Transformations in ethnic population composition in Russia in 1989–2010

Abstract

The evolution of ethnic structure in post-Soviet Russia is analyzed from a territorial perspective, based on the population census results in 1989, 2002 and 2010. The stability of the ethnic structure of the Russian megacore and indigenization of national subordinate entities of the Federation are considered with due regard to the differences in migration during the two inter-census periods and the socioeconomic situation in the entities of the Russian Federation. According to data from the population census in 2010, the differences in the level of polyethnicity, related to the history and the patterns of regional development, settlement specifics, and migration processes of the past two decades, are analyzed for the rural and urban population. Special attention is paid to the new trends—an increase in the number of people who did not give an unambiguous answer to or decline to answer questions on their ethnic identity. Along with serious errors while carrying out the population census, their reasons may be due to complications in the ethnic identity structure that is taking place in Russian and national regions in different ways. The presented level of urbanization of the main ethnicities indirectly characterizes the prospects for keeping the traditional primordial ethnic identity for various ethnic groups.