Komi peoples

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Komi


Total population
400,000 (both groups)
Regions with significant populations
Russia, largely located in the Komi Republic, Perm Krai, Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Arkhangelsk Oblast, and Murmansk Oblast.
Languages
Russian, Komi
Religions
Russian Orthodoxy, Shamanism
Related ethnic groups
Udmurts, other Finno-Permic peoples

Komi (obsolete: Komi-Zyrians) live in the Komi Republic, Perm Krai, Murmansk Oblast, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug of Russia. Their Northernmost subgroup is also known as the Komi-Izhemtsy (from the name of the river Izhma) or Iz'vataz. This group is distinct for its more traditional, strongly subsistence based economy which includes reindeer husbandry. Komi-Permyaks live in Perm Krai (Komi-Yazvas group) and Kirov Oblast (Upper-Kama Komi group) of Russia.

Both Komi languages are written with the Russian alphabet, adding two extra letters: Іі and Ӧӧ. Until the 17th century, the used the Old Permic alphabet, sometimes called Abur, introduced by Saint Stephen of Perm in the 14th century.

They may have been much more widespread in the past. Scandinavians knew of prosperous Bjarmians who were settled in the area of modern Arkhangelsk. A medieval Komi state was known as Great Perm.

They were classified under the title Zyrian as a Narodnost in the First All Union Census of the Soviet Union in 1926.