Shan and
Altay) from at least the end of the third millennium BC. In the beginning of the first century AD they started moving west through
Zhetysu and the steppes of modern-day
Kazakhstan, reaching the
North Caucasus in 2nd-3rd centuries AD. There they established several states (
Old Bulgaria on the
Black Sea coast and the
Suvar Duchy in modern-day
Daghestan) and came into contact with various
Iranic peoples.
Old Bulgaria broke up in the second half of the 7th century after a series of successful Khazar invasions. Most of its population fled north, to the Volga-Kama region. Shortly after that, the Suvar Duchy was forced to become a vassal state of Khazaria. About half a century later, the Suvars took part in the Khazar-Arab Wars of 732-737.
Culture
They speak the
Chuvash language and have some pre-
Christian traditions. In addition to the Chuvash language, many Chuvash people also use the Russian and
Tatar languages.
Religion
Chuvash people are predominantly
Orthodox Christians and belong to the
Russian Orthodox Church. They retain some pre-Christian traditions in their cultural activities.
See also
List of Chuvashes
Chuvash Wikipedia
References
Category:Chuvash people
Category:Ethnic groups in Russia
Category:Turkic Christians
![Agricultural Academy, Cheboksary (Russian: Чебокса́ры; Chuvash: Шупашкар, Šupaškar/Shupashkar) is a city and the capital of the Chuvash Republic, Russia. It is a port on the Volga River. Population: 453,700 (2004 est.); 440,621 (2002 Census);[2] 419,592 (1989 Census).](http://web.archive.org./web/20110822120941im_/http://cdn4.wn.com/pd/cf/f9/e896595296200fc873dc93d086de_grande.jpg "Agricultural Academy, Cheboksary (Russian: Чебокса́ры; Chuvash: Шупашкар, Šupaškar/Shupashkar) is a city and the capital of the Chuvash Republic, Russia. It is a port on the Volga River. Population: 453,700 (2004 est.); 440,621 (2002 Census);[2] 419,592 (1989 Census).")
![Monument of Mother in center of the city Cheboksary (Russian: Чебокса́ры; Chuvash: Шупашкар, Šupaškar/Shupashkar) is a city and the capital of the Chuvash Republic, Russia. It is a port on the Volga River. Population: 453,700 (2004 est.); 440,621 (2002 Census);[2] 419,592 (1989 Census).](http://web.archive.org./web/20110822120941im_/http://cdn2.wn.com/pd/c6/77/87d690562e8697d2bb427b31b660_grande.jpg "Monument of Mother in center of the city Cheboksary (Russian: Чебокса́ры; Chuvash: Шупашкар, Šupaškar/Shupashkar) is a city and the capital of the Chuvash Republic, Russia. It is a port on the Volga River. Population: 453,700 (2004 est.); 440,621 (2002 Census);[2] 419,592 (1989 Census).")
![Agricultural Academy, Cheboksary (Russian: Чебокса́ры; Chuvash: Шупашкар, Šupaškar/Shupashkar) is a city and the capital of the Chuvash Republic, Russia. It is a port on the Volga River. Population: 453,700 (2004 est.); 440,621 (2002 Census);[2] 419,592 (1989 Census).](http://web.archive.org./web/20110822120941im_/http://cdn3.wn.com/pd/cf/f9/e896595296200fc873dc93d086de_thumb.jpg "Agricultural Academy, Cheboksary (Russian: Чебокса́ры; Chuvash: Шупашкар, Šupaškar/Shupashkar) is a city and the capital of the Chuvash Republic, Russia. It is a port on the Volga River. Population: 453,700 (2004 est.); 440,621 (2002 Census);[2] 419,592 (1989 Census).")
![Monument of Mother in center of the city Cheboksary (Russian: Чебокса́ры; Chuvash: Шупашкар, Šupaškar/Shupashkar) is a city and the capital of the Chuvash Republic, Russia. It is a port on the Volga River. Population: 453,700 (2004 est.); 440,621 (2002 Census);[2] 419,592 (1989 Census).](http://web.archive.org./web/20110822120941im_/http://cdn1.wn.com/pd/c6/77/87d690562e8697d2bb427b31b660_thumb.jpg "Monument of Mother in center of the city Cheboksary (Russian: Чебокса́ры; Chuvash: Шупашкар, Šupaškar/Shupashkar) is a city and the capital of the Chuvash Republic, Russia. It is a port on the Volga River. Population: 453,700 (2004 est.); 440,621 (2002 Census);[2] 419,592 (1989 Census).")
