Tatarstan
A republic of Russia in Eastern Europe, rich in oil and history.
Tatarstan, officially the Republic of Tatarstan, sometimes also called Tataria, is a republic of Russia located in Eastern Europe. It is a part of the Volga Federal District; and its capital and largest city is Kazan, an important cultural centre in Russia. The region's main source of wealth is oil with a strong petrochemical industry.
- capital
- Kazan
- area
- 68,000 square kilometres (26,000 mi²)
- population
- 4,004,809 (2021 census)
- official_languages
- Tatar and Russian
- head_of_republic
- Rustam Minnihanov
- established
- Tatar ASSR founded in 1920; renamed Republic of Tatarstan in 1992
Lore & Background
The earliest known organised state within the boundaries of Tatarstan was Volga Bulgaria, which adopted Islam in 922. Other historical predecessors include the Golden Horde and the Khanate of Kazan, before ultimately being conquered by Russia. In 1920, the modern Tatar state, known as the Tatar ASSR, was founded as an autonomous republic of the Russian SFSR. It was renamed the Republic of Tatarstan in 1992 and became a federal subject of Russia.
Reader's Guide
The republic is located in the centre of the East European Plain, approximately 800 km east of Moscow. It lies between the Volga River and the Kama River, and extends east to the Ural Mountains. Oak is the dominant tree species on 87% of the total area, followed by aspen, linden, birch, and Scots pine. The total forest cover has decreased from 51.2% to 17.1% over the last 300 years. The Volga-Kama Nature Reserve is situated in Tatarstan.
Did You Know?
- The area of Tatarstan is 68000 km2, occupying 0.4% of the total surface of the country.
- As of the 2021 census, the population of Tatarstan was 4,004,809.
- The official languages of the republic are Tatar and Russian.
- The head of Tatarstan is Rustam Minnihanov.
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