Indigenous small-numbered peoples of the Russian Arctic through the lens of 2010 and 2020 All-Russian censuses: language dimension

Polar Geography. 2026. Vol. 49. No. 1.

Sokolova F., Marina M. Panikar, Beloshitskaya N.

The article analyzes the returns of the 2010 and 2020 All-Russian censuses, focusing on linguistic practices of indigenous small-numbered peoples of the Russian Arctic. The authors take a comparative perspective to examine the ethnodemographic situation and current state of language preferences of the indigenous peoples of the Russian Arctic through the lens of the census results and legal framework analysis. The research findings indicate that during the analyzed period, the population of the indigenous small-numbered peoples in the Russian Arctic increased, likely reflecting the impact of legislative and ideological initiatives focused on shaping indigenous identity. Similarly, there was a rise in their self-identification with the native languages. Yet, a downward trend in their native language proficiency allows concluding on the native language being mostly a symbol of national consciousness rather than a linguistic indicator. While more populous indigenous peoples have managed to preserve their attachment to the native language as they enjoy the practice of everyday communication in their mother tongue, the native languages of small-numbered indigenous peoples are more vulnerable and, as such, require a comprehensive approach to their ethnic identity and native languages’ preservation.

Keywords: Russian Arctic, self-identification, indigenous small-numbered peoples, native language identification