Russia is a multi-national state with over 186 ethnic groups designated as nationalities; the populations of these groups vary enormously, from millions (e.g., Russians, Tatars) to under 10,000 (e.g., Samis, Kets). You will find there Slavic Ortodox culture, Tatars and Bashkirs with their Turkic muslim culture, Bhuddist and lamaistic Buryats and Kalmyks, shamanistic peoples of the Far North and Siberia, highlanders of the Northern Caucausus, Finno-Ugric peoples of the Russian North-West and Volga region — all of them contribute to diverse and rich culture of Russia.

Russian is the official state language, but the Constitution gives the individual republics the right to make their native language co-official next to Russian….