Dagestan: population, history and traditions

The southernmost part of the Russian Federation is the Republic of Dagestan. The capital of Makhachkala is almost 100 years old. This republic borders on Georgia, Azerbaijan, the Stavropol Territory, Kalmykia and Chechnya.

Population of Dagestan

Assess the size of the republic can not only by its area, but also by the number of people living in it. The census of the population of Dagestan showed that in 2015 there were 2.99 million people living in the republic. At the same time, the density is 59.49 people per km ² . It is worth noting that in 1989, according to the census, there were less than 2 million people living there, and in 1996 - 2.126 million people.

But you can estimate the true number of citizens of the republic if you know that more than 700 thousand people live outside the region. The government of the subject of the Russian Federation speaks about such quantity. Among all mountain regions, the population density in Dagestan is one of the largest. On average, there are 2.13 children per woman.

The population speaks Russian and national languages of Dagestan. But only 14 of all the ethnic languages of the republic have written language. The rest are oral. But the most common are only 4 language groups.

Population growth

The republic differs in high birth rate. It occupies an honorable third place in this indicator in Russia. Only Ingushetia and Chechnya are ahead of it. Every year, there are 19.5 newborns per thousand inhabitants. Five years ago this figure was 18.8 in the Republic of Dagestan.

The population grows annually. The rate of increase in the number of people is the maximum in Russia. At the same time, only 45% of people live in cities, while the rest live in rural areas. Men in this subject of the Russian Federation are slightly smaller, their share is 48.1%. If we take into account only the population of Dagestan, then this republic ranks 13th among all subjects of the Federation.

Distribution by city

The most densely populated is the capital of the republic - the city of Makhachkala. Directly here lives 583 thousand people. And if you take into account all the settlements that are under the control of the capital, then about 700 thousand people will leave.

A lot of people live in other cities of the Republic of Dagestan. The population of the city of Khasavyurt is almost 137 thousand, Derbent - 121 thousand, Kaspiysk - 107 thousand, Buinaksk - 63 thousand.

If you look at the districts of the republic, then the most populous will be Khasavyurtovsky: in it during the census counted 149 thousand people. In Derbent district there are 102 thousand Dagestanis, in Buinakskiy and Karabudakhkent districts 78 and 79 thousand people respectively.

National composition

It is worth mentioning separately that the population of the Republic of Dagestan is a unique community from the ethnic point of view. Over 50 thousand km ² there are more than 100 different nationalities and nationalities. Do not forget that part of the territory is unfit for mountain ranges.

The most numerous group is the indigenous people - Avars. According to 2010, their number was 850 thousand people, which at that time was 29.4% of all residents. Next in number is the Dargin people. They are also indigenous people of the republic, so it is important to know how many are left. The population of Dagestan is growing, respectively, and the number of ethnic groups. In 2010, there were 490 thousand Darginians (17% of the total number) living in the republic, and in 2002 there were significantly less of them - 425.5 thousand.

The third in number are Kumyks. In Dagestan, they live almost 15%, or 432 thousand people. Slightly less there are Lezgins, they make up 13% of the total number of inhabitants. The number of this people in the republic is almost 388 thousand.

Also, as a result of the census, it was found that there are significantly fewer ethnic groups. For example, in Dagestan there live slightly more than 5% of Laks, 4% of Azerbaijanis and Tabasarans, 3.6% of Russians, and 3.2% of Chechens.

Religious features

The population of the cities of Dagestan is quite diverse. But at the same time, almost 90% of the inhabitants have one religion. The majority in this republic professes Islam. To spread this religion began in this territory in the VII century. Originally she appeared in Derbent and on the flat part. Islam became the dominant religion only in the XIII-XIV centuries.

Such a long spread of it is due to internecine wars that lasted for two centuries during this period. But only after the invasion of the Mongol-Tatars and the subsequent attack of Tamerlane, Islam became the religion of all the mountain inhabitants of the republic. At the same time, there are two directions in Dagestan: Sunnism and Shiism. The first of them professes the absolute majority - 99% of the inhabitants of the Republic of Dagestan.

The population belonging to the remaining 10% of people who are not Muslims professes Christianity and Judaism. At the same time, there are 3.8% of the Orthodox population out of the total number of residents. In the mid-90's. In Dagestan there were more than 1,6 thousand mosques, 7 churches and 4 synagogues. Such a number of religious objects gives a clear idea of which religion prevails.

Historical features

The resulting ethnic diversity is a consequence of the historical development of this region. Always Dagestan was divided into established historical and geographical areas. Separately, the following regions are singled out in this republic: Avariya, Akusha-Dargo, Agul, Andriya, Dido, Auch, Kaitag, Lakia, Kumykia, Salatavia, Lekia, Tabarstan and others.

The territory of modern Dagestan was inhabited already a million years ago. As a result of the wars at the beginning of the last millennium, these places became subordinate to the Khazars, and after them the Tatar-Mongols took over.

The second Russo-Persian war left a mark on development. In the 16th century, the Russians founded the city of Port Petrovsk (now Makhachkala) and formally annexed the entire coast of the Caspian Sea to the territory of the Russian Empire.

By the XVII century, Dagestan became the Caucasian province. But in the middle of the century an insurrection took place in this territory, which turned into a Caucasian war. As a result, the Dagestan Region was formed within the Empire under the military-popular administration.

During the Soviet era, the Dagestan ASSR was established. In 1993 it became the republic of Dagestan.

Culture and Sport in the Republic

Due to its diverse ethnic composition, the republic is unique. This leaves an imprint on the cultural development of the region. For example, here there are several national theaters, among them Darginsky and Kumyksky. The Old Town, the Citadel and a number of buildings of the city of Derbent are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. In the republic there are about 8 thousand monuments.

One of the largest book depositories in the North Caucasus, in which there are more than 700 thousand documents, is located exactly in the Republic of Dagestan.

The population is also actively involved in sports. The region is one of the leaders in Russia in terms of sports achievements. Already for 50 years Dagestan is famous for its fighters. Moreover, 10 people from this region became Olympic champions, 41 people were awarded the title of world champion and 89 - champion of Europe.

National traditions

Separately, all researchers note the unique folklore of Dagestan. The basis of the spiritual heritage of the republic is precisely the multilingualism and multinationality of the region. Oral-poetic creativity developed since ancient times. There is a ritual poetry, a mythological genre.

Fine art has developed only in the XX century. In the republic there were both artists and sculptors. But decorative and applied art is rooted in the Bronze Age. Now in Dagestan jewelry is made, which are decorated with enamel, niello, engraving. Some regions are known for their copper coining, wooden products with silver incisions or bone incrustations, ceramics with paintings, carpets.