Mordvins

Mordvins are divided linguistically and culturally into two groups: Erzyas and Mokshas. The separation of the Mordvin languages and at the same time cultures started in the 500s, and it is essential to see that Erzyas and Mokshas regard themselves as two different peoples.

There are a total of just over 800,000 Mordvins, and two thirds of them are Erzyans and one third Mokshas.

Mordvins have a republic of their own, the Republic of Mordovia, which is located close to the Mari El Republic. The total population of Mordovia is around 835,000, but around half of them are Russians. Mordvins account for around 40% of the population of the republic. Many Mordvins live outside their titular republic. The capital of the Republic of Mordovia is Saransk.

Mordovia’s key economic activities are agriculture and manufacturing industry.

Some of the 2018 FIFA World Cup football matches were played in Saransk.

Sources

Saarinen, Sirkka 2008: Turvaako kielilaki kielen aseman – suomalais-ugrilaisten kielten uhanalaisuus [Will the Language Act safeguard the status of languages – Endangeredness of Finno-Ugric languages]. In Murros – Suomalais-ugrilaiset kielet ja kulttuurit globalisaation paineissa [Transformation – Finno-Ugric Cultures and Languages Facing Pressures of Globalisation].  Eds. Sirkka Saarinen & Eeva Herrala. Uralica Helsingensia 3. Helsinki University Department of Finno-Ugrian Studies – Finnish Academy of Science and Letters – Société Finno-Ougrienne – Finno-Ugrian Society.

Uralilaiset kansat – tietoa suomen sukukielistä ja niiden puhujista [Uralic Peoples – Information about Languages Related to Finnish and Their Speakers]. Ed. Johanna Laakso. WSOY 1991.

From the Volga to Siberia. The Finno-Ugric Peoples in Today’s Russia. Ed. Ildikó Lehtinen. Finnish Literature Society 2012.