Rutuls

Rutuls (Рутульцы, or рутулы in Russian) are a people in Dagestan (Russia) and some parts of Azerbaijan. According to the 2002 census, there were 29,929 Rutuls in Russia (12,000 in 1970). The Rutul language belongs to the Northeast Caucasian language family. The Rutuls confess Sunni Islam. The Rutul culture is close to that one of the Lezgins and other peoples, who inhabit the basin of the upper reaches of the Samur River. Most of the Rutuls are engaged in cattle breeding (mostly, sheep husbandry), farming, and gardening.